Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

Torrid	By : KageKitsuneXXX Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male > Naruto/Sasuke Views: 4665 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters, and I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
A/N: See, I didn't take the full week- just a couple of days, you slave-drivers. I just wanted to thank all of you again for the lovely response to the story. I was so apprehensive about posting my first, non-humour fic. It has really encouraged me to open my range and fuels me to keep writing. A little support goes a heck of a long way. So again, thanks- you're all made of love and all the other good stuff. I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Regarding the chapter- don't ask how a Hyuuga rolls his eyes. I figure, if any of them could portray a good eye-roll, it's Neji, lol.
True realization is hardly ever instantaneous- especially when it comes to the big things. It can be tortuously slow; and yet, when it does come, it still manages to hit with the crushing impact of a freight train.
Sakura felt herself numb after the bomb dropped. She blinked slowly, wondering if she had misheard Sasuke's off-hand statement. The moment she had received her acceptance letter, she had raced to tell him the news. Only his news was so much bigger, and so much worse.
"You…you're not going to Harvard?"
"Hmm? Oh, no. I'm going to Hitotsubashi."
Sakura struggled to understand how this could have happened. Uchiha Fugaku had decided a long time ago that Sasuke would go to Harvard. He had always been impressed with the school's highly regarded business program. Anyone who knew Sasuke at all, also knew the near-desperate lengths to which he would go, just to receive his father's approval and affection. It had been a foregone conclusion; Sasuke would be going to Harvard.
It had been a golden opportunity. She and Sasuke were the only ones from their batch who had applied. They would be together in a new place, with an opportunity for Sakura to start fresh and to get Sasuke to see her in a new light. She was relieved that the school's medical research programs were as highly respected as their business ones.
She hadn't hesitated. She poured her heart and soul into making sure that her application was such that Harvard couldn't even consider rejecting her. It would be no issue for Sasuke. Even if his grades hadn't been as high as they were, his Uchiha name would pave the way. She hadn't thought to apply to anywhere else; that was how sure she had been about her acceptance, and Sasuke's attendance, to the distinguished school.
"But, how is that possible? I thought your dad wanted you to go?"
Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly, poking idly at his meal with his chopsticks. He always hated eating in the school's cafeteria. "Exactly, my father wanted me to go; I didn't. It took some doing; but I managed to convince him that it would look far more acceptable, and patriotic, for me to attend a local school. Besides, what do the people at Harvard know that Hitotsubashi doesn't? Oh, but it's great that you got in though. You should have lots of fun."
Sakura didn't know what to say. She sat stunned, staring incredulously at Sasuke. Her hands fisted, unconsciously crushing the acceptance letter she had been so excited about just a few minutes before. This had to be some kind of twisted joke. How could he not have told her he was staying in Japan? What was she supposed to do now? Why on earth would he stay?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Naruto flinging himself down carelessly into the chair next to Sasuke's.
"Just a few more weeks, and our days of the Academy will be over. Man, as weird as it sounds, I'm actually going to miss this place. I hope Hitotsubashi won't take up all my time with the actual 'school' part of things."
Sakura's head snapped up. She was being slammed from one shock to another. "You got in?"
The university was one of the top schools in Japan. Naruto had told her that he was applying, but she didn't think he'd had a prayer of getting in.
"Yeah…I don't believe it myself. I'm sure it's thanks to Sasuke and Baa-chan though. The bastard wouldn't let me touch any of my own application forms, and I'm pretty sure Baa-chan pulled some strings…"
Sasuke smacked Naruto hard upside his head. "I didn't pad your forms, I just made sure they were completed properly, and I don't lie on essays. I took over because it was approaching the deadline and you were screwing around, thinking you wouldn't get it. I don't know if Tsunade-sama pulled any strings or not, but I doubt it. You got in because you have future diplomat written all over you and you had a crap load of recommendations."
Naruto and Sasuke would be staying in Japan, attending college together, while she would be half a world away. It was beyond surreal and she couldn't help but feel stupid, having completely banked on Harvard without having any local back-ups. Only, she had been so sure, and Sasuke had been resigned to going. She couldn't imagine what could have convinced him to stay, let alone motivate him enough to approach his father and go against his wishes. This was supposed to be their season- hers and Sasuke's- and yet, it had turned out like this. She looked up, drawn back to the present by Sasuke casually informing Naruto about her acceptance into the ivy-league school.
"As expected of Sakura-chan! That school is a big deal, right? I know how excited you were about going. If Sasuke hadn't changed his mind, the two of you would be leaving me here. I'm glad for you, Sakura-chan; but it's sad that team seven is going to be breaking up; at least for awhile."
"Oh will you shut up about 'team seven'!"
Both Sasuke and Naruto stared in surprise at her sudden outburst. It shocked her too, but once she started, she couldn't stop herself.
"All you can go on about is 'team seven, team seven, team seven! Just shut up about it already! We were in that stupid group for a year to do community service; and the only reason you were even with me and Sasuke, was because we were the only ones smart enough to balance your deadweight. So just shut up about it!" The cafeteria was silent as she fled the room, leaving the flabbergasted boys behind.
She didn't know what to do after that. If she decided to stay, she would be at least a semester behind when she got into a school, and Harvard seemed too good to pass up. While she struggled with the decision, she avoided Sasuke and Naruto like the plague- humiliated and ashamed about the unwarranted outburst. The days leading up to the end of school were being quickly exhausted, and at this rate, she would be leaving without saying goodbye to two of her closest friends. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to do it. It finally took Naruto coming to her, to bring her back into the fold.
"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I thought you knew."
She only stared, uncertain what to say as Naruto stood there looking sad and awkward, trying to smooth things over.
"I thought he told you about changing his mind. I told him to tell you. I guess he forgot, or maybe he didn't want to dampen your excitement about going. We both knew how much you were looking forward to it."
Maybe Sasuke just hadn't cared either way. Sakura stared at Naruto's shoes, still at a loss. She had been excited about being with Sasuke, and it appeared that the fervour to start a new adventure together had been solely on her part.
"Don't apologise, Naruto. I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have said any of those things to you…"
Naruto gave her a reassuring smile. "Hey, Sasuke told me as much a long time ago, and didn't use language nearly half as decent. I know you guys did a hell of a job of dragging me up with you. My grades were in the toilet and I was a menace. If I had been paired with anyone else but you and Sasuke, I'd probably be pumping gas for a living. That's part of the reason I loved being team seven so much. It was only for awhile, but you challenged me to be better."
Sakura suddenly found herself enveloped into a hug.
"I know it's scary going away by yourself. You were hoping you'd have that one friend with you when you started a new part of your life. I felt the same way when I thought you and Sasuke would both be leaving to go to America. You're going to be okay Sakura. You'll be back home in no time, you'll see… and we'll be waiting for you."

"You know, say what you will about the Academy, but I know I'm going to miss the way these boys looked in their uniforms." Ino gave a forlorn sigh as she watched her schoolmates from her seat on the swing set. She blew a kiss to a passing boy and giggled with contentment as he promptly smacked into a tree.
"They've grown so much."
Ino followed Sakura's gaze to where Naruto and Sasuke stood chatting.
"Tell me about it. I'm starting to feel like a Bonsai tree standing next to those two. I didn't even realize it, but Naruto's even taller than Sasuke now. When did that happen? He used to be the runt of the litter. Stupid boys and their unpredictable growth spurts."
That wasn't the growth Sakura had been referring to; but she definitely shared Ino's last sentiment on several levels.
"So are you going to tell him?"
"Tell who what?" Sakura asked softly, feigning ignorance.
"The Archduke of Ferdinand that you're carrying his baby. Sasuke, you dolt. You aren't seriously going half-way around the world without telling him about your feelings, are you?"
"What's the point?"
"The point is, one outcome or another, you'll know. No agonising, no 'what if's. He might surprise you and confess right back, change his mind about staying in Japan, and then you two can spend the next four years doing the horizontal mambo in an ivy-league dorm room. Worst case scenario, you're off to a new world as a hot, single woman surrounded by guys with huge… brains. It's win-win as far as I see it; but at the very least, you'll know where you stand."
It was the end of final day of school and the 'now or never' moment for Sakura. Ino skipped forward, grabbing Naruto and pulling him away; leaving a surprised and annoyed Sasuke alone in the tree-lined pathway of their school. Before Sasuke had a chance to go after them, Sakura drew up beside him.
"They're kind of cute together, huh?" She asked shyly, still trying to summon up her courage. "They could have lots of blonde, bubbly kids together."
Sasuke snorted and began heading purposefully in Naruto and Ino's direction. "It wouldn't work."
"Sasuke-kun…" Something in her voice stopped him, and he turned to face her. Sakura breathed in; for the first time in a long time, maybe ever, Sasuke was really looking at her. All his attention was focused on her and she couldn't let this opportunity pass. She finally found her courage, and her voice. "I love you, Sasuke-kun…"
She told him everything: how long she'd loved him, how deeply. She told him how she had been willing, was willing, to give up her family and her friends just to stay by his side. Her own tears surprised her. She hadn't expected that she would actually cry when she confessed. She didn't want Sasuke to see her as someone to be pitied; but there was no staunching the flow.
"You're my dream…" She finished haltingly. When she looked up, she didn't know whether to be devastated or encouraged by the expression she saw there. There was no pity, no disdain; but there was no slow dawning of tender feeling either. He only appeared to be listening. Finally, his expression softened a little, and a small genuine smile formed.
"Thank you, Sakura. I'm very flattered; but I cannot accept your feelings."
She felt her blood freeze in her veins. She recognised that speech. Naruto had been horrified at Sasuke's usual method of rolling his eyes and walking away from whatever decimated girl that had just confessed to him. He had forced Sasuke to memorize the simple, tactful speech, hoping it would at least soften the blow.
"Do well in America, Sakura."
She was his friend, so he had been kinder, more genuine that he had been with most. But at the end of the day, she was just another one of the dozens of hopeless girls who had poured out their love, only to be summarily rejected. She watched, bereft, as Sasuke simply turned and walked away, catching up to Naruto. He grabbed Naruto by the sleeve and hauled him firmly away from a startled Ino.
Sakura remained rooted to the spot as her friend ran over to her. Ino didn't have to ask- Sakura's face said everything. They stood for awhile, silent.
"Well…at least, now you know. If it helps any, you should have seen Naruto's face when he realized what you were doing. He thought you were over Sasuke years ago. It looks like he still has feelings for you."
Sakura shook her head, not even wanting to think about that possibility. Ino shrugged and wrapped her arms around her friend.
"The world's a tough place for people like you and Naruto. When you guys fall in love, you fall in love forever."

Back then, Sakura couldn't understand why things had turned out that way; she couldn't see how she had fallen so far behind. Somewhere along the way, Naruto and Sasuke had outstripped her, growing far beyond her and out of her reach. She had taken too long to hit her stride in the Academy. Her grades had been excellent, but she hadn't found her niche. She had floundered; being just another smart girl while Sasuke was being groomed for his destiny, and Naruto turned everything around- becoming the loud, daring hero of Konoha. By the time she had found a mentor in Tsunade, they were so far above her, that she couldn't touch them anymore. No wonder Sasuke had rejected her.
She spent her time in college trying to figure out where she had fallen back. It didn't take long. Sasuke and Naruto were risk takers. Neither of them missed a chance to improve themselves. They never hesitated; they kept pushing themselves, each using the other as a rival to keep motivated. It had made them equals, and had left her in the dust. She had vowed then and there under the large oak tree, a world away from her dream, to not be that girl anymore. When the chance came, whatever form it took, she'd jump at it. She would prove herself, and she would never stop pushing.
So when that chance came in the form of a potential Uchiha takeover, it had been a sign- Kismet. It was her chance to grasp that brass ring, and she had taken it. It had been the right thing to do; hadn't it? Isn't that what they would have done?
Only, sitting at the dinner table, looking at her dream, she wasn't so sure anymore. He was so close, but as far as she was concerned, he might as well be a million miles away. She didn't believe he was trying to hurt her, nor was he trying to be cold. She simply wasn't a part of his universe. Yet, she couldn't help but keep reaching out.
"Sasuke…" She lost her nerve when he looked up. "I thought you'd want an update on some of the projects being carried out."
Sasuke folded his newspaper and put it aside. "I forgot there are advantages to being married to the lead scientist. I was waiting on the progress reports to hit my desk. What's the latest?"
"Well... The cystic fibrosis clinical trials should be able to start soon. We've managed to isolate and suppress most of the immune-responses to our virus vector. The broad spectrum antibiotics are also surpassing expectations."
"That's excellent. I'm looking forward to the first new product to be released with the Uchiha seal on it. It sounds like it will be soon."
Satisfied with what he'd heard; Sasuke picked up the newspaper. Sakura moved quickly before the door slammed shut again.
"What about you? How's work? You never say anything about it."
"The world of corporate finance isn't nearly as fascinating as medical research. You're the one saving lives, I just make sure we profit from it. I'm sure hearing about my day would only bore you." Sasuke's voice trailed off as he flipped another page of the business section.
"Nothing about you is boring, Sasuke. I think you're the most fascinating person alive." She said softly, watching helpless as Sasuke tuned her out.
"Thank you, Sakura." Sasuke mumbled distractedly before checking his watch. "Hmm, it's not so late. I have a few phone calls I could still make. Thank you for the meal, Sakura. You don't have to cook you know. I am aware of how busy you are."
"It's not a problem. I love doing…" The door to the study slammed shut and Sakura stared down at her untouched dinner; feeling the tears well up and spill over. "I love doing things for you, Sasuke-kun."
"Remind me to stop asking you about your day, Sasuke. What the hell is a 'bear market'?"
Sasuke smiled as he shifted the phone and watched his laptop boot. "All you have to know is that it's not good. I thought you said you were buying me a new laptop."
"I am, but you're the one who said you wanted to be there. Every time I am supposed to take you shopping, you distract me with…other things. Maybe you should just tell me which one you want."
"No, you'll only be convinced to get something I'll end up hating. We'll go together."
"Fine, fine…stop being so horny all the time then."
Naruto stretched out on his bed, listening to Sasuke complain about his effective, but creepy, sales force. Sasuke was sure Suigetsu was exchanging sex for business; but he didn't mind, since the odd man's numbers were sky high.
He sighed as Sasuke started getting technical again, and his mind wandered back to the events of the morning. He had run into Neji and their conversation, if it could be called that, had been bothering him all day.
They had bumped into each other at the Ichiraku ramen stand and Naruto had tried to shake the residual awkwardness that remained after baring his soul only a few days prior. He felt he'd divulged too much; but then he always did that.
"One of our clients is holding a gardening expo at her estate next Saturday. I have to make sure she sees me there. Would you like to go?"
"Um, I can't…"
Neji had rolled his eyes, snorting his frustration. "Not everything I do or say is a calculated attempt to get into your pants, Naruto. I just thought you'd enjoy the expo. I was being friendly. But I guess you can't make new friends either, because that would be cheating on your married lover."
"I explained to you about that-"
"Yeah, I know…loyalty. I can't even get to my car without tripping over all the misplaced loyalty in this town. You're loyal to Sasuke; he's loyal to his family and his hapless wife is loyal to their sham of a marriage. So who's being loyal to you, Naruto?"
He couldn't say anything, discomfited as Neji stalked off, only to stop and turn back.
"It's going to happen eventually. You're going to wake up and realize the impossible situation you're keeping yourself in. It's going to happen. The problem is, you might just take too long, and you're going to find yourself alone with no way to fix it. Ridiculous… You don't have to worry about me bothering you anymore; I'll rescind any further offers of my company."
Neji had been pissed. Naruto rubbed his hands over his face as Sasuke yawned on the other end of the line.
"Hey, Sasuke…"
"Hmm?"
"Do you remember that day on the playground? The day we officially met?"
Sasuke sniffed. "What- when we were five? Who remembers a thing like that? It was like twenty years ago."
"I was five, you were six and I remember it like it was yesterday. I thought you would too."
"I would, if I was an overly sentimental freak."
Naruto stared at the ceiling, the scene replaying vividly in his mind almost non-stop since he had related it to Neji. "You pulled my hair, remember? I always wondered why you did that."
"Who the hell knows or cares?!" The sudden spark of annoyance and anger crackled across the line. "God, do you have to romanticize every damned aspect of your existence? I was six, I was probably bored and you have bright, yellow hair. The math is not that hard to do, Naruto."
The ensuing silence seemed to stretch indefinitely; before Naruto stirred himself.
"Okay…" For a moment more, that was all he could get out. "I have to go."
"This is stupid, Naruto. Don't get upset over this-"
Sasuke's voice cut off abruptly as Naruto hung up the phone. He hadn't known what he was expecting; but hearing that the defining moment of your life was born of a simple act of boredom wasn't it. He tried to reason the stinging sensation away. They had only been kids; he couldn't honestly expect Sasuke to attach the same deep, emotional meaning to the moment as he did. The reasoning was sound, but it didn't help. Realization, no matter how slow in coming, can still hit with a crushing impact.
Sakura squinted as she carefully applied her eye-shadow. Ino was the one with the expertise; and for that purpose, Sakura wished she was here. But this could be viewed as another low point. Just imagining the pity and frustration on her friend's face as enough to dissuade her from calling for help. Still, she thought she had done a great job. It had been exasperating when it occurred to her that she had no clue what her husband's type was. Did he like Goth girls, the bookish types or the glam ones? For all she knew, he liked bouncy, blonde cheerleaders. She stepped back and examined herself in the full length mirror.
She looked hot. That's what Ino would say. She was wearing her little, black miracle dress; the one that clung tightly to her body, and enhanced her modest curves. The strappy stilettos seemed to lengthen her legs and her eyes stood out in contrast to the subdued make-up. She tousled her hair for the final effect; and toyed with the idea of dying it. She loved her hair, but did Sasuke find pink ridiculous? She squinted again and moistened her lips. It was show time.
She knocked softly on the door to Sasuke's study and opened it slowly when Sasuke's brusque 'yes' came. "Sasuke?"
He looked up at the husky tone, and saw his wife leaning casually against the door frame. He kept watching her, obviously waiting on her to say something. There was no double-take, no stunned, entranced look; there wasn't even curiosity about why she was dressed the way she was. He tapped his pen impatiently on his desk.
"Do you need something, Sakura?"
That was an understatement of immense proportions. Sakura straightened up as yet another plan seemed to go horribly awry.
"I, um… I'm going out tonight. I'm not sure what time I'll be back."
"Oh, alright." Sasuke returned his interest to his computer screen. "Make sure you have your key."
She stood awkwardly, smoothing the imaginary wrinkles out of the ridiculously tiny dress. "Um, okay… goodnight then."
"Goodnight."
"I got your 911. Is this going to be a long crisis? I ask, because I'm going out with Chouji later and I need to know if I have to cancel."
Ino slid into the bench opposite Sakura at the dumpling shop. "You're so lucky I have an understanding boyfriend, who respects the urgency of the 'Sakura-signal'. So what's up? Is everything okay? Ooh, you look kind of hot; was there a celebration at the lab or something? Oh you bitch; I have been looking for those shoes everywhere."
While Ino chattered excitedly, as Sakura wordlessly opened her purse and took out her birth control dispenser and a bottle of ginkgo biloba tablets. The ginkgo tablets were nearly identical to the birth control, and Ino immediately stopped talking at the sight of them.
"Sakura, you haven't said a word yet and I already don't like where this is going."
"He watches me when I take them…every morning. He doesn't know that I've caught on. It's the only time he pays any real attention to me, whenever it's time to take those pills. I don't think he trusts me, imagine that." Sakura laughed ruefully. "Sometimes I drag it out on purpose, just so he can keep watching me; until I realize he's starting to get annoyed. I don't know why he bothers…it's not like you can get pregnant from sharing a condo."
"Sakura…"
"You were right about using Naruto. It would never work. He wasn't the missing ingredient; and there was no way I could use him to bridge that gap in our marriage. But there is someone else that could."
"Sakura, this is insane. There is no way you're doing what I think you're thinking. The first thing he told you when you got engaged was that he wasn't ready for kids."
Sakura shook her head. "It'll be a surprise. Something you didn't know you wanted until you got it. A baby would be something we created together. He would love his son or daughter, I believe that."
"And love you by extension? Sakura, you can love your kid and still completely screw up his life. The man you want to father your baby is living testament of that. Sasuke is nowhere near ready to be a father. He wasn't even ready to be a husband! You forced that and look what it's doing to you."
"But the honeymoon was so-"
"Enough with the damn honeymoon! I still can't see what was so mind blowing about it. He fucked you a couple of times and gave you his credit card to shop. I got the impression that he spent the entire time either trying to get rid of you, or making sure the two of you were never alone."
"Why are you being so vicious?"
"Because I am trying to wake you up! How do you think you're going to get away with this? Sasuke may know he's exceptional, but I doubt even he thinks he's in that 0.01% that the pill warns us about."
Sakura sighed, fighting back more tears as she tried to sort out the mess in her head. "I need something, Ino. I don't know what. But he doesn't see me. I don't exist, I'm nothing to him. I dress like this and tell my husband that I'm going out, don't know when I'll come back and…nothing. What am I supposed to do? What's left?"
Ino felt her heart break for her friend. She reached out and squeezed the sobbing girl's hand.
"I know it's hard, but just wait, okay? This isn't the way. We'll figure something else out. Just wait."
Naruto was not in the mood for company; but judging from the loud, frantic knocking on his front door- it was either opening it, or having it kicked in. He opened it to find a very flustered Ino.
"We have to do something." She stormed past him and then wheeled on him abruptly. "And by 'we', I mean you. He's your friend, and he'll listen to you. So this is me doing my best. My best is to get you to do your best. I know it's not really your business, and I know it's kind of impossible; but that's your specialty, right? Do something amazing and 'Narutoesque'.
Naruto scratched his nose and looked askance at the strange, heaving girl before him. "Oookay… what are you on about?"
"You're friend is fucking with my friend. And not in the good, wholesome way that is enhanced with the use of toys, as nature intended; but in a bad way."
"And by friends, you'd be talking about…"
"Sakura and Sasuke, you Ken doll. Sasuke is screwing with her head, and you need to stop it."
Naruto stiffened, realizing that Ino was being serious. "What's wrong with Sakura-chan? I thought things were going okay."
"Okay? You thought... Naruto, nothing is okay. You and I both know that this marriage was a mistake; but she doesn't and she's not letting go. She's not just miserable, she's snapping. I am starting to think she's going crazy; and I might be waxing euphemistic here. Because this not just a little crazy; I'm talking- 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Glenn Close in 'Fatal Attraction', 'I will boil your rabbit, if it will make you love me'- crazy."
Ino expelled a breath, descending from her adrenaline rush. She looked at Naruto, who stood frozen and stricken.
"She's breaking down, Naruto; and I feel powerless to stop it, so I'm asking you. I know there may be nothing you can do, but please try. She's our friend; we can't let this destroy her.
More knocking and Naruto wondered why he even bothered with a door anymore. Ino had left only a few minutes before, leaving him shell-shocked and torn. Just when he thought the evening had already hit its low point, he opened the door to find a flushed and atypically dressed Uchiha Sakura.
"Sakura-chan! Wow, you look…wow."
Sakura gave a flustered toss of her head as she stormed past Naruto. "Yeah, yeah, I'm frigging hot. Now where's your damned sake?"
She immediately started rifling though his cupboards, giving a small cry of triumph when she found his stash of alcohol. Naruto raised an eyebrow at his friend unscrewed the bottle and took a swig. She promptly wheezed and coughed.
"Oh my goodness, that's strong."
"Yeah, you don't usually swig sake, Sakura-chan. Maybe you ought to slow down a bit."
"I don't want to slow down! You know what I want? What I want is a marriage; what I want is to not be invisible!"
Sakura took another burning swig of the premium sake, and fixed her laser stare on Naruto after she finished sputtering.
"And what I need is for you to tell me what the hell is going on between you and my husband."
TBC

A/N: For those of you who got the 'Chicago' reference from my title: tell me I'm not the only one imagining Sakura framed in a single spotlight, dressed as a sad clown, singing 'Cellophane'. *sigh* You should come live in my mind…it's yaoi and Broadway all day, every day. Hope you liked!
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Torrid