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In the Mountains	By : Ljiljana Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1060 -:- 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
- 7
- 8
- 9
Beta read by flawless_beauti and I
am very, very grateful to her for saving me.

Chapter Eight

�Sasuke,� I heard laughter when I was just about to step
over the threshold of the dining room. It has been some time, but I recognized
Itachi�s voice � not so very different from Sai�s. Or Sasuke�s, at that � only deeper, richer and without the
cutting sharpness. �Where did you find a vampire in the middle of the
afternoon?�

I stopped short. Damn!
Is Hinata in there? I hoped she wasn�t, even if she had to see the hickey
(in size and color of red acre cabbage) I left on Sasuke�s neck sooner or
later, she didn�t have to listen to that.
Sasuke owed her more then to find out like this, and so did I.

If she was in there, I didn�t want
to be. I was thinking about the easiest way to turn around and flee shamelessly
from looking her in the eye when the firm hand closed around my elbow, pushing
me inside. I turned to glare at Sai, but he was too busy smiling lightly and
looking straight ahead to notice. Not that it was a very powerful glare - more
like a weak, pleading look.

I sighed, resigned, and raised my head, thinking: Three cheers for the vampire, everyone!

The sound if Sasuke�s voice welcomed us.

�What are you doing here?�

His tone was flat, uninterested. If I didn�t
see the tension in his back, how he lowered his right shoulder more then the
left one in a not very typical slouching, I would have never known that he was
upset. It made me want to do unimaginable, insane things that would have likely
get me killed on the spot in several painful ways � like stride over there and
tear apart the horrible beast that made him so bothered that he actually showed
it. Only, it was me;
if it wasn�t for me, Sasuke wouldn�t have to have this conversation at all, and
you can�t tear apart yourself. Helplessly, I glued my eyes on his back waiting
for any sign loosening up; he was as wet as I was, you could see every tense
muscle showing clearly through soaked cloth, for his jacket was gone.

Itachi was standing with his face turned to the entrance
door, to us, and Sasuke was turned to him, away from
us. They were looking each other as if preparing for a cockfight.

�Visiting you.� Itachi answered
right away, lightly, not swayed be Sasuke�s rude tone and words.

�I don�t live here.�

At that, Itachi smiled. �But you don�t have a guest room.
And the food better here.�

Sai had yet to let go of me. I hated his palm against my
elbow; he was touching me without permission. I was letting him only because I
was afraid that if I try to set myself free he would try to hold on, and that wouldn�t end well. I felt like I�m
walking The Green Mile, with all those people looking at me - some with contempt,
some with curiosity. Sasuke turned to glance at us, and the bruise on his neck
flashed violent red for everyone to see. My stomach turned and twisted, a
little from the memory of the skin on his neck that was smooth and wet, but
more from guilt. I really had to start controlling myself better.

�Are you the vampire?� Itachi asked as soon as he saw me. Oh, God, no! I can�t lie to
save my soul. Not that it would make any difference; I could see in the amused looks all around that everybody knew it had to be
me.

Well, either me or Chouji, and that
other option is pretty disturbing.

I bit into my lip, determined not to flush, or say something
rushed. I wasn�t
the vampire that sucked the life out of Sasuke. That wasn�t
time or place to discuss that, not that I can imagine Sasuke being very happy
for any kind of interference with his life on my side. Temporarily insanity or
not, this conversation, among the other things that were about to come, were
the consequences and I had to deal with them. Hinata was not around, I soon
noticed � that at least was good.� I will
have to deal with her later, tell her it�s not
Sasuke�s fault or something. There would be no broken marriages on my
conscious, thank you.

�Technically?� I said finally. �No,
I�m not a vampire.�

Itachi blinked and frowned on the sound of my voice. I could
see the exact moment he recognized me, his eyes widened.
Then he smiled again.

I didn�t like it.

�I remember you.� Itachi told me, as in wonder. I liked his
tone even less. �You owe me money.�

What the fuck?

�No, I don�t.� I said sharply. I was annoyed by the way he
was looking at me, the way Sasuke lowered his right shoulder even further (no, you cant go over there, you can�t put
your hand on his back, it won�t make him feel better) and most of all, at
the very thought I had any business with this man. I do not owe anything to anyone, especially not
money.

�Yes, you do.� Itachi claimed again.

I sighed, and wished once again for a sombrero. I�m earning money now, and he can�t possibly ask for much. Maybe
I should just pay him and never, ever allow myself to walk into the room he is
in at the time. Or the country.

�Okay. How much and for what?�

Itachi frowned, as if thinking deeply.

�I don�t know exactly, but they were nice roses.�

Roses? What do roses have to do
with anything?

�They were?� I asked carefully. Maybe he is very sick and dying, I thought innocently. That would explain why he came here without
calling first and is now talking nonsense. Maybe I could mercy-kill him, with a blunt axe.

Itachi simply nodded.

�Yes.�

I looked at Sai, who was still holding my forearm. He was
blanker then any of my notebooks, his eyes black as Sasuke�s and not nearly as
fertile. Sasuke was also looking at me expectantly, as I could see in my side
vision, and not making the slightest effort to hide his neck. I was amazed. Was the blood in his veins sprinkled with antifreeze, making
him so resilient on all those looks, mocking and pitiful?

�You�re like The Addams Family, aren�t you?� I asked. These
people confused me so much, all three of them. �Completely
insane and just waiting to snap, every single one of you. What do the
roses have to do with anything?�

�They were my mother�s.� Itachi informed me, unaffected.

�And?� I demanded.

�And that�s what makes them valuable.�

I sighed again, and wished I could growl instead. I can see
how the roses his mother grew can be valuable in his eyes I really can but what the hell did I
have to do with that? Better to be very clear about this,
right?

�I never took any roses from you. Or from
your mother.� I stated lucidly.

Itachi nodded seriously, in the �I had no doubt about it�
way.

�You wouldn�t. They never bloomed that year.�

�Well, then.� I said, running a hand through my hair, more
suspicious then ever. �I never took roses from you; I don�t owe you for them.�

�No.� Itachi agreed. My relief was extremely short lived,
though. �You owe me for squashing them while they were still young.

�What?�

�They were growing under Sasuke�s window.�

This day was marked in the God�s notebook as the �Torture
Naruto� day, wasn�t it? Make him break up pointless
arguments, deal with friction rash, forget a kid, get
caught in the rain and freeze to the bone, have the best kiss of his life with
a married man, and then, completely soaked, regretful and sad, have this conversation with a mad man. I
carefully kept my head down, and tried to think of an answer that didn�t involve any swear words.

�Actually, � Came a clear and
welcome voice and I snapped my head to look at Sakura in desperate hope. �It
was begonias.�

Itachi turned and regarded her up and down, in a way I
absolutely did not like. A new voice
broke in, even more welcome:

�No.� Ino shook her pretty head with finality in her tone
and the gesture. What ever she was about to say was going to stay; her family
had a flower shop.� �Those were under
Itachi�s window. Under Sasuke�s were peonies. Roses were under Sai�s.�

�That is right.� Sai agreed and finally, finally let go of me. I was about to try
some techniques on him Kakashi forbid me to try on other humans under any
circumstances, including unrequired elbow touching.

Itachi was obviously amused by
Sakura and Ino.

I still wanted a sombrero on my head. In
Mexico.

Iruka was nowhere to be seen,
Sakura and Ino were actually sitting at the table with Gaara and his siblings. Neji
was also there, and he looked worried and mad. I noted to myself not to accept
if someone tries to give me a hotel; too much problems are coming with that.

�This,� Sasuke said, stepping around a chair as if to sit.
�Must be the stupidest conversation I have heard in my life.�

Then he frowned a little and glanced at me � I just knew he
was thinking about Chouji and the worm. I was desperate for conversation back
then, and this one was not my fault. It is only a coincidence both of the
conversation involved me, I swear.

�There is nothing stupid in talking about flowers.� Ino
said, clearly insulted. �They are beautiful and they smell nice. They also have
symbolism, you know. Peony is associated with happy marriage and compassion.�

Okay, I know that wasn�t on
purpose. Ino was just trying to prove a point, or maybe to drag conversation
from the awkward ground. But still, I had to look at
her in bewilderment along with everyone else in the room. What
a thing to say right then, huh?

Itachi though so, too. He was practically
leering around the room, and mostly in my or Sakura�s direction.

�How fortunate Sasuke had those under his window, then.�

Sakura and Temari were apparently in the middle of the
competition which one can touch the floor with her forehead first while
laughing hysterically. I approached their table, wishing Neji wouldn�t look so worried and frustrated. Kankurou was
smirking, and I looked for Gaara around. His voice startled me from behind.

�You did this?�

I never even saw him move, and now he was standing next to
Sasuke. His head was tilted to the side, and he was
looking at the bruise on Sasuke�s neck. I could almost smell the fire Sasuke
was setting on Gaara�s head, glaring, from a distance.

I realized Gaara was talking to me only when he glanced at
me after the silence stretched for a while.

�Um. Technically?�
I said, and left it at that.

Gaara nodded. He didn�t look very
upset and I was not pleased about it. I know it�s not fair of me, but it
bothered me that someone who asked me out on a date is not very upset about me�
um, making out with someone else.

�It looks like red acre cabbage.� Gaara added.

I opened my mouth like a gold fish in amazement, forgetting
all about his inconsideration of my feelings. Why can�t I just fall in love in
this guy so we can ride together into the sunset? He�s so getting
me!

Sasuke was not as thrilled.

�Get the fuck away from me.� He hissed in Gaara�s direction,
refusing to step away himself.

Unfazed, Gaara told him, staying where he was.

�I�m just checking out his potential.�

�And?� Sakura chipped in, but she was ignored.

�Take him to the nearest gazebo,� Sasuke all but snarled. It
looked bad at his always calm and collected face. He was not holding up so well,
I almost ached with need to do whatever it takes to make him feel better. �I�m
sure he will jump at the opportunity to show you his potential.�

Okay, first of all � ouch! That was
mean and rude. I did a horrible thing, I know. But he
was also there and participating, so this was uncalled for. On the other hand, it
cleared my head effectively � this is
Sasuke, he doesn�t
need you to solve his problems and get a grip. Also,
the more I was finding out about Gaara, the more I actually wanted to show him
�my potential�. I couldn�t help it, what Sasuke said
was the�

�Truth.� I said the last part
aloud.

Gaara looked a little pleased � hey, he actually can express
emotions, you just have to get to know him better � and Sasuke was about to
crack under pressure. I was sure could smell him charging up before the storm.

It didn�t help at all when Gaara
said flatly:

�The circus tent looks a little like a gazebo.�

Sasuke�s stance changed. He unlocked his knees and lowered
himself almost to Gaara�s height, leaning forward a tiny little bit. I have no
idea was it as obvious to everybody else as it was to me that Gaara would not
manage another word without getting into a real fight. Maybe that was exactly
what he wanted, maybe he was upset
with what we� I,
what I did after all, but he had no chance of winning, not when Sasuke
was like this. The fight wouldn�t last longer then it
takes for Sasuke to land one hit, and Gaara couldn�t avoid or stay on his legs
after that.

No one was reacting, not even Neji who was glaring at the
two of them with a snobbish sneer on his face, so I
said:

�Boys,� My Iruka impression was kind of cracking under the
effort not to laugh. Or cry; it�s hard to say. �No
blood on the carpet.�

Sasuke consciously straightened his shoulders, and gave me a
look so full of hatred, the force of it reached into my blood and burned. He was so right to feel that way,
I always mess things up. I have to stay away from him, I have to find a way to
make a safe and steady distance between us and keep it that way until this
nightmare of a �vacation� ends so I can run away and never look back.

Gaara was not moving, talking or breathing.

Well, he was probably breathing, I just couldn�t
see it from all the intensity he was radiating.

Itachi laughed again from the chair he picked up in the meantime
to watch the show from � instead of breaking the tension, loudness and
vulgarity of it made it worse.

�The bathroom looks a little like a gazebo. Can I take him there so he can show me his potential?�

Okay, it was official. I hated Itachi. He was laughing at my
expense, I didn�t have any hope he would hold his
tongue in front of Hinata, and if it
wasn�t for him Sasuke would be free
right now. I wanted to tell him off; kill him with words as if they were the
biggest knife a hotel kitchen ever saw but before I managed to say a word, Neji
stood up from the chair abruptly. A single second later, I heard voices approaching.

It was Iruka and Hinata.

I looked at Sasuke. He was still standing next to a chair
and refused to look anywhere but at his brother. Sakura and Ino were next to me
in no time.

�You�re all wet,� Sakura said and pushed me not very gently toward
the exit. �You have to change.�

�So you don�t get sick.� Ino added, pulling my sleeve to
follow her.

No one had any objections. I hesitated a moment, throwing
one more look to Sasuke. Our eyes met but there was no panic in his to match
mine. How can he be this calm about the situation? Hinata was about to walk in;
didn�t he care about her at all?

Sakura felt my wavering. Her hand slipped down my back; she
lifted my shirt a bit so I can feel her skin against mine. It worked; I snapped
out of it and let Ino drag me.

We met Iruka and Hinata at the doorway.

�Naruto!� They chorused. Iruka
grabbed me and started checking for wounds; Hinata added, �I�m glad you�re
alright. Is Sasuke in there?�

I chocked �yeah� somehow, avoiding her eyes. She went
inside.

Sakura grabbed me and hissed:

�It�s not your fault!�

What does she know?

�Yes, it is. It is.�
I told her.

Iruka was ignoring our exchange and
ordered me to shower, change and drink hot tea.

�I will get the story about what happened for someone else
in the meantime.� He added and walked in the dining room. I think he had a very
good idea what�s going on around him, but was
uncomfortable to talk to me about it. Thank God!

�You take him up; I�ll bring tea.� Ino said to Sakura. Then
she turned to me. �Then, we get to hear the whole story.�

There was nothing I could do to deny it to
them if they wanted to hear it. They so
saved me several times, and I wanted their advice on the situation anyway. I
nodded.

�Bring some honey, too.�

Ino gave me a funny look and then a small smile before she
disappeared around the corner.

I took the longest shower in the history; if anyone recorded
it, I would have ended up in the Guinness book of records. Only after I used
the last drop of hot water, I rolled myself in the big bathrobe and then in a
blanket. My bed was warm, but I could still feel the coldness of the wind in my
bones.

�Here, Mr. Akimichi sent you this.� Ino said, and handed me
a bowl of still warm soup. I blinked at her stupidly. �Chouji�s
father, the chef? He was very grateful you took your jacket off to cover
his son when he fell asleep; Chouji told us all about it. Eat!�

It was good, but I wished it was
warmer. Maybe I can talk Neji into
lighting the lobby fireplace, that has to be big enough for me to fit in, I
thought and then winced. After this, Neji will surely fire me. There was no way
I can get away with doing - that.

�You think he would give us the recipe for that chicken
before we have to go?� I asked, subdued. �As a �Thank you, you actually did one
thing right�?�

�You didn�t do anything wrong!� Sakura said firmly.

I rolled my eyes, and took the jar of honey. They looked at
each other, laughing when I spread some on my lips that felt like they were on
fire.

�What? It�s doctor�s orders.� I
demanded, feeling like pouting. If I told them first about the �honey� thing,
maybe they would be too busy laughing uncontrollably to ask for something more.
But I had no one else to ask for an advice � or to
chain me to the bed if I go insane from sexual frustration and try to do
something really stupid. I�m sure you can all guess
what.

They laughed harder on whatever was there on my face, and
nested in the opposite end from me in my bed, next to each other.

�Well then?� Sakura waved at me impatiently. �Talk!�

I sighed and told them everything; from that chocolate thing
at Sasuke�s house to the way I got possessive and
stupid enough to leave him that hickey on purpose. I tried to tell them as much
as I could without actually telling them how much it means, how much it hurts
and how helplessly, ridiculously lost and lonely I felt. They were good
listeners, never interrupted me once, but I knew from the way Ino was biting
into her lip, and the way Sakura leaned unconsciously into me that they
understood more then I wanted them to.

�God, I wish I could have recorded that.� Sakura said. I
smiled at her single mindedness but it didn�t make me
feel any better.

�Sakura,� I said, desperate for her to take me seriously, to
offer some help. �I�m almost glad Neji will fire me, I don�t think I can stay
away from him.�

�Neji wouldn�t do that.� Sakura told me. �Trust me, your job
is safe.�

�You think he didn�t see it?� I asked, pleading at her with
my eyes to say �Yes, he didn�t see that
horrible bruise in the size of an airplane you left on his brother�s in law
neck�.

Ino snorted.

�A blind man couldn�t have missed that. But I also think your job is safe, don�t worry about it.�

�You are just trying to make me feel better.� I pouted.

�Yeah, that too. But
I think Neji will blame Sasuke for this, not you. He is the one cheating, you
know. You are free to do as you wish, to kiss whoever
you want.� Ino�s reasoning was probably flawless, but I chose to kiss a married
man. That must be almost as bad as
cheating, right? Otherwise, I wouldn�t feel so bad
about it.

�Was it good?� Sakura asked. �The
kissing?�

Both of them were looking at me eagerly, with
�scorching curiosity in their
expressions. I closed my eyes against the memory of Sasuke�s hot hands on my
skin, drops of water oozing down his neck, my own whirlwind of emotions and
boldness�

�Worth the firing.� I whispered,
not daring to open my eyes, afraid I could lose those memories forever if I do.
�Worth repeating. Over and over
again.�

There was a pause filled with complete silence, and then Ino
said, sounding annoyed.

�I don�t know what is in that head of his. Has he lost his
mind?�

�Ino!� I opened my eyes on the
panicky quality in Sakura�s voice. Ino ignored her.

�I don�t get it! He is out of his mind if he thinks he can
get away with this without consequences. Couldn�t he just find some dirty little
beggar on the street and bed him?!�

What, she was talking about Sasuke? When she said �has he
lost his mind� I was sure she was talking about me; I
almost told her that yes, I did. But if she�s talking
about Sasuke�

�Oh, great. Some dirty little
beggar would have been a better choice then me. You�re such a wonderful friend,
Ino!�

�It wouldn�t be a better choice, I never said that. But it would be safer for his marriage. God, a top model
with IQ 200 would have been safer then you.�

Oh, God. Did she think I had any
plans to let it continue?� I didn�t, not in the million years, and judging by the look
Sasuke gave me earlier even if I did it would make no difference.

�His marriage is not in any danger, Ino. I�ll explain
everything to Hinata; it was my fault.�

�And if he tells her it�s his fault?� Sakura asked me. I
needed some time to process that; how did she think, no � why, why did she think he would do that?

There was no answer I could offer.
Sasuke taking the blame like that was very uncharacteristic; I couldn�t imagine him telling Hinata it was his fault. In the
end, I settled for asking:

�Why would he do that?�

Sakura and Ino looked at each other. There was something
passing between them, like they were fighting over something � if I believed
for a minute in the telepathy, I would say they were definitely using that.
See, that�s what I was talking about earlier � they
had a language of their own, I had no idea what�s going on.

When the staring contest was finished, Sakura sighed and got
up on her feet. She lost, apparently.

�What?� I asked her.

�Ino needs to tell you something. It will be easier if I go
out.� She stepped closer to the door, smiling nervously. �I�ll go and see if
Sasuke killed anyone yet.�

�Tell Hinata I need to talk to her if you see her!� I yelled
after her.

Ino was listening intently for couple of minutes, obviously
making sure Sakura really left. Then, she turned to me, uncomfortable and
determined at the same time.

�Hear me out, okay?�

I nodded.

�Naruto, you�re not nearly as oblivious as you were.� I was
surprised. I expected her to tell me I�m a horrible
person or something.

�Sasuke told me the same thing.� I informed her, waiting for
an explanation.

�Yes, well. Sasuke is a jerk, but he is rarely wrong. He is
about this, though.�

�You just told me the same thing he did!�

�But we meant it in a different way. Sasuke thinks that just
because you are not oblivious to his reactions to you, you are not oblivious at
all. But you are, Naruto. You are.�

She looked at me, probably expecting me to get angry. I was
curious, though; I wanted to know what she wanted of me. She continued:

�You never notice how people are looking at you. You never
noticed Gaara until I pointed out he is staring at you. You don�t
see the way Neji is abandoning all his work when you walk into the room, the
way Hinata blushes when you�re around, or even when Tenten glues her eyes to
your ass. Or all the other people back home.�

I gaped at her. They don�t do that, right?
I would notice something like - the entire room holding breath when I walk in,
right? Right?

�You do see Sasuke in a way you don�t see anyone else - that
is because you pay special attention to him, and that is what I meant that you
are not as oblivious as you were. But it�s not good enough; you don�t notice
anyone else when they have interest in you.�

Her eyes were so intense that I braced myself for some
yelling, but Ino only lowered her voice to a whisper.

�You never noticed us.�

Us? As in Sakura and her?
What?

�I had a horrible crush on you few years back, Naruto. You
didn�t notice to the point where I sat in your lap half naked and tried to kiss
you.�

But she was drunk!

�But you were drunk!� I said. I would have never taken
advantage of someone like that!

�I had a single glass of sherry.� Ino smiled, but her voice
was dry as a bone and wary. �A pigeon couldn�t get drunk off of that.�

�You told me you
were drunk!�

�You practically dropped me on the floor in panic! What the
hell was I supposed to say?� Ino demanded, and I felt bad, so very rotten. Wasn�t
this conversation supposed to help me somehow? Luckily, Ino didn�t
wait for me to say something. �My point is, you never noticed.�

�You should have told me then. Even I can take a straight,
honest approach.�

�Ah.� Ino looked at me through her eyelashes. �But I never
actually wanted to be your girlfriend. That one lapse of judgment aside, I
always knew I can�t have you.�

��Oh.� I breathed. �You can. Or at
least you could.�

She smiled again, this time a real, honest and beautiful
smile that suited her so well and could probably heal small, injured animals. ��

�I know. I knew I could.� Then she took a big breath,
rushing forward into wording the gap before we lose each other in some
misunderstanding. �And if I hurt you? If I went for it, and hurt you and you
got mad at me and refused to see me ever again? Then what?
Where would I go when I feel bad and down, when I need some laughter and
relaxing?�

�Um, Ino. I didn�t
know you like spending time with me. I thought you�re around because of
Sakura.�

�That is because you are oblivious about how people feel
about you.� I opened my mouth to tell her she has to be wrong, but she cut me
harshly. �It�s not your fault, and I like you very much still, but as nothing
more then a very good friend. I�m lucky; Sakura never got rid of it.�

My heart was thrashing so hard, I thought it�s
trying to escape; that it would choke me with every beat.

�Sakura?� I asked with my voice
barely more audible than a sigh.

�Yeah, but don�t beat yourself over it. She feels the same
about you as I did; better friend forever then risking ruining everything with
a relationship.�

I hardly heard her. Sakura? All
this time, while I couldn�t sleep at night from the
sheer strength of loving her, wanting her � she wanted me back? Why am I
finding out about this now? Why now,
when I finally find out that there are things I just might want even more?

Is that how it works, this life? You can get something only
when you stop wanting it so desperately?

Why is Ino telling me this? Was it a cruel joke? This is not
flattering at all, if she was aiming at that. It�s
disturbing and heartbreaking, the thought of either one of them wanting me made
me ache somewhere deep in my stomach, and deep in my soul. I do not deserve
that! Not from them, not from anyone! To deserve
something so valuable, so precious, you have to be more then a stupid orphan
that barely finished collage. You have to be not so lonely, not so hungry for
affection.

�Why?� I asked; my voice was shaking. If Ino heard the despair
in my question, she ignored it.

�You,� She said, her eyes glazed while looking right through
the wall behind me. �You�re like a force of nature. You are like a little sun
when you walk into a room; everything is suddenly better, lighter, and brighter.
If I got you when I wanted you, I would do everything in my power to keep you.
You would be the perfect boyfriend; everything a girl can ask for and more. But that relationship would fall apart sooner or later and
then, I would have fallen apart, too. I always knew that. Sakura feels the same
way, everybody that knows you well enough does.�

�Ino,� I said, afraid of the things that can fall out of her
mouth like I never did of anything in my life before. �Why are you telling me
this now?�

�Sasuke feels it, too.� She said, focusing her beautiful,
blue eyes on me again. �He probably did before everyone else, back in high
school.�

I didn�t know what to say. Sasuke
thinks I�m like a little sun? Heh, I�m
not buying that.

Dear God, I do wear
too much orange, don�t I?

�That�s why I don�t understand this. Why did he let you in?
He knows, I know he knows he won�t be able to get you out again, he went through this
once. Is he trying to get out of this marriage? Does he plan to
simply ignore his wife�s existence? Or he just can�t help himself?�

�I don�t know.� I said sourly. �But, Ino, it won�t happen
again, the kissing thing. Or anything else. I don�t
want any broken marriages on my conscious.�

She was clearly amused by my
assurances.

�You said you want it to happen again.�

�I can restrain myself from jumping at him!�

She shook her head.

�But you can�t wipe your emotions out of your eyes, and
Sasuke is really not the type to miss it. If you want it, it will happen again.
Sasuke knows that. So let me give you an advice, which was the point of this whole
conversation.� I nodded at her questioning look. Like I would
stop listening now. �If you are serious about not breaking his marriage,
do not let anything similar to this thing today ever happen again. Avoid him for real, spend some time with
Hinata. Sasuke, like we all, won�t know how to
say �no� to you. He might not even try.�

She stood up, and walked to the door, obviously ready to
leave.

�But if you decide to take what you want, I will do
everything I can to help you.� Before I could say a word, get her to know how
incredibly grateful and torn up I felt, she added. �I�ll send Sakura in now,
okay?�

She walked out, and I was sitting alone in the half-dark,
still cold and more miserable then ever. �She made some mistake,
she had to. There is no way people care about me that
way; I want them to like me too much not to notice.

Sakura walked in after couple of minutes. I didn�t have to look to know it�s her, and she didn�t turn
the light up. The silence was heavy but also comfortable � Sakura is here, she
is here, and we will get through
this. As soon as I think of something to say.

�So, what did Ino tell you?� She asked. I was thankful for
that.

Things you didn�t, and
you should�ve, I wanted to say. I knew as soon as I looked at her, at the
way she was trying to force herself to look me in the eyes, that Ino must have
told me the truth. Sakura� If I had any, any idea at
all�Just yesterday�

�She told me I�m a little sun and that she can�t actually
get drunk of one glass of sherry.� I said instead.

�She told you that?� Sakura asked, in a small, atypical voice.

�Yeah,� I answered, and knowing that we have to cross the
bridge that is standing between us right then
if I wanted her to stay my friend, I added, �She also told me I still can�t
have you.�

�Oh,� Sakura�s voice was so low that I had to stop breathing
to hear her. �Do you� Do you still want me? After today?�

God, she looked so fragile, so breakable and shaky.� Her bright hair was pulled
off her face, her eyes were shiny, lively and stunningly beautiful; and she was
waiting for me, for me to tell her,
to explain to her how irreplaceably valuable she was.

I spread my arms wide in invitation. She came to my bed,
into my arms without hesitation.

�More then anything else, love.� I whispered into her hair,
and kissed her forehead.

I felt the truth of my feelings in the very shape of the word
�love� that slipped from my mouth for the first time ever then. Yes, I loved
her very, very much. But then, Sakura adjusted the hem
of the sheet so I wouldn�t feel uncomfortable when she placed her head on my
shoulder, and I remembered in frighteningly vivid colors Sasuke�s warm palms
against my stomach. Swallowing, I realized I lied to her, that there is one thing I wanted more then her.

I lied to her, and about a something
I also can�t have.

We fell asleep together like that, watching the gray ceiling
becoming black for long minutes, but it held no answers for either one of us.

A/N: I know that I should, technically,
wait for everyone to read the previous chapter before getting this one
up. I just can�t wait any longer; this was written
weeks ago. Don�t expect the next one any time soon,
though � for the first time, I have no written the next chapter when publishing
one.

I�d like to take a moment to thank
you all for all the reviews you left me. (Though I got most of them last time
just to tell me how mean/evil/sadistic I was for leaving you with a
cliffhanger. Those seem to be nice way to shake you awake.) I really hate there�s
no answering system in this place.

For Itachi�s �The bathroom looks a little like a gazebo� line
you have ItaNarulover to thank. I wanted to make her � not sad.
- 7
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In the Mountains