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Glue between the Cracks	By : Sasunarufan13 Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 4116 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor make profit of it. Kishimoto owns it.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Author's note: Had a bit of trouble figuring out how exactly to end this chapter, which is why this is a bit later than I intended it to be. My apologies for that.
Warnings: Discussion of triad relationship; Itachi brooding
I hope you'll like it!
Chapter 8
Deidara was wearing a large grey hoodie and black pyjama trousers and he flushed when Itachi stared at the ensemble.
"What, it's my day off, un," he muttered defensively, stepping aside to let the Alpha enter. "I like to be comfortable when I'm home all day."
"No judgement here," Itachi said, smiling faintly.
They were both silent while Itachi exchanged his shoes for a pair of house slippers and pulled off his jacket and his scarf. Deidara then led him to the living room, gesturing for him to sit down.
"You want something to drink?" he asked, hovering near the couch.
Itachi sat down in the armchair and shook his head. "No, thank you; I'm good."
The blond man nodded, worrying his lip between his teeth. He sat down on the couch, clasping his hands together on his lap and radiating so much tension Itachi was starting to wonder whether this had been a good idea after all.
He couldn't go back now, though. There was no point in delaying this conversation, no sense in pushing it off again and again. He needed to know whether the offer had been sincere, whether Sasori had been speaking the truth when he'd said that Deidara wanted this. And if the offer was sincere … Well, he would figure out what to do about that later.
Speaking of the red haired Alpha, he didn't see him. Was he at work?
"Sasori's not home if you're wondering about that, un," Deidara remarked, looking at him carefully. "He's at work now, won't be home for another five hours at least."
Itachi wasn't sure whether the other Alpha's absence would make this less or more awkward. He just had to start talking, he decided, because it didn't look like Deidara would be the one to start this time. He must be feeling just as awkward as Itachi did about this whole triad suggestion.
"Sasori-san sought me out a few days ago," he began carefully and watched Deidara shift around a bit. "He had a suggestion for me; he asked me whether I would be interested in forming a relationship with both you and him. He told me you knew about this offer – is that true?"
Deidara threw him a half-hearted scowl, propping his elbow on the arm of the couch and resting the side of his head on his fist. "Do you really think I would have let him made that offer to you if he and I hadn't talked about it first?" he asked, a bit annoyed. "I don't know what your opinion of him is, Itachi, but he's not a pimp who offers me to any guy he meets, un."
Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Can you blame me for being sceptic? You've never been one to let someone else do the talking for you – what else was I supposed to think when he made the offer, instead of you?"
The Omega bit down on his lip, looking embarrassed; a light flush colouring his cheeks. "It's not like I – I was too ashamed, all right?" he admitted begrudgingly, releasing a loud sigh. "How was I supposed to tell you that I'm such a greedy and selfish arsehole that I don't want to leave Sasori, but I can't get you out of my head either, un? That I want both you and Sasori and that I don't want to choose?"
"I wouldn't exactly call you a 'greedy and selfish arsehole'," Itachi murmured and in spite of the heavy conversation, his stomach did an odd flip at the admittance that Deidara couldn't get him out of his head.
That remark earnt him a very unimpressed look. "Of course I'm not, because it's completely normal to want to have two guys all to myself, un. It's completely fair to you both that I can't choose and that Sasori agreed to a triad because he wants me happy. Yes, that's all completely normal," he said sarcastically; a heavy glower darkening his usually bright blue eyes.
"Look," Itachi sighed, leaning forwards, "I'm not going to claim that this entire situation is normal, because honestly, it isn't."
Deidara flinched; a look of pain crossing his face quickly before it was buried behind a blank mask.
"That said," he continued and smiled wryly, "I don't have the faintest clue how a triad would work. I can't make an informed decision about this if I don't have all the facts."
"You didn't look up anything? That would be a first," the blond main scoffed in disbelief.
"I didn't think the internet would be a real help in this case," Itachi admitted. "It can tell me what a triad relationship entails, that's true, but it can't tell me what you expect from it."
Deidara tilted his head to the right.
"The internet can't tell me what I should expect from this. So I prefer hearing it from you: how do you envision a triad relationship between us happening?" Itachi inquired calmly. "What are your expectations of this?"
The other man hesitated and licked his lips. His gaze was wandering all over the room, skipping Itachi every time, as he visibly struggled to order his thoughts.
"I want all three of us to be on equal ground," Deidara started slowly, a frown on his face as he looked down at his lap. "Nobody being preferred over someone else, un, that's not – that wouldn't be right."
"Okay, that makes sense," Itachi nodded. Having preferences would make a triad rather mood anyway, because then you might as well just be in a relationship of two people. "You and I have a history we can fall back on – but Sasori-san and I don't have that. There's no guarantee that it would work out between us two."
"I know that and he knows that too, un," Deidara muttered and ranked his fingers through his hair. He wasn't wearing a ponytail for once and his long blond hair cascaded down his back and over his shoulders. "But that applies to anyone starting out in a new relationship. Not everyone already knows each other when they start dating; that's what the dates would be for, un."
"Would we have to do everything with all three of us all the time?" Itachi questioned, crossing his legs. "Or would there be times when it's either you and me alone, or you and him alone, etcetera?"
Deidara hesitated again and straightened up, bringing his feet onto the couch. Wrapping his arms around his raised knees, he replied, "Sasori and I discussed this when we were talking about a possible triad, un. We figured that it might be easier for you if … if you and I started dating first. Then when we'd be used to each other, Sasori would try dating you. After that we could go on dates, all three of us, or just two of us, depending on the mood."
He shrugged half-heartedly. "There's no real guidebook for this, Itachi. It basically comes down to making a clear agreement between all three of us, un. Some things we just have to figure out along the way as they happen."
"While I'm relatively certain that you and I together would work out," Itachi said carefully, earning a quick, faint smile from the other one, "I can't say for sure whether Sasori-san and I would work out. I can't even say for sure that all three of us together would work out."
"That's what the dates would be for, un, to figure out if you and Sasori could work out together," Deidara pointed out.
"What if it doesn't work out between Sasori-san and I, though?" Itachi pressed on. "What would happen then?"
Deidara sucked his lower lip between his teeth before releasing it with a wet 'pop'. "Honestly? I don't know." He shrugged helplessly. "If it doesn't work out between you and Sasori, then the triad can't work, obviously. If you're asking me who I would choose if that happened – I can't give you that answer, un. I can't tell you how I will be feeling in a couple of months. I can't tell you now whether I would still choose Sasori or choose you instead, un. That's not something I know now. If that was an answer you were looking for, then sorry, but I can't give it to you."
Itachi was quiet for a while, mulling it all over. He still didn't know whether a triad would be something he could handle, but he guessed there really was no guidebook for this type of stuff. They would have to figure out everything on their own, set down ground rules to make sure nobody got needlessly hurt.
That was, of course, if he decided to go through with it. If he agreed, he would finally discover whether he and Deidara could be great together – but he would have to eventually try dating Sasori as well. Would he be able to do that?
"Look, you don't have to make a decision now, un," Deidara murmured, stretching out his legs and putting his feet back on the floor. "I know that what we are proposing – it's not simple. Neither of us are expecting you to give us an answer quickly, just …" He gnawed at his lower lip. "I just ask that you think about it. I think that this between us three – a triad – it can work, I think, but it's all up to you, un. And if you don't want to try it, that's okay too. We – we can be friends then instead."
Only someone completely inept concerning social cues wouldn't catch how much effort it had taken for Deidara to make the friends suggestion.
"But you want this," Itachi stated, gazing at him.
"Like I said," Deidara smiled melancholically, "I'm selfish and greedy, un."
"Still haven't figured out what to decide?" Sasuke guessed knowingly when he sank down on the couch two days later.
"I've been thinking about it," was all Itachi had to say about the matter. "Where's Naruto-kun and Itarou-kun?"
As if on cue, the blond man entered the living room; Itarou cradled in his arms. The baby was babbling quietly to himself; his blue eyes roving all across the room.
"Hey, Itachi, how are you doing?" Naruto greeted him, handing over Itarou to Sasuke before stretching his arms.
"I'm fine," Itachi replied and Naruto plopped down on Sasuke's lap, accepting their baby back in his arms. "How were your marks? Did you receive them already?"
"They were okay," Sasuke answered and shrugged, looping his arms around Naruto's waist.
Blue eyes rolled in exasperation. "His were perfect, of course," Naruto snorted, barely flinching when Sasuke pinched his side. He then smiled bashfully, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Though I can't complain about mine either. I passed all of them, even Mizuki's class and that was the one I was the most worried about!"
"He was the one who gave you trouble about your pregnancy, wasn't he?" Itachi remarked, recalling Sasuke complaining about the professor the last time he'd been here.
"Yeah, how do you – Sasuke told you," Naruto realised quickly and shook his head. "Really no secrets between brothers, huh?"
"I didn't think you would mind Itachi knowing about him," Sasuke murmured; his embrace tightening almost imperceptibly.
"It's fine," Naruto replied airily, shrugging with the shoulder Itarou wasn't cradled against. "Not like it was that much of a secret. He was just a D.I.C.K."
"So I've been told," Itachi said amused. "You got any plans for the winter break? That's starting tomorrow, isn't it?"
"Yeah, Sasuke, Itarou and I are going to stay at my parents' place for the break," Naruto smiled, adjusting Itarou when the baby grumbled. "They've been really looking forward to seeing their grandson again. They're probably going to spoil him rotten." He sounded both fond and wary at the same time.
"That reminds me: Naruto's parents have asked whether you're going to come with us," Sasuke said, brushing his finger across Itarou's cheek almost absently. "They said that if you're up for it, they want to celebrate Christmas with you."
"You'd still have to stay at Kakashi's place, though," Naruto said apologetically. "But they'd love to have you there, if you want to. And if you don't have other plans, of course."
"Are they sure?" Itachi asked, taken aback by the offer. "I don't want to intrude."
"You wouldn't intrude," Naruto reassured him. "They wouldn't have offered if they didn't want you there."
"Is anyone else going to be there?" Itachi asked curiously.
"Kakashi's never been interested in celebrating Christmas," Sasuke said and shrugged. "Naruto decided we're going to visit him sometime in the holiday." He didn't sound excited about that at all.
"Yes, I decided that so that Kakashi can meet Itarou too," Naruto sighed, sounding like they had had this particular argument before. "He can't not meet him, Sasuke."
"I beg to differ," Sasuke muttered, scowling.
Rolling his eyes, Naruto went on, "It's just going to be you, us three and my parents. Jiraiya – my godfather – is out of the country for now and won't be back for at least a couple of months."
"Well, if it's really okay, I don't mind. I'm going to take my own car, though, so that my gifts and my work won't take up space in yours, Sasuke," Itachi said, thinking it would also be easier to have his own form of transport in case he needed to return to his apartment sooner.
"Probably for the best, because I have a feeling my parents went overboard with the presents for Itarou," Naruto remarked, wrinkling his nose.
"We'll figure out a way to fit everything in the car," Sasuke said amused. "They can't have gone too overboard."
"Famous last words," Naruto mumbled and then Itarou started fussing loudly, his face rapidly growing red.
"I think he's hungry," the blond man sighed and stood up. "I'm going to feed him, be back in a bit."
As soon as the Omega had disappeared into the bedroom, Sasuke said, "You don't have to feel obligated to join us. If you've got somewhere else to be …"
The older man huffed amused. "Like where?"
"I don't know. Maybe you had planned something with Deidara or so?" Sasuke eyed him carefully.
"That would have been weird since I haven't given them a definite answer yet," Itachi murmured.
"There's no law that says you can't spend time with him while you're still making up your mind," Sasuke pointed out. "I'm sure he won't mind that."
"Sasuke, can you get me a towel? I forgot to take one and your son just spat all over me," Naruto called out.
"Oh, so now he does something disgusting, he's suddenly my son?" Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes, but stood up regardless. Before he disappeared into the kitchen, he looked at Itachi and said, "Just don't shut yourself off from him. Even if you don't want to accept their offer, that doesn't mean you can't be friends."
"It's not that simple," Itachi denied, but his brother simply quirked an eyebrow.
"I think it is – you just like complicating things."
Itachi wanted to protest that he didn't like that, but hell, maybe his little brother did have a point. He certainly hadn't made his own life easy in the past eight years.
It felt a bit strange – in a good kind of way – to celebrate Christmas again in a family setting. During his time with Nagato there certainly hadn't been any celebrations, let alone any exchanges of presents – unless one counted the list of targets Nagato had handed him the first year.
He had worried that he wouldn't fit in, that he would be the odd one out, but Kushina and Minato treated him just as warmly as they treated Sasuke and made him feel just as welcome. They had even been so thoughtful as to get him a present: a set of high quality dictionaries to aid him in his work. It made him glad that he had thought of buying them a present too: a bottle of high quality whisky for Minato and a box of high quality chocolate bonbons for Kushina.
Being with Naruto's parents was like reliving his time with his parents again, remembering the warmth and the pleasure of parental company, and he had to excuse himself after dessert to get some fresh air.
It was ice cold outside, his breath leaving him in visible white clouds, but he merely stuffed his hands deeper inside the pockets of his coat. Leaning against the wall, he stared up at the star dotted sky, watching a plane's lights blinking red against the pitch black sky. The half full moon became hidden behind some clouds, darkening the world even more.
He wondered what his parents would say, if they knew he was contemplating forming a triad relationship. Mother had clearly been a huge enthusiast for his relationship with Deidara, finding any sort of excuse to leave the two of them alone before the attack. Father hadn't given off the impression that he had been against the budding relationship either, but father had been rather absent during that time, working out deals for his company.
How would they have reacted if their oldest son ended up in a triad relationship? Would they have accepted it? Or would that have been a bridge too far? They had never been overtly traditional, but that didn't mean they would have been ready to accept a non-traditional relationship either.
Could he accept it? Could he see himself being with two people at the same time instead of only one?
He frowned, staring at the dark outlines of a bush across from him.
He had no trouble imagining himself together with Deidara, but imagining himself with Sasori was a lot more difficult. Most likely because he didn't know the man at all. How could he judge whether they would be a good fit when he didn't even know the other Alpha?
That's what the dates would be for, a voice which sounded remarkably like Deidara's piped up.
And that was the crux of it all, wasn't it? In order to even know whether he and Sasori could be good together, he would have to try dating him first. For all he knew they would be good together – or spectacularly bad. But he would only discover that by trying to date Sasori.
So the question remained: could he see himself together with two people at the same time? His immediate reaction was to say no, he couldn't, but then again, if anyone had asked him eight years ago whether he would be capable of mercilessly killing someone, he would also have claimed no.
The imaginary blood on his hands and the trail of bodies he'd left behind suggested a whole other story.
So if he was capable of snuffing out someone's life without feeling even the slightest hint of remorse, what stopped him from trying out a triad? He would only know for sure whether a triad was something he was suited for or not if he gave it a try at least. The moment he would feel uncomfortable, he could bow out again. Deidara had been clear about that.
Bowing out would mean losing Deidara in the romantic sense, but he would lose out on that either way if he didn't accept their offer. He could take a chance and gain two people who would care about him romantically. Or he couldn't and would just have to content himself with being friends with Deidara and possibly Sasori at best.
He had once uprooted his entire life in order to chase down the group who had made his life and his brother's a pure hell. Could he uproot his life for a second time to try out something which would hopefully lead to a more pleasant experience?
He didn't know exactly how a triad relationship would work, what the ground rules of it would be, and that should irritate him. He had always liked to prepare himself for everything that might happen, had known of every situation what to expect, even during his time with Nagato.
A triad was unfamiliar territory. Navigating a traditional relationship could already be tricky at times – a triad would not be any easier. The underworld had once been unfamiliar territory to him as well, however, and he had managed to navigate that one just fine. He had at least managed to leave it alive, which wasn't something everyone could say.
A triad would be less dangerous to handle than the underworld that was for sure.
Did he have his answer then? Would he risk the known for the unknown once again? Enter completely unfamiliar territory for the second time?
"Itachi?" Deidara sounded surprised when he picked up the phone, but there was an undercurrent of warmth laced through his voice as well.
It was that warmth that settled the last bit of doubt and propelled him to say, "I've thought about your offer and … I want to give it a try."
"Yeah?" Deidara sounded both pleased and cautiously hopeful, his voice wavering the tiniest bit when he went on, "You really want to give this a chance?"
"Yes." Itachi watched his breath evaporate in the chilly winter evening. "I'm not sure whether it will work out, but I'm willing to give it a chance. I don't know what to expect, but …"
"We'll figure it out, un," Deidara said warmly. "Together."
Together, hm? That did have a nice ring to it.
AN2: Like I mentioned, it wasn't easy figuring out how to correctly write the last scene; I hope I didn't screw up too badly!
Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.
I hope to see you all back in the next chapter! Please stay safe and take care of yourselves!
Cuddles
Melissa
- 7
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- 9
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Glue between the Cracks