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Scale	By : AkashaEmily Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1195 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Chapter Six: A
Piece of the Action

*** denotes that time has passed and the previous
point of view continued

�� You
are bleeding.�
Out of all the possible
conversation starters Sai could have chosen, those words were not ones Sasuke
had anticipated. The moment the Uchiha had realized that he and Naruto were not
alone, his mind had begun racing through the possible outcomes of the situation
so that Sasuke would be ready to counter any of Sai�s arguments. Since
physically stopping the other was out of the question, the tiny ninja would
have to use persuasion as his weapon, something that hinged exclusively on accurately
reading an opponent.
It required more social skills
than Sasuke currently possessed and so he remained silent after the other spoke,
staring up at the blank faced artist.
Sai set the basket he held onto
the floor then used both hands to coax Ami from his shoulder. After a quick rub
against a pale cheek, the spider went willingly from its perch and allowed
itself to be placed carefully on the floor as well and it was as Ami walked
away that Sasuke noticed she was missing a leg. It was easy to miss since the
resulting stub had been wrapped with a black bandage that blended in with her
natural coloring.
So, Ami hadn�t gotten away
unscathed from her battle to protect he and Naruto. Sasuke made a mental note
to allow her free use of his sundeck.
�Sasuke-kun, you are bleeding.� Sai
said again, slightly louder this time, as if he thought that Sasuke�s ability
to hear had been damaged when his size had been compromised.
Only Sasuke�s quick reflexes
saved him from taking a header into the bath water as behind him Naruto snorted
and the shoulder the Uchiha stood on shifted abruptly.
Fucking
moron! Sasuke
glared at Sai, mouth a thin line as he pressed his lips together tightly in
irritation.
Showing the first real signs of
emotion the Uchiha had seen, Sai frowned before
speaking at a louder volume. �Sasuke-kun, I said-� �
�I can hear you!� Sasuke snapped
waspishly, mentally dubbing Sai as �dobe number 2.� He opened his mouth to tell
the former ROOT member to shut the hell up but, before he could utter a
syllable, the tan shoulder beneath him rolled suddenly as the blonde came awake
with a jerk and this time the Uchiha was not fast
enough to avoid a dip.

Naruto yawned as he woke,
automatically stretching his arms over his head and twisting slightly at the
waist to accommodate the movement when his elbows scraped against cold tile of
the wall. �He scrubbed a hand through his
hair, wincing when his fingers snagged on a tangle, and began looking around
for Sasuke, wondering if he could con the Uchiha into combing the knot out.
�Hey Teme,� The blonde whined,
inwardly smiling as he schooled his expression into a childish pout.� He leaned back, looking around for the silent
brunet. �Can you��
�� Naruto damn near swallowed his tongue
when he saw Sai in the doorway, the artist dressed in a black shirt with
matching pants, immediately alleviating the fear that Team 7 had been assigned
a mission. The blond�s mouth opened and closed around a strangled sound as he
startled in surprise, pushing his back against the porcelain of the tub in the
process.
The action seemed to alarm Sai
and the artist took a step toward the tub with a hand outstretched, his eyes
wide. �Naruto, lean forward immediately!�
�Wha�?� It was then that Naruto
felt an odd sensation against his lower back, a fluttering that quickly turned to
pain, almost like small hands clawing at his skin� Horror crashed over the
blond, spurring him to immediately stand and turn toward the source of the
disturbance. Water sluicing off his skin, Naruto knelt and carefully cupped his
hands around the dazed looking Uchiha, pulling the other from the water. ��Oh, God, Sasuke I�m so sorry!�
Red faced, Sasuke didn�t say anything, too busy coughing to even glare up at the blond as
he held his chest. It was only after the fit had passed that the shivering wet Uchiha
responded, shooting Naruto the bird before wrapping both hands around his
chest, grimacing every time he breathed.
�Teme!� Naruto shot to his feet so fast
that only Sai�s timely support kept the blond from falling back into the water
or dropping the Uchiha. Even with the artist�s help, Naruto clumsily stumbled
over the edge of the tub to the bathmat, his attention firmly remaining on the
tiny brunet in his hands. �Speak to me! Are you okay?! I�m sorry,
I didn�t know that you were there! I fell asleep and
then seeing Sai-�
�Naruto was panicking, his hands shaking even
as he fought to keep them still long enough to dry the other, nearly dropping
the Uchiha several times in the process until Sai intervened and deftly plucked
Sasuke from the blond�s grasp.
�I believe you have bruised his
ribs, Naruto.� The artist explained calmly, sitting down on the closed lid of
the toilet. While Naruto hovered uncertainly, Sai grabbed hold of the hems of
the diminutive brunet�s soaked pants and tugged the fabric off,
then grabbed a dry, clean washcloth and swaddled Sasuke with it, being careful
all the while not to press the Uchiha�s skin too firmly or jar him more than
necessary.
It was all done with such speed
and efficiency that part of the blond felt jealous and strangely hurt by it, but
the emotions were diminished by the more prominent feelings of guilt and fear
plaguing him.
Sai smiled up at the blond and
held a rather flustered looking Sasuke up for Naruto to take but the
jinchuuriki stepped back, suddenly afraid to touch the Uchiha.
�You hold on to him while I get
dressed.� Naruto muttered, pretending to be preoccupied with wrapping his own
towel around his waist. He glanced up and, though Sai�s expression remained
detachedly pleasant, Sasuke�s had gone completely blank, a clear indication
that the Uchiha was upset.
Guilt gnawed at the blond, as
did the urge to reassure his injured friend, and it was the latter that
prompted him to flee, retreating behind his closed bedroom door.

�� Did
Sakura really do that to the television?� Sai asked, not looking up from
treating Sasuke�s wounds as he sat at the kitchen table. He was using a soft
paintbrush to coat the Uchiha�s upper body with a medical salve, carefully
working the greasy stuff into the bruises now mottling the normally pale skin.
The tiny ninja grunted,
immediately regretting the minimal action when it made his ribs ache. As
momentary as it had been, he had still been crushed between Naruto�s broad back
and the unforgiving porcelain tub, and now his ability to breathe had been
seriously compromised. Sinking his teeth into his bottom lip to keep quiet,
Sasuke shifted as he sat the wrong way in the small kitchen chair Naruto had
bought him, his knuckles turning white as they gripped the back of the wooden
chair. Moving in any direction hurt a lot more than the Uchiha was willing to
admit and so he remained as straight as he could, ignoring the cool air around
him and the sensation of the washcloth knotted at his waist digging harshly
into his skin, taking only shallow breaths as he waited for the artist to
finish.
Sai�s paintbrush ghosted over the
Uchiha�s shoulder and down his arm, generously bathing the blossoming bruises
there and leaving a cool tingling sensation in its wake. The concoction was
from the basket Sai had had with him, the whole thing an apology present from
Hinata, and Sasuke immediately realized that the salve was less medicinal and
more a topical anesthetic, something that he was grateful for. The salve could
only take away the surface pain of his bruised skin, not the remaining pain of
the deeper musculoskeletal injuries underneath but it lessened it, enabling the
diminutive brunet to get a slightly better breath.
He made a mental note to remind
Naruto to thank the Hyuuga heiress for her generosity and thoughtfulness even
if she was partially to blame for the whole situation.
�
�Why are you here?� Sasuke blamed the angry edge to his voice on the
lingering pain of his collective injuries and not on the territorial jealousy
he was feeling. It annoyed the Uchiha that Sai was present in Naruto�s home
unannounced and it irritated him even further to note that the artist had
brought a backpack with him, the small bag sitting innocuously near the
apartment�s entrance along with Sai�s sandals.
�Hand�s up please, Sasuke-kun.�
Sai requested, putting his brush down to exchange it with a roll of gauze
bandages, winding them carefully around the Uchiha�s middle once Sasuke
complied. �It is movie night, a tradition Naruto started to help me be normal.�
Movie night? �Normal?� Sasuke repeated then hissed,
immediately gritting his teeth together because inhaling to speak made his ribs
burn.
�While in ROOT, I underwent
special psychological training to kill my emotions. Naruto says my lack of
empathy makes me stand out on missions.�
The Uchiha grunted as Sai
finished, pulling the bandages a little tighter than Sasuke felt necessary as the
artist tied the ends together into a small knot over the shrunken ninja�s lower
back. Sasuke took several seconds to breathe slowly, getting used to the restricting
tightness of the bandages before speaking.
�Movie night�s been canceled. Go
home.� The diminutive brunet said, grabbing the corners of the washcloth pooling
around his waist and standing stiffly, immediately regretting it and nearly
falling to the floor again when he felt lightheaded. He wobbled but
determinedly righted himself, forcing himself to focus on the mess across the
room, picking out little details of the mess and memorizing them. He�d used the
same tactic in Sound when Orochimaru�s training had left him in a similar disoriented
state and Sasuke did not wish to pass out again in front of the Sannin. He�d
done it once before and woken up with marker- Marker?!- all over his face, Orochimaru
and Kabuto giggling like idiots once Sasuke roused. It was not an experience he
ever wanted to repeat since it had taken the Uchiha days of scrubbing to get
the black mustache under his nose, the glasses around his eyes and the kanji
for �avenger� on his forehead off.
Stupid,
moronic, idiot excuse for�a� Sann� Sasuke
stumbled again but managed to catch himself, trying hard to hold onto his remembered
anger while clutching tightly at the washcloth saving him from total nudity. The
room began to blur then take on fuzzy edges and before he knew it, Sasuke�s
eyes were rolling into the back of his head.

***

�Is he alright?!� Like a physical
slap, Naruto�s booming voice brought the Uchiha back so abruptly from oblivion
that Sasuke felt his body already attempting to assume an attack position even
before he was fully awake. Attempt was the operative word; there seemed to be
some sort of vise surrounding Sasuke�s chest that tightened painfully every
time he had to take a breath and this limiting of his lung capacity caused him
to have a mild panic attack as his body instinctively fought against the
restriction.
There�s
air, there�s air, there�s� Why isn�t there any air?! The more he tried to breathe,
the less ability he seemed to have to do so and soon the Uchiha was fighting to
calm himself while his heart tried to claw its way out of his throat. It was
like drowning on dry land, as if the air had turned into some thick liquid
around him even though he knew that, logically, this was not the case since he
could see that neither Sai nor Naruto were having problems.
�Teme? Say something!� Sudden pressure
on his ribs made stars explode behind Sasuke�s eyes in psychedelic bursts,
making the image of Naruto and Sai staring down at him disappear from view. His
mouth opening and closing uselessly, the Uchiha tried to find enough air to
speak, desperate to make Naruto let him go and stop pushing on his Goddamn
chest.
�Naruto, you�re hurting him.� Sai
said conversationally and Sasuke felt more fingers encircle him, though these
ones by-passed his chest in favor of gripping the Uchiha by his legs.
�But-!� Naruto reluctantly let go and
Sasuke felt himself falling backwards until he was completely vertical. His
outrage over the indignity of it all was waylaid by his regained ability to
breathe and after wrapping his arms around his chest the Uchiha took short
halting breaths, sucking in as much oxygen as his injuries allowed, feeling his
face heat as blood rushed to his head.
�His ribs are injured,� Sai
explained in a maddeningly patient voice, as if he wasn�t dangling Sasuke like
some prized hunting trophy. The artist was even pointing to the area under
discussion, that strange smile of his firmly in place. �It means he can�t get a
normal breath. Pushing on them aggravates the damage.�
Worried blue eyes prominent, the
image of Naruto�s face swam into view and Sasuke blinked tiredly at the other.
Now that the issue of air had been solved, the tiny ninja felt strangely
exhausted and he let his arms fall to swing above his head.
�I�m sorry, Sasuke.� Naruto said,
and the Uchiha made a vague gesture of dismissal as he forced himself to let
his anger over the situation go, already knowing that
the blonde was sincere in his apology. Overzealous as he may be, Naruto would,
and could, only ever be Naruto, after all, and it was one of the things Sasuke
loved about him.
Sasuke, though, was going to have
to get stronger very quickly if he wanted to continue safely living with the
blonde. He�d gone soft and that was going to have to change immediately.
�Put me down!� He demanded,
though it came out much weaker than he intended. He could feel his eyelids
fluttering, his head pounding as the muscles of his neck strained to fight
against gravity and keep him looking in Naruto�s direction.
�Here Naruto.� Sai said, and the Uchiha swore
that the idiot sounded smug as he moved his hand, and thus Sasuke, closer to
the blond.
Looking both alarmed and afraid, however,
Naruto jumped back, hiding his hands behind his back and shaking his head.
A wave of rejection smashed
through the Uchiha�s body, making his heart ache fiercely, and he forced his
face smooth to hide what he was feeling as, after a moment�s hesitation, Sai
set the tiny ninja down gently onto the kitchen table. Sasuke allowed himself a
few minutes of rest, staring at the ceiling as he let his body acclimate itself
to being horizontal again.
An uncomfortable silence tried to
settle around them but was thwarted as Sai spoke.
�My, Sasuke-kun, is your penis
that small when you�re normal size, too?�
What
the HELL?! The
Uchiha felt a vein in his temple throb painfully as all the anger he�d thought previously
conquered rose up again in mutiny. He surged to his feet, ready to show Sai
exactly how displeased he was with the comment, already so angry he was nearly
shaking from adrenaline as he stomped across the table toward the smiling
artist. Sai was dead! No- Sasuke would break his fingers first! Let�s see how useful an artist you are when
you can�t even hold�. a� bru�

�He is alright, Naruto.� The
artist said, his tone not quite as reassuring as the
words.
Though he didn�t, Naruto nodded
as if he believed the other, too concerned with the limp figure cradled between
his hands. The blond had automatically reached out once Sasuke stood, ready to catch the other despite his now all too real
fear of inadvertently hurting his friend, and it was only due to Naruto�s quick
intervention that prevented Sasuke from hitting the table as he passed out.
�Teme?� Naruto asked the pale, silent
figure. Beneath his fingertips, he could feel the steady, if stilted,
rise and fall of Sasuke�s chest, and the blonde�s sharp ears could clearly hear
the regular beat of the Uchiha�s heart. Sasuke looked so small, so fragile
against the background of Naruto�s large tan hands.
Two days under Naruto�s care and Sasuke
was more bruised and battered than he�d been when he arrived.
Sai took a few steps toward the bedroom,
drawing the blonde�s attention away from his study of the Uchiha. �Naruto,
perhaps we should dress him before he catches a cold?�
�Yeah.� The jinchuuriki said, nodding
absently as he stood and followed his teammate to the bedroom. The last thing Sasuke
needed was to catch a cold, not when he could already barely breathe. Shifting
Sasuke to one hand and taking the lead as they entered the room, Naruto grabbed
the handles of one of the shopping bags as he walked past it on his way to the
bed.� �Yeah, I bought him some clothes yesterday.�
He upended the bag over the bed,
dumping the contents over the comforter haphazardly before carelessly tossing
the empty bag over his shoulder. Sai began sorting through the strewn
merchandise, separating the cellophane wrapped packages into various piles
while Naruto sat down near the head of the bed in a clear space, his attention
automatically falling on the Uchiha still held protectively in his grasp. He
idly stroked Sasuke�s hair as he shifted slightly to watch Sai, cupping his
hands around the unconscious ninja to protect him from the cool air of the
room, and wished that he had chosen to wear a shirt with a pocket when getting
dressed earlier.
�Naruto, all of these are doll
clothes.� Sai said at length, the artist�s brow puckering slightly as his mouth
turned down in a frown.
�Well, yeah.� The blond said,
feeling both perplexed and put out as a wave of d�j� vu washed over him. Hadn�t
he already had this conversation with Sasuke? Irritated, Naruto snatched up a random
pair of pajamas from a pile without seeing them and absently ripped the
cellophane open with his teeth before spitting the packaging away. �What else is
he going to wear?�
Slowly, slowly, slowly��
Ignoring Sai for the moment and reining in his anger, Naruto forced
himself to move carefully as he dressed Sasuke. Though the pants went on with
relative ease, it was a different story for the Uchiha�s arms and the blond had
to concentrate as he manipulated them through the sleeves of the pajama top,
the fabric repeatedly slipping through Naruto�s clumsy fingers. It was
frustrating work but ultimately he succeeded and when he was done, he smiled
broadly up at Sai, pleased with himself.
�
�Naruto�� The artist began, an odd expression
on his face as he looked down at the now dressed Sasuke. When Naruto only
looked up him in puzzlement, Sai seemed to switch gears, his face smoothing
into its usual pleasant blankness as he turned his attention back to the bed,
long fingers sifting through Sasuke�s wardrobe again.
�How long has Sasuke-kun been�
compromised?� Sai�s already low voice was soft as he took a seat on the bed, dark
eyes coming to rest on Sasuke�s tiny body, still cradled protectively between
Naruto�s large hands.
�A while.� Naruto said evasively, looking
away and pretending to examine the doll house sitting near his closet. It was
incredibly out of place in his room, sticking out like a sore thumb despite the
fact that Ami was using it, her long furry legs clearly visible through the
front door as she lounged in the entrance of the construction.
�How long has he been in Konoha?�
Sai�s voice was still soft, still low.
Instantly wary, Naruto turned
toward him sharply, instinctively searching for any sign of judgment or
subterfuge in either his teammate�s expression or tone. Silence stretched
between them for several moments, the tension finally broken when the blond
sucked in a breath and blew it out noisily, his shoulders sagging as he laid
Sasuke gently on the pillow nearby.
�Not long.� The blond said,
mentally kicking himself; Sasuke and his lame answers were such a bad
influence. Naruto watch Sai carefully as the artist nodded thoughtfully,
clearly mulling over both what had been said and what had not.
Sai stood and walked over to the
doll house.� Kneeling beside it, he
lifted the latch on the side of the house and opened the two halves slowly
until the entire interior of it was revealed. �I do not think Sasuke-kun wants
you to die with him, Naruto.�
�No one is going to die!� Naruto
snapped, darting a look in Sasuke�s direction and only relaxing after verifying
that the Uchiha was still asleep. The blond returned his attention to Sai and made
a soft sound of outrage once he saw what the other was doing. �Put that down!�
�You haven�t told him of Godaime-sama�s
orders?� Sai asked, sounding unconcerned with the other�s distress as he continued
to examine the small doll-sized bed he held. �You haven�t told him that the
Uchiha district as he knew it has been destroyed?�
��I�� Naruto felt his mouth move but no sound
came out, his throat constricting around a sudden lump. He looked at the
bedspread then at Sasuke beside him and felt his eyes grow hot, his chest
tight. How did you tell someone that their childhood home was gone and that the
land had been repurposed by the government? How did you tell someone that they
had nothing, not even their name since it was now publicly a taboo? Konoha was putting
the past to rest, ridding itself of all traces of the Uchiha and if Sasuke
didn�t know about it, then, cowardly as it may be, Naruto did not want to be
the one to inform him.
Naruto had wanted to protect
Sasuke from the harsh truth for as long as possible while the other recovered but
now that he was recovering, the blonde couldn�t seem to find the right time and
just kept making excuses. He�d tell him once the Uchiha was over the poison. Or
once he woke up.� Or
once the jutsu wore off. Or� later
�You cannot keep it from him,
Naruto.� Sai said quietly and though the blonde knew the artist was right, he
still could not stop himself from glaring at the calm brunet still fingering
the doll furniture. Sai had set the bed back in its original placement inside
the house and had soundlessly begun exploring the contents of the bags around
him and the doll house. He had set out a set of plain straight back chairs
alongside a low night table flanked by a blue, overstuffed armchair.
Sai looked over the furniture and
the dollhouse pointedly before locking eyes with the blond sitting morosely on
the bed. �Sasuke-kun is your friend, Naruto, and though you wish to keep him
safe, you cannot lock him away in here like a possession. He has a right to
know and you have a duty to tell him.�
�I can�t�� Naruto said, the anguish he felt clear in his voice. His eyes were
too hot and he scrubbed at them irritably, angrily swallowing a sob. He didn�t
even understand why he was so upset, just that he was and that Sai wasn�t
helping.
The artist stood and walked with
care to the bed. �Did he ask you to protect him?�
�No.� The blond whispered, sniffling,
feeling foolish. Sasuke could be at death�s door and still wouldn�t ask for
help, the stubborn ass.
�Then he did not knowingly place
you in jeopardy.� The comment made Naruto look at him in confusion and, though
Sai�s perfect posture did not change, a tension seemed to seep out of the
artist�s body. �I would have been unable to forgive him if he had done
otherwise.�
Naruto blinked at him, frowning
until the meaning of his friend�s words sunk in. The blond smiled gently and
blushed delicately, feeling oddly warm. �It was incredibly reassuring to know that his
friends wanted to protect him. He scratched the back of his head and looked
away, unsure exactly what to say except an awkward,
�Thanks, Sai.�
Sai smiled and it was the shy,
unsure little smile Naruto had only just begun to see on a regular basis. It
made the artist look timid but it was a genuine expression, evidence of real
emotion. It had taken a lot of time, encouragement and praise to get Sai to
smile like that and Naruto grinned broadly at the artist in appreciation.
�� Naruto�s
smile dimmed then disappeared as he became serious. Before this went any
further, he needed to know one very important fact and the anxiety over Sai�s
answer tied the blonde�s stomach into painful knots. Naruto did not know what
to do, didn�t know how he would respond once he had the other�s answer- either answer- and his anxiety mounted, the knots turning
into butterflies as he thought.
Shinobi rule #35, a ninja�s duty
first and foremost is to his village in all respects. Naruto had not told
Sakura of Sasuke�s presence for fear that she would inform Tsunade and the same
fear applied here as well to Sai. The artist had been a member of the elite
ROOT division of ANBU and though Naruto had slowly been beating humanity back
into Sai, this did not mean that Sai held any loyalty to Naruto. Duty had been
etched into the artist from birth.
There seemed to be a whole damn swarm in his stomach, making him feel nauseous,
but he swallowed it, ignoring the sensation as much as possible.
��Sai,� Naruto began, unsure exactly how to ask
except to be blunt about it. Taking a breath, the blond tried to mentally
prepare himself before looking the artist in the eye. �Are you going to tell
the Hokage that he's here?�
Sai�s face took on a pleasantly
blank expression as he watched the blond. It was the face he wore on missions
when he wanted to hide what he was thinking and seeing it made the butterflies
in Naruto�s stomach take flight again restlessly. Silence stretched between
them and, though Naruto forced himself to keep eye contact with the other, his
fingers did begin playing nervously over the fabric of the comforter in an
effort to burn off some of his nervous energy.
�You are scared.� The artist
stated quietly, still giving nothing away.
�Yes.� Naruto said, seeing no
reason to hide the truth.
Sai tilted his head to the side,
the movement birdlike and somehow predatory. �Will you stop me if I say yes?�
�No.� Sai was a friend and Naruto
would not harm his friends for doing what they technically were supposed to do.
Naruto was the one in violation of the Tsunade�s direct orders and he had done
so of his own volition, willingly harboring someone who he was supposed to
kill.
�Sasuke-kun is very important to
you, isn�t he?� There was something in Sai�s tone, some note that made the
question much more complex than it should have been and Naruto frowned, his
anxiety hampering his ability to tease out the underlining context. As it was,
he could barely hear the artist�s soft voice over the rapid beat of his own
heart, of the blood pounding through his temples spurred on by the extra
adrenaline in his system.
Taking the question at face
value, Naruto thrust out his chin petulantly and stated proudly, �He�s my
friend.�
��Then there is nothing to be done about it.� Sai
sighed suddenly, breaking eye contact by looking in Sasuke�s direction. The
artist�s expression hardened and the blond instinctively became wary. �I will
keep Sasuke-kun�s presence a secret but you must tell him everything Naruto,
including what will happen to you if he is found. If you do not, I will turn
him into the ANBU.�
The butterflies didn�t exactly go
away but they did ease enough for Naruto to calm down a bit from his tense
state. He swallowed, feeling generally unwell and far from relieved as a heavy
weight seemed to settle over his shoulders. Now that he had Sai�s answer, Naruto
would have to do damage control should Sasuke be discovered. The blond was
fully willing to put his life on the line to protect the Uchiha but that was
his job, his duty as Sasuke�s former teammate. Sai had no such responsibility
and the blond had the sneaking suspicion that the artist was only agreeing to
be involved so that he could protect Naruto from harm if things turned ugly.
I
will not forget this.
He pledged to the other silently, his eyes feeling hot as he held out his hand
in a tight fist with only his pinky extended. If we are found out I will not let you fall with me, Sai.
Sai merely stared at his hand
uncomprehendingly.
�Pinky swear.�
Naruto ordered, crooking his little finger pointedly. �It means that each of us
will keep our word, no matter what.�
After a moment�s hesitation, Sai
wrapped his little finger around Naruto�s, remaining passive as the blond shook
their hands and nodding when the jinchuuriki looked at him.
�It�s a promise.� Naruto said
solemnly, releasing the other.
�It�s a promise.� Sai said in the
same manner, taking back his hand as his face took on a thoughtful expression. �Does
this mean I am a conspirator?�
�Conspirator?��
The blonde asked, trying hard to place the word and failing. He rubbed
at his eyes, feeling oddly drained now that the drama was over.
�Partner in
crime?� Sai
offered, a lilt in his voice making it a question. He pulled a small book from
his back pocket and thumbed through the pages until he found the appropriate
entry. �A plotter, schemer or conniver.�
Naruto winced visibly at the
damning words but could think of no argument with which to defend himself against them. Technically, he was now all of those
things though they sounded so underhanded, so unseemly, that the blonde had a
tough time accepting them. He was protecting his friend, not out to cause harm.
�Yeah,� The blonde said softly,
looking down at the Uchiha behind him. �Yeah, we�re conspirators.� Until I become Hokage, at least.
�Then shall we conspire to
continue with our original plans?� Sai actually sounded as if he found the
whole situation mildly funny and Naruto looked at him to find the other smiling.
The artist was right- brooding
and worrying would get him nowhere- and Naruto scrubbed a hand through his hair
irritably before patting his cheeks sharply. �Right!
Before we can watch any movies, we need a TV!�
�I believe the mess in the living
room should be addressed first, Naruto.� Sai suggested, still smiling.
�Um.� Naruto nodded then grabbed the
hem of his shirt and yanked it over his head to expose his chest. Chucking the
worn one away, he practically leapt off the bed, already opening his closet as
he spoke. �Lemme change my shirt, and we�ll get started!�
�What was wrong with your other
shirt?�
Finding the one he wanted, Naruto
pulled the new shirt off its hanger and shrugged it on, turning and pointing to
his chest at the pocket sewn over his heart. Grinning, he returned to the bed
and picked up Sasuke, depositing the sleeping brunet gently inside the fabric
pouch.
�The pajamas should keep him warm
enough but I don�t want to risk it.� Naruto said with a sweeping gesture that
encompassed the room. �You know how cold it gets in here.�
Sai nodded in understanding then
frowned slightly as he looked in Sasuke�s direction. �Is there a reason you
dressed him in that particular pair? I do not know him as well as you do, but
pink may not be appreciated.�
�They give him color.� Naruto
said dismissively. �Besides, the teme�s an animal lover. He�ll get a kick out
of the teddy bears.�
Sai�s frown did not disappear but
he nodded nonetheless, clearly perplexed but unwilling to pry. The brunet
turned toward Naruto�s night stand and picked up a piece of paper, opening it
and reading the message. �Did Sakura leave you dinner before or after she
slammed you into the television?�
�Eh heh�� Naruto scratched the
back of his head and grinned sheepishly. �That note�s a little old. She visited
a few days ago� �
He turned back to the closet and
opened the door wider before squatting down. Balancing on the balls of his feet,
he leaned forward and gripped the large sheet wrapped television sitting
innocently in the corner of his closet. Beside the appliance were four boxes
with Sasuke�s name on them, the cardboard struggling to keep its shape around
the contents and failing, and Naruto sighed inwardly, feeling depressed as he
looked at them.
When Tsunade had told him of her
plans, he had felt so betrayed by her that, for the first time, he had wanted
to lash out at her. He had accidentally broken her office desk when he�d
slammed his hands on it but that minor act hadn�t been enough to ease the
monumental ache in his chest after hearing what she planned to do. In a
childish act of rebellion, he had snuck into the teme�s house with the sole
intention of salvaging as much of Sasuke�s former home as possible so that it
would not be lost forever once everything was demolished.
Four overstuffed boxes and a TV
were all that remained of an estate that had ranged over acres and had been
present since Konoha was founded.
It rained the day of the
demolition but that made no difference to the construction crew who from dawn
did their job with merciless efficiency, systematically destroying each
building, gradually reducing the entire Uchiha district to soulless piles of
rubble and wood.
Heedless of the weather and the
time, Naruto watched it all day from his perch on the decorated wall that
quartered off the district, the hand painted red and white Uchiha fans
weathered from age and almost lost amongst the many lines of bright yellow
caution tape crisscrossing the area. Every building lost was like a blow to the
blonde�s heart and, by midday when the demolition crew had reached Sasuke�s
former residence, Naruto was crying, his tears hidden by the rain pouring down
on him. That was when Sakura and Sai had joined him, bracketing him on either
side as Sai held an umbrella to shield the trio from the rain while Sakura laid
her head on the blonde�s shoulder and wept with him as Sasuke�s house fell.
Four
fucking boxes�! How am I going to tell Sasuke?!
�Naruto?�
The blond blinked slowly and
looked in the direction of the voice, staring at Sai uncomprehendingly as the
alarmed looking brunet pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, knelt, and began
dabbing gently at Naruto�s face. It was only then that the blond realized that
there were tears on his cheeks and he nearly dropped the TV in surprise.
�If you break that one, we will
have to think of another activity for the night.� Sai said pleasantly, peering
into the closet and spotting the boxes. Choosing not to comment, he finished
drying the blonde�s embarrassment flushed cheeks and moved out of the way as
Naruto stood, television held securely between his hands.
The artist led the way out of the
room and into the kitchen, helping the blond set the TV on the table once
Naruto joined him. Fetching the broom, dustpan and the trashcan, Sai handed the
latter two to the blonde with a smile and headed for the destroyed
entertainment center, Naruto trailing obediently behind him.

***

�I think a comedy would be best.�
The artist said loudly from the living room once they were done. Sitting on the
floor, the replacement television was already plugged in and connected to the
VCR, ready and waiting for the pair to choose their movie.
In the kitchen, Naruto nodded
absently in agreement even though he was not in the mood to laugh and heard Sai
move about as the artist chose a title from the blonde�s collection. The
butterflies from earlier seemed to have migrated from his stomach to his brain,
making his mind buzz with thoughts, all of which were more complicated than
Naruto wanted to address.� He busied
himself with the mindless task of making dinner, waiting for the water for
their instant ramen to finish boiling and pouring it into the containers the
closing the lids after mechanically to allow the noodles to cook. He placed
both onto a tray along with two glasses of freshly poured milk and a pair of
chopsticks for each of them, and carried the tray into the living room where
Sai had already started the movie.
Naruto was going to have to tell
Sasuke everything tomorrow and he had no idea how to do it.

Sai eased the sleeping blonde
down from his upright placement into a more comfortable position across the
couch cushions then turned toward the television to shut off the movie. Heading
into the hallway, the artist raided the linen closet for a blanket and returned
to the living room to tuck the fabric around Naruto, smoothing it across the
broad chest then carefully tucking it around the lump that marked Sasuke-kun�s
position in the blonde�s shirt pocket. Sai quietly gathered the dishes and
brought them into the kitchen, throwing away the ramen containers and washing
the glasses, placing the clean pair on the counter to air dry. Not interested
in either finishing the movie or starting another one, the brunet decided to
find another activity with which to entertain himself
for the remainder of the evening.
After locking the apartment door,
he moved about the apartment, pulling all the window shades down and securing
them, narrowing his eyes in concentration as he checked each portal for any
trace of an infiltration jutsu. Finding none, Sai headed into Naruto�s bedroom
and for the closet, carefully searching the boxes stored there until he found
what he wanted, then putting the disturbed contents back before shutting the
closet door. Laying the item over the doll house, Sai chased Ami away from
Sasuke�s new home and lifted it carefully, carrying it through the apartment
and placing it gently on Naruto�s kitchen table.
Retrieving his backpack from
where he�d left it, Sai set it on the table and began unpacking the bag,
placing the various items on the table within easy reach of where he planned to
work. Taking a seat, the artist decided to address the more practical issue
before him and picked up the item, checking it carefully for holes or tears. When
he found none, Sai picked up his pair of scissors and began cutting.
Sasuke-kun was an undeniable part
of Naruto�s life and though the artist respected this fact, it still bothered
him. An unknown emotion continued to intrude on Sai�s thoughts, disrupting his
usual calm until the artist finally examined it critically and put a name to
the feeling disturbing him.
Dislike.
Sai disliked Sasuke.
Sai disliked Sasuke a lot.

A/N:
At last an update! This chapter
just didn�t want to start and then it just wouldn�t end so if it seems like it
meanders, please excuse it. There were topics I wanted to address in this
chapter before the story went any further and would seem odd and/or disruptive
if I tried to do it later.
For those of you who are Sai
fans, some feedback would be appreciated if you have the time- I don�t know
why, but out of all the regular Naruto character, I find him hard to read (no
pun intended). This makes it hard to imagine his reactions in situations so if
I�m doing something right, I would truly like to know.
I know that editing is not the
same as an update however, I usually edit as a prelude to posting a new
chapter so, if you see a story popping up but no new chapter added, rest assured because one is on the way.
- 5
- 6
- 7
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