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Second Chances	By : MLL Category: Naruto AU/AR > General Views: 1205 -:- 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
- 1-Second Chances
- 1
Disclaimer: sadly, I don’t own the Naruto characters; Kishimoto has that honor.

A/N: Hello again to readers, I am once again doing an AU oneshot on Naruto and Sasuke, so read, enjoy and if possible, review! ^_^ Also, I just finished combing and removing this oneshot free of grammatical errors, so it should be safe to plow on forward :) I also wanted to reaffirm that this story will still remain a one-shot. And I do hope this one-shot makes up for my other one-shot AU angst of Sasuke and Naruto. Read and enjoy!

A/N/N: OOO means flashback and *** means dream. Sorry if it's confusing, but I don't know how to do italics. Now, on to the story!

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Second Chances
by: lady-rouge

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Oh God.

The irony of the tranquil scene that met Naruto’s eyes was enough to make him turn back, but a greater force within him compelled his feet towards the pure white bed that stood in the center of the small room. His eyes moved unwillingly from his lagging feet to the still, pale figure that occupied the railed bed and tears pricked the back of his now-dull blue eyes.

Naruto reached the bedside and leaned down to the patient and took one of the limp hands of the dark-haired man and held it tightly between his two tanned ones. Damn you, Sasuke. A tear slipped slowly down the left cheek of the bent blond and he wiped it furiously away. How could you do this to me? Naruto stared angrily at the dark-haired man as he continued to close his eyes; not paying attention to the turmoil raging inside of Naruto.

To the eyes of a stranger, the dark-haired man would have looked like he was in the midst of a peaceful slumber dreaming dreams of content, but Naruto—Naruto knew better. Closing his eyes to the vision of the man on the bed, Naruto sighed wearily. Sasuke was far from those . . . . . . or was it the same? Naruto shook his head to quell the incessant questions and opened his eyes reluctantly.

If only Naruto had been keener . . . had seen beyond the beyond . . . had understood Sasuke better, then they would have been together without all this heartache.

But maybe . . . it had been inevitable for them to have this lack of keenness—this misunderstanding—what with their opposite backgrounds and all . . .

OOO

Life couldn’t get any better, Naruto thought with a satisfied smile as he listened to his pink-haired friend chattering animatedly next to him. His other friends were also listening attentively to her story as they sat next to him. At one point in her story, they all cracked up and Sakura had to pause in her storytelling to wait for the group to finish laughing.

Naruto’s ears stayed tune to her story, but his eyes began to wander idly around the grassed area that they always occupied for lunch in the spring. People were scattered all over the huge expanse of the school’s lawn eating and talking on the grass similar to what Naruto’s group was doing and as his eyes glanced around, he saw many familiar faces and upon chance of meeting their gazes, Naruto returned their cheerful waves.

“Naruto!” Sakura reprimanded him sternly. “Are you even listening to me?” Her hand snuck out and punched him roughly in the arm.

“Ow, Sakura,” Naruto complained good-naturedly as he turned to inspect the injured arm, “that was uncalled for.”

“Hmph,” Sakura scowled. “YOU were the one who asked to hear the story in the first place.”

“I WAS listening,” Naruto protested feebly, but didn’t argue further. Fights with Sakura never got him anywhere, but many bruises on his body. Sakura didn’t look it, but she was strong. Seeing his immediate defeat, Sakura turned back to the group with a triumphant smile.

“And that, my friends, was how we caught him. Amazing, huh?” Sakura laughed abashedly before turning around to look at Naruto. “Ne Naruto—” Sakura’s face went past Naruto and she did a double-take at something behind him. Whatever she had been about to say become lost as she continued to look at that something.

“What is it, Sakura?” Naruto said amusedly before following her gaze to rest on a rapidly walking figure that seemed intent on making it out the door before the security guards closed the gates to signal the end of lunch—which was, Naruto checked his watch—three minutes from now. Both Sakura and Naruto watched in anticipation as the dark-haired man increased his pace towards the gates. As he reached it however, the guard had already begun to close the two white doors and they could both see the dark-haired man begin to argue with the guard. The taller of the two, the dark-haired seemed to glare angrily down at the guard and the guard seemed somewhat intimidated, but stood his ground.

RING

“Damn. Back to boring old classes again. So troublesome,” a man to the right side of Sakura complained and the group chuckled with agreement as they rose up from their comfortable positions under the large tree. Sakura and Naruto finally tore their gazes from the unfolding scene in the distance and reluctantly got up with their friends.

“Who is he?” Naruto asked Sakura curiously as he stretched languidly.

“Uchiha Sasuke,” she said quietly. “I have seen him around and have had him in some of my classes but he keeps to himself if he can help it.”

“Maybe you just aren’t trying hard enough?” Naruto tried to help her as they both picked up the remains of their lunch.

“I have, but if I have lacked somewhere, I know the girls haven’t.”

“The girls?”

“Yeah, he’s handsome,” Sakura said dreamily and Naruto arched his eyebrows in surprise. Being down-to-earth, Sakura was never really one to have those types of looks, but if she HAD, then the dark-haired man was something else. “All the girls want to be closer to him in my classes—even the rich snobby ones like him despite his worn out clothing and poor status. That must mean something if the rich “lower” themselves to chase after him.”

Naruto nodded along with Sakura until the comment registered in his mind and he protested. “Hey! That’s not nice,” he said moodily. “Not all rich people are snobby or mean.” Sakura looked at him and she laughed.

“Oh sorry, I forgot that you’re one of them too,” her tone emphasized ‘them’ in a bad way, but one look at her eyes told Naruto that she was only teasing and he smile good naturedly to her before turning to the conversing group that was starting to walk; all talk of Sasuke forgotten for Sakura as she began to argue with a man clad in a shade of vibrant green about something minor.

Naruto followed the group in silent contemplation of the mysterious dark-haired man and just before they entered the building, Naruto shot a look back at him. The man was still arguing, but with a word from the guard, the man turned angrily and strode back towards the entrance of the school where Naruto and his friends now stood, waiting for the line to appease and reduce before they entered.

The man looked furious—anger broke off of him in choppy thick waves—and Naruto felt sorry for anyone who got caught in his path. The dark-haired man suddenly looked up from his angry examination of the ground and by chance, met Naruto’s curious glance and in that fraction of a glance, of a second, of an eternity—Naruto’s breath hitched.

He was beautiful.

OOO

Naruto’s fond smile at that memory darkened slightly as his memory bounced from one to the other. After that day, Naruto would have left that dark-haired loner and his secrets alone, but fate had decreed that they would meet again and they did . . . under excruciating circumstances. . .

OOO

Naruto was not in a very good mood. No, he was not. Sakura’s best friend was throwing a surprise party for Sakura, but Naruto had not been able to attend because his father had said they needed to talk that night about a pressing issue. Naruto sighed as he ran a hand through his messy hair in an attempt to tame it and hurried through the front door and into the west side of their home where his father’s office was situated to face the garden where varying roses and flowers of many colors blossomed.

With a casual glance at his watch, he saw that he was ten minutes late and with a softly uttered curse, Naruto hastened towards the large, looming door at the end of the hall. When he neared the door of his father’s office, Naruto pressed his ear against the wood, but did not hear anything—the wood and walls were too thick for any eavesdropping. Oh well. Naruto knocked firmly on the door two times before he heard his father’s crisp "Enter".

Naruto did so without another second wasted and closed the door behind him with a loud accidental bang. His father winced at the noise before shaking his head as if to say, what else can one expect from Naruto? And then he turned to Naruto with a stern face.

“Sit down, Naruto.”

Naruto gulped before flashing his father an innocent grin and sitting down in the indicated chair positioned across from his father. “What did you want me for?”

At those words, his father’s face turned strict and silence followed the question while his father rifled through a folder to grab a set of crisp papers that were stapled neatly together. His father pointed at them, “This is the problem Uzumaki Naruto.” His father did not raise his voice, but the quietness spoke volumes to Naruto.

Naruto looked at them and was not surprised. His father had a tendency to do these kinds of things and now was not any exception seeing that Naruto was growing older and older. In his hands were the remarks and grades of his classes at his high school and—they were not good, Naruto saw as he examined the tightly held paper in his father’s hands. Naruto had known that he had been struggling in the classes due to distractions, but he had not known he was failing.

“I was quite surprised when I received these grade reports from Iruka. Being the loyal butler that he is, he tried to defend you when he retrieved those grade reports, but I can not excuse this type of behavior,” his father continued in that unsettling, quiet voice. “I expect much more from a son of mine—from the Uzumaki clan. This has shamed me greatly that I have decided to step in before it got worse.”

“You want to seclude me from my friends and sports,” Naruto stated flatly. It was not a question of uncertainty. His father had always threatened him with that whenever his father was not happy with him and after a while, Naruto had become used to it and had not expected anything less from his father.

“No, I have gotten you something even better,” his father gave him a smile for the first time in that evening and Naruto was instantly intrigued by what his father had in mind.

Naruto looked at his father expectantly for an answer, but his father did not venture forth in enlightening his son and instead looked at the door that Naruto had just entered from a couple of minutes ago. Almost as if sensing the look of his father, the door opened and in stepped a stoic dark-haired man.

“Naruto, meet your new tutor Uchiha Sasuke.” His father beamed and laughed. “Sasuke has promised to tutor you for the rest of this semester so you won’t fall behind anymore.”

Naruto could only nod silently and stare at the man that had just entered the room and suddenly Naruto found it hard to breathe—being that the man was so close to him.

His lean body clothed in a pair of black pants and navy shirt that although looked worn, did nothing to deter the intensity and beauty of the man. Feeling his heart slow from the rapid run it had just taken, Naruto could only stare at the man who in turn, returned his look—albeit with a dark, ferocious intensity that spoke of hatred and disgust. Naruto recoiled hotly from the angry look and turned to look at his father with a troubled expression.

A whole semester with this angry, resentful man?

Naruto shuddered. Was it even possible? Naruto hoped for the sake of both of them that it would work because a mad and unhappy Uzumaki father promised years of unfortunate events.

OOO

Once again feeling those cold, unfeeling eyes brought to him from relieving the past, Naruto shivered and tightened his hold of the pale, cold hand that felt like it had all the life sucked out of it. Naruto couldn’t remember the last time that Sasuke had given him one of those bitter, cold looks. It had been a long time ago, Naruto knew that for sure. Although at first . . . Sasuke had hated him with a passion. His obsidian eyes shot him sharply pointed daggers at their tutor sessions, but his body betrayed him slowly because . . . it had been lust at first sight . . .

OOO

“Don’t think I’m here because I care about your grades,” Sasuke snarled angrily at Naruto as they both glared angrily at each other. Even though fury rode off of Sasuke’s broad shoulders in thick tense waves, his face still managed to maintain its detached and aloof manner and frame. Naruto on the other hand was breathing hard and was glowering at the dark-haired man.

He didn’t know how their fight had started, he never did. It always started no matter how much effort Naruto put into restraining himself and the comments that Sasuke always managed to stimulate. One minute Naruto was joking and chuckling and the next Sasuke had uttered an intolerable comment that irked Naruto to no end about his status, his family, the background that he came from and soon, Naruto and Sasuke were in a glaring match; daring the other to back down from a challenge that held no name to it.

With all the glares and livid comments they gave each other, Naruto was surprised to find that having Sasuke as a tutor really did help his grades. He wasn’t all that surprised however, when he thought more about it because Sasuke was the top in their class. Hell, he was the top in their school. In the beginning, Naruto had wondered at why Sasuke was tutoring him, but he soon found out the reason.

A reason . . . that Sasuke never failed to remind him . . .

“I’m only here for one reason and one reason only,” Sasuke shot Naruto a dark look. “If it weren’t for the money my dad owed your father, I wouldn’t be wasting my time with you snobby and stuck-up class. I have enough of it at my other work, now I have to deal with you ignorant, greedy people.” His words hissed through clenched teeth as he was once again reminded about his purpose in Naruto’s home and his obsidian eyes flashed.

“Why do you hate us so much?” Naruto’s blue eyes stormed angrily in return, but there was a confusion that lurked in his turbulent orbs. He had always asked that, but had never gotten a response, so he was surprised when Sasuke answered him.

Sasuke eyes darkened even more and he unconsciously took a step closer as he jeered his answer. “Because it is you people who think you can rule over us, who think you are gods. I hate you all! I hate what you do to people’s lives; hate your greed when you have more than enough to feed a village of people. And it is because of you people that my father and my mother are dead from trying too hard!” The dark haired man’s outburst put the room into a deathly silence as Naruto could only stare in dismay.

Before Naruto could say anything, the dark haired man covered the empty space between them and in a moment of irrationality—like always whenever they fought—grabbed the blond roughly with both of his pale hands and thrust him harshly against the wall. And before Naruto could do or say anything else, a pair of warm, full lips was against his; licking and sucking the curves of his familiar mouth and hands running through the messy hair. It was all Naruto could do to contain the moan that threatened to burst out of his mouth as Sasuke suckled roughly on the tender skin of his neck and instead, put all his attention on nibbling on the shell of the dark-haired man’s ear.

“But I hate you the most,” Sasuke breathed furiously on Naruto as he ripped his mouth from the ministrations that his mouth was giving to Naruto’s body. The dark haired man gave Naruto an irate look. “Because I want you against my will . . .” His mouth returned to kiss the plump lips of Naruto before harshly grinding Naruto with his lean body against the wall. The moan that Naruto had successfully been keeping at bay finally escaped out of Naruto and he clenched his lips as he tightened his arms around Sasuke. “I should hate you for what you are,” Sasuke ran his desperate hands over the tousled blond hair and with a deep wrenching groan—like the groan of a man that was slowly losing a life-threatening battle—he ran his hands down the small of Naruto’s back to cup his ass before rubbing him hungrily against his straining erection. “But I can’t . . . my body betrays me,” With a moan, they both ripped off the barriers that separated them from each other and it was with moans and pants that filled the room for the rest of their study session . . .

OOO

It had been lust and hate that had overshadowed their trysts, their actions towards each other, but whenever Naruto tried to sit down and pinpoint the exact interaction that had changed their relationship, he found it too complicated and too complex to break down into smaller components. Their relationship had never been that simple and before they knew it, by the end of the semester, they found that they had gone beyond the physical level. Meeting, arguing and then having sex did not—could not—satisfy them fully anymore. The level that they had now entered on was something that scared them both, but without a doubt that was the strength they both shared and they held strong on to it.

At least, that was what Naruto had thought in the beginning and why wouldn’t he? After the semester was over, Naruto and Sasuke found themselves hungering for the presence of each other more and more. To the point where they met secretly in all areas to the point where they publicized their relationship when Naruto saw that Sasuke cared for him as he did for Sasuke. Sasuke was still wary of rich people, but when he was with Naruto, Naruto forgot his fears, his doubts and contemplations. For when he was with Sasuke, he was the happiest man on earth and he knew that money could never buy that.

But the day of his fears had come true and Sasuke had done what Naruto had always feared he would do. At that thought, Naruto’s face whitened and he looked down to the still, bed-ridden figure for physical reassurance that he was still there and not somewhere else. There had come that horrible day that Sasuke had walked away—no, disappeared from his life and their relationship. He had left without any word to Naruto—without any goodbye and had just vanished without a trace.

Naruto had woken up one morning to an empty bed and empty apartment and finding no trace of any note, had known without a doubt that Sasuke was really gone.

Feeling his heart break all over again, Naruto bent over as if he was in pain and tightened his grip on the limp hand of Sasuke. He had searched endlessly for Sasuke, but came up with nothing. He had really left the city and the cities surrounding it.

After the disappearance of Sasuke, Naruto fell into a pattern of gloomy days and he constantly found himself crying incessantly as he locked himself away from the world. His world had tipped over and the only person who could set it right was gone. His friends tried to bring him out off the deep depression that he had fallen into, but nothing could help.

Four years passed. Four long years that finally healed him and made him to closely resemble the person that he used to be. Naruto sighed heavily as he readjusted himself on the wool chair that they had set for him to sit on. Four years healed him along with a certain person called Neji.

At first, the advances of Neji, his friend’s brother, had been unwelcomed, but as time went on and with his friends’ encouragement, Naruto had given him a chance and now—two years later—Naruto could safely say he was in love with Neji. Neji’s muscular build, his long black hair and pale eyes. Yes, Naruto loved him and all that Neji did for him. It touched Naruto deeply and it was that that had slowly mended the broken pieces of Naruto’s heart.

Naruto’s eyes misted at those thoughts. He had thought that he was finally getting back on his feet—was finally getting back on track with his dreams and goals, but oh God, he had to come back and ruin everything—ruin the shaky steps that he was finally taking, ruin the delicately mended heart that Naruto was trying to mend with Neji . . .

OOO

“Neji! Get back here!” Naruto laughed as he chased after his boyfriend up the main street to the local medicine store. “I said I’ll get the prescriptions myself dammit!”

All he got for his response was a chuckle as the longer legged man in front of him continued to jog lightly; not going too fast but also enough to stay out of reach.

“Damn you and your long legs, Neji,” Naruto grunted as he hastened himself. They had only been running for a while and yet Naruto already felt tired. The irony of it all hit Naruto and he let out a small chuckle. Naruto was a doctor—he lectured many people on staying healthy, yet he himself was not fit. Seeing Neji throw a smirk before entering the medicine store, Naruto sprinted the last couple of feet and jumped through the doorway in hopes of making it a close tie. In mid-leap, Naruto saw someone leave the store out of the corner of his eye, but it was too late and with a small grunt from both injured parties, Naruto quickly got up to give the fallen person a hand.

“Naruto, are you okay?” Neji’s voice could be heard over the loud clatter of fallen materials. Naruto nodded dazedly to Neji and upon feeling the hand reach out to take his hand, he gave a pull and the person got up.

“I’m sorry about what happened.” Turning back to the person, Naruto was shocked to see dark obsidian eyes staring back at him in an equally startled fashion. His heart skipped a beat and it felt like there was a large lump stuck at the back of his throat; disabling his voice.

“Naruto . . .” the man whispered softly and could only stare with bewilderment at the cerulean-eyed man. It was like they were the only people in the room seeing as they had eyes only for each other.

“Is there something wrong, Naruto?” Neji stepped up behind Naruto and pulled him close to check for injuries. Seeing nothing, the long-haired man kissed Naruto quickly on the side of his tanned neck as he sighed with open relief. Never taking his eyes off of Sasuke for one moment, Naruto did not miss Sasuke’s alarmed expression and the hurt that mingled on the edges at the sign of affection before he stiffened and averted his eyes and clenched fists.

Feeling no response, Neji turned Naruto around and looked worriedly into Naruto’s face. His eyes searched Naruto’s eyes. “What’s wrong, Naruto?” Suddenly, Naruto snapped out of the spell that he had fallen under from the influence of those beautifully haunting obsidian eyes and tugged on the long-haired man’s arms as anger churned wildly within him.

“Nothing important,” he spat with a last glance at Sasuke. His voice softened as he turned to question Neji who was casting him a questioning look. “Did you buy the medicine yet?” The man in question nodded before following the blond out. Whatever that was bothering the blond, he would tell him when he felt like it. Neji would not push anything. As they began to leave the store, a desperate voice called out and Neji turned in surprise.

“Naruto, wait!”

Despite Naruto’s insistent pulls to continue on, Neji turned back to meet the look of the dark-haired man that Naruto had bumped into earlier. The man paid no heed to Neji and instead, ran after them to Naruto. Grabbing a hold of Naruto’s right arm, the man tugged. “Naruto let me explain. I don’t want you to hate me,” he pleaded in a soft voice.

Naruto could feel tears prickling underneath his eyelids and he blinked angrily. “Too bad!” he shouted angrily as the ball of rage that had been curling inside of him since he saw Sasuke explode. “I already hate you, you bastard! Don’t think that you can come back into my life and expect me to accept your worthless explanations!”

Ignoring the look of astonishment on Neji’s face and the look of distraught on Sasuke’s pale, pale face, Naruto ran down the street as tears spilled down his cheeks in hot, wet trails. Oh God, why did he have to come back? Everything had been going so well and now he wanted Naruto to listen to more of his lies. Damn HIM! Naruto cursed as he ran; blinded by his tears towards the house that he had recently bought.

Fumbling with his set of keys that he had drawn clumsily from his left pocket, Naruto opened the door before entering it and closing it with his back. After securing it, Naruto leaned despairingly against it and laid his head tiredly against it as he wiped the tears that continued to come out of his unwilling eyes.

Naruto didn’t know how long he sat there cocooned in his own thoughts and turmoil. For some reason, he felt numb and did not care anymore.

KNOCK KNOCK

“Naruto, it’s Neji.”

At the sound of that strong voice, Naruto felt like crying all over again. He just wanted to fall into Neji’s comforting arms and forget the man with the obsidian eyes—forget everything about him. Maybe Neji could help him, Naruto thought with a spark of hope as he opened the door to reveal an anxious looking Neji. He was panting hard like he had run all the way from the store and as soon as the door opened, Neji leaped in and pulled Naruto into a tight hug. “Oh God, Naruto, I’m so scared. Please tell me what’s wrong with you and who that man is,” he begged as he tightened his grip on Naruto’s shoulders in desperation.

Naruto felt his throat close up again and he had to breathe quickly before answering. “He’s . . . nobody,” he said firmly, but the quick swelling of tears in his eyes spoke otherwise.

“Naruto, please tell me. As your boyfriend, I beg you to tell me. Do you love him?” Neji said with jealousy at the tears that sparkled in Naruto’s bright blue eyes. “You cry for him,” Neji observed. “That means you still have feelings for him.” His eyes turned desperately to Naruto. “Tell me you don’t, Naruto.”

“Don’t worry, I hate him!” Naruto said vehemently to Neji. “He has no chances with me,” he said angrily, “no matter what he says otherwise. I will never forgive him for leaving me, never! I never knew what I saw in him anyways,” Naruto said with a brittle laugh. Don’t worry,” Naruto said and seeing the doubt that still lingered in Neji’s pale eyes, he leaned in and gave him a long kiss. “Now that I have you, I don’t want him anymore.”

OOO

Oh why, Naruto always asked himself that question, did he not realize things sooner. Why didn’t he just listen to Sasuke . . . but he hadn’t. He had been excused for that first encounter, but the second . . . Naruto could never forgive himself for letting that chance slip through his fingers, for letting Sasuke slip through his fingers . . .

OOO

It had been a week since their encounter with Sasuke and Naruto hadn’t seen any glimpse of him since. After telling Neji the story, Neji had become angry and had watched over Naruto like an over-protective watch dog, but Naruto did not mind. He had been annoyed at Neji for thinking he would cave in to Sasuke’s influence, but in truth, he was thankful to have Neji supporting him.

After no signs of communication from Sasuke, Neji and Naruto began to fall back into their familiar routine and schedule. Working in Konoha Hospital together, they were around each other a lot and thus, it was easier to pick up where they left off before Sasuke came in.

Sasuke.

No matter what Naruto did and told himself, he could not rid himself of those dark, obsidian eyes that seemed to haunt him everywhere he went—in his dreams, in his thoughts, in his memories. Naruto told himself that he had done the right thing, but as the week passed and he heard nothing from the dark-haired man, Naruto began to grow worried before anger settled in once more—and he welcomed it. Anger was always something he could handle. If Sasuke saw him as that unimportant, than screw him!

That’s what Naruto was telling himself as Neji came and sat next to him on his plush, orange settee that he had bought recently. As Neji threw himself next to Naruto, he cast an arm around the blond and pushed them closer together.

“Are you thinking about him again?” His dark haired boyfriend said flatly as soon as he saw Naruto’s gloomy look.

Startled, Naruto shook his head fervently before pulling Neji closer to him and letting loose a laugh. “Of course not!” He lied. “I was thinking about our plans with the gang and wondering if we should go or stay. I’m kinda feeling tired.”

“Are you sick?” Neji immediately pressed one of his palms to the center of Naruto’s forehead and sat silently to contemplate his illness.

“No, no,” Naruto wiggled out of Neji’s grasp and shook his head. “Just a little tired, Neji. I guess work is taking a toll on me,” Naruto said with a grin. “I mean, you can’t exactly call my work stress-free.”

“And you call mine stress-free?” Neji arched his eyebrows skeptically.

“Fine, fine,” Naruto grumbled heartedly as a small smile broke out. “Touché,” Naruto said before giving Neji a peck on the cheek.

Neji smiled triumphantly before it disappeared and a look of intensity appeared in his eyes as he looked at Naruto. Naruto knew that look and instantly, Naruto’s stomach swirled with butterflies and his palms began to sweat. For some reason, he couldn’t stand to kiss Neji anymore. For reasons Naruto didn’t want to dive into, it always left him with a sick feeling of guilt, but Naruto always ignored it—always ignored the feelings of betrayal that he felt when he kissed Neji.

As Neji’s mouth swooped down to gently land on Naruto’s lips, Naruto fought the urge to push him away. This was ridiculous, he told himself. He loved Neji—had been with him for two years now—had kissed him many, many times, so why was his body saying otherwise?

Naruto didn’t have time to question things before a single, firm knock on his door came. Swearing at the interruption, Neji broke off their kiss before moving aside so Naruto could go get the door. Filled with a relief that was unsettling, Naruto took his time in getting to the door and opening it.

Thinking it was Sakura, Naruto opened the door with a silly grin to only let it fully slip away when the door opened to reveal a tall, pale and—a handsome as ever Sasuke. Naruto’s breath hitched unwillingly as he stared speechlessly at him.

Then anger took over.

“What the hell do you want, you bastard?” He hissed angrily to the silent man on his porch. He peeked quickly behind himself to check if Neji was coming and seeing that he wasn’t, Naruto continued irately. “Didn’t I make it clear that you are no longer wanted or needed in my life?” With that said, Naruto slammed the door forcefully against the man.

That action set the dark haired man into motion and with one quick thrust of his palm, Sasuke halted the door’s progression to close. “Wait, Naruto. I can explain,” he rasped as if he was not feeling well.

Hearing the change in his voice, Naruto felt a hint of worry flit through his heart before he squashed it. “I. said. Get. The. Hell. Out. Now.” Naruto’s tone was deadly low and anger layered thinly behind it as he glared ferociously at the obsidian-eyed man.

Sasuke closed his eyes tiredly before opening them and pushing urgently against the door. “Let me in, Naruto. I need to talk to you. Let me explain everything to you . . . please,” Sasuke added in hesitantly and Naruto’s anger heightened as he stared at the man he used to love . . . the man he would have once given up his life for without any thought . . .

“DAMN YOU!” Naruto shouted furiously at him and seeing the look of hurt on Sasuke’s pale face as Neji came up to stand behind him protectively somehow made Naruto feel much better. It was about time Sasuke received a taste of his own medicine and felt a fragment of the pain that Naruto had felt when Sasuke decided to disappear from his life.

“Naruto . . .” Sasuke’s voice came out in a wearied tone before he attempted to push the door aside and Naruto—forgetting about the door in his anger—slacked his hold on it and it opened soundlessly to rest against the wall. “Just let me explain and then . . .” as though it pained him to do so, he continued on in a defeated, lifeless voice, “. . . I’ll leave you and your . . . boyfriend alone.” He bent his head down in pain, his raven locks obscuring his eyes before he lifted his head again to show eyes that spoke of a deep sorrow. “I won’t bother you anymore; just . . . just hear me out.”

Naruto’s heart beat rapidly as he stared at the quiet man and felt his heart give a clench. He wanted to comfort the man so much, take the man in his arms and make the smile come upon his face again, but the hand at the small of his back—the hand that belonged to Neji—reminded him of reality. But his heart spoke otherwise and as Naruto struggled for an answer, Neji’s hand tightened in panic and Naruto knew in an instant where his loyalties lay—where it was supposed to lie.

“I don’t give a damn about your flimsy, cheap excuses! Leave my house right now or I’ll call the cops, Sasuke and I’ll press charges!” Naruto shouted those hateful words. Sasuke’s eyes darkened even more if it was possible and for some reason, instead of feeling the satisfaction from his words, Naruto felt sick. The look of distress grew more on Sasuke’s beautiful face—a face that should never be inflicted with pain—and Naruto felt the first prickling of tears as he began to hate himself more and more.

Just leave me, Sasuke.

Please.

I don’t think I can stand this anymore . . . It hurts me so . . .
“I hate you! I don’t need you anymore in my life or do you think that you can compare yourself to Neji?” Naruto’s shouts began to get nasty in his desperation. “He’s everything that you’re not.” Somehow, Naruto did not feel like he was the one speaking anymore. It was like he was out of his body watching another person shout at Sasuke . . . hurt him with lies. It was the angry part of him, the one who had been torn by Sasuke’s disappearance, the one who wanted to make Sasuke suffer like how he had suffered. “He’s kind, handsome, thoughtful . . . rich,” Naruto continued with a jagged smirk and it was with that single four letter word that sent Sasuke stumbling a step back as a grieved expression flew across his now emotion-filled eyes and Naruto instantly felt nauseous.

Did he . . . just say those hurtful words . . .?

The lump behind his throat grew and all of a sudden, Naruto could not find the strength to fight Sasuke anymore. His heart ached and his eyes felt puffy from trying to hold back the tears. He was beginning to see through a hazy lens and it scared him. He didn’t want to show Sasuke that he was his weakness.

“I see . . .” Sasuke finally spoke after he had regained his balance and he finally looked Naruto straight in the eye for the first time that day. A tear slowly trickled down his ashen features. “That was how you saw me all along, wasn’t it, Naruto?” His voice held resentment and it shook strongly. “I should’ve known you rich people would never change.” His fists clenched tightly to his sides and he gave both of them furious looks. “I was quite stupid, wasn’t I?” Giving a bitter laugh that reminded Naruto too much of the younger brooding Sasuke, Naruto’s heart broke.

In an instant, Naruto saw his face transform from that of being miserable to one of no expression. “I know now to leave where I was never wanted,” Sasuke said stiffly and within another beat of Naruto’s loudly pounding heart, Sasuke turned away with a proud gait and left with as much dignity as he could muster. And it was then that Naruto wanted to scream and cry at the world.

He was losing him . . . really losing him . . .

Naruto’s face turned stricken as Sasuke turned to give him one last, long look that Naruto could not decipher quick enough and without any warning, his tears streamed down as the proud back of Sasuke disappeared forever.

Forever . . .

“Naruto!” He could hear Neji calling him desperately, but it sounded far away. Naruto’s head and eyelids felt heavy as if a big chain held him down in place. Why was Neji yelling so loud? Couldn’t he see that Naruto was tired? That he wanted to just close his eyes and forget the obsidian-eyed man? Forget those hurtful fabrications that had escaped through his lips? Forget that he still . . . loved Sasuke and not Neji? “Naruto! Are you okay?” Neji’s voice floated slowly down to him and Naruto felt another tear roll down his cheek as an illicit thought hit him:

“I . . . I want it to be Sasuke comforting me . . . not Neji . . .”

OOO

Naruto blinked his eyes at the sensation of wet drops on his intertwined hands with Sasuke’s and lifted one hand to feel his cheeks. Feeling hollow, Naruto wiped at them mechanically. He didn’t remember when he had cried so much. Giving an empty grin, he looked at Sasuke. For once, he had finally cried in front of Sasuke, but Sasuke wasn’t awake to see it. How satirical was that?

“Dr. Uzumaki?”

Lost in thought, Naruto did not notice the head nurse enter the room until she was behind him with a hand on his shoulder to comfort him softly. Naruto jerked his head in surprise to her and gave a small, sheepish smile.

“Yes, Ms. Tenten?”

Scurrying to check the accuracy of Sasuke’s machines, she turned back in mid-progress and stopped with a small, sad smile. “What am I doing? You’d never let his machines go wrong. Sorry to question your authority, sir.” Nodding tiredly, he tried to smile at her.

“What was it that you wanted to ask me?” His head hurt, his whole body ached and he was starting to find it hard to concentrate on her figure.

“Oh,” her eyes brightened. “Dr. Hyuuga wanted to speak to you about something urgent.”

At those words, Naruto felt his energy flow back into his body and he jumped up. Forgetting that his hands were still holding Sasuke’s, he gently released his hold on them. “Will you watch . . .?”

“No problem, Dr. Uzumaki. Don’t worry and take your time. I’m with him now.”

Flashing her a grateful smile and the dark-haired man another worried look, he nodded his thanks to her before sprinting to the familiar office that he had always visited. One right, two lefts, another right and another left before he reached Neji’s office. By the time he reached the large impending door that was the last barrier to Neji, anxiety suddenly flooded him and he took a minute to rest his racing, scared heart.

This was the moment that would pave the ways of their lives.

Gathering strength, Naruto breathed deeply and gave the metal door a sound knock.

“Come in,” a voice replied from within and Naruto blanched. What would Neji say? Naruto turned the knob slowly and entered softly; paying careful attention to close the door gently and tread lightly on the carpet. For the first time, he felt uncomfortable in this room and instead of sitting in his usual seat, he decided to sit across from the desk that held many files of patients.

“Neji, it’s me, Naruto.”

Neji stepped out from his storage room and paused in mid-step when he saw Naruto. Seeing the sadness that lurked in Neji’s eyes, Naruto swallowed thickly before averting his eyes to the manila folders that lay neatly stacked on top of each other. Once Neji came and sat down, silence ensued for a couple of minutes before Naruto finally broke the stillness.

“Neji . . .” Naruto paused as he turned to examine his hands. After a while, Naruto seemed to gain a determination and he looked unwaveringly at Neji. “About the thing . . . will you do it?”

“I . . .” Neji looked like he was having an internal struggle. “I . . . don’t know,” his whisper came out softly, but it filled the entire room with the intensity and tension behind it.

“Please Neji,” Naruto insisted. “You’re the only one I trust enough and the only one close enough. If not for him, do it for me . . .”

Neji closed his eyes with frustration for a moment before opening them. “That’s the thing,” he said with a hint of anger. “If I help him, you’ll leave me for him. I know I’m selfish, but I love you, Naruto and I won’t willingly help you to be with Sasuke. He doesn’t deserve you!” Neji finished vehemently; his pale eyes shooting angry sparks. “You said you loved me and that you would never go back to loving Sasuke. So what changed, huh? Is he the reason why you won’t sleep with me? Won’t live with me?” Neji’s voice turned ugly and spiteful as he looked angrily at Naruto. “When I asked you if you still loved him, you said you didn’t! I have loved you so much, have given you so much—what have I done wrong, Naruto! TELL ME! I’ll fix it! For you, I’ll fix it. Tell me what I can do to make you love me and then I’ll be happy to do Sasuke’s surgery!” Neji breathed loudly as he finished shouting at Naruto and his hands loosened from where they had reached across the table to grasp Naruto’s white lab coat tightly. “Just tell me what I did wrong and I’ll fix it,” Neji finished in a soft, pain-filled whisper. “Just give me another chance, Naruto.”

“I . . .” Naruto found himself blinking back tears. Neji didn’t deserve this, not him, not anyone who had given so much love and devotion. Neji had loved him faithfully for two full years and this was how Naruto repaid him back. Feeling the tears slip quickly down the corner of his eyes, Naruto tried to stop them, but they fell despite his efforts to stall them. “I . . . I’m really sorry, Neji. You’ve been good to me and this is all you get. I’m sorry, Neji. I truly hate myself for putting you through all this.” The tears were running down now and Naruto once again felt like he was the lowest type of garbage on the planet. “I’m not asking you to understand this, but I can’t help it, I love him—loved him before I met you, still loved him when I met you and continue to love him to this day. No matter what I tell myself, my heart still belongs to him no matter what happens. If you won’t help him . . .” Naruto paused as he felt despair closing his throat in, “I won’t hate you. I’ll just bring him to the closest city that houses a surgeon doctor in your specialty. I . . .” Naruto got up rapidly and with a formal bow towards Neji, Naruto knew with clarity that it was over between them. They had both stated their thoughts and their position and now that it was over, Naruto felt devastated, but lighter in weight. “I . . . thank you for everything.” Naruto finished and turned away to leave the room that was starting to suffocate him.

“Wait Naruto—” Neji’s tortured voice halted him as he stepped through the metal door once more. “I’ll help him,” Neji’s soft whisper floated to Naruto. “For you, I’ll help him.”

-

“Calm down, Dr. Uzumaki. Have something to bite or at least get an hour nap. It’ll clear your mind more. Being a doctor yourself, do I even have to throw your own advice back at you?” A plump nurse in her mid-forties attempted at humor, but seeing him continue to pace anxiously, the nurse sighed before getting up to where he was pacing outside the surgery room.

She walked up to him and put a hand to guide him to a seat where she firmly pushed him down to sit. “Please sit, Dr. Uzumaki, I’m sure Dr. Hyuuga is doing his best in there. I mean, he is the best surgeon in this country.”

“I know,” Naruto said with a distracted look. “But I don’t understand why I can’t be in there myself.”

The nurse sighed before sitting herself down next to him. Almost as if reciting something that she had memorized from countless uses, she turned him to look at her. “Like we have told you earlier many times, you do not specialize in the surgery field nor would you be of any help anyways. You obviously care for this patient a lot and this will ruin you professionalism and your concentration. It’s best that you stay outside like a family would. Although . . . it seems like you are the only family here,” the nurse observed as she looked around the surgery waiting room. “Does he not have any family left?” She turned to him.

That reminder struck Naruto like a lightening. “No, he doesn’t. I—I’m the only he has left.” And yet, I turned him away when he needed me the most . . .

That fact stabbed Naruto countless times and he felt like crying. How Sasuke must hate him, Naruto bent down in worry.

“I’m sure he’s going—”

The sound of double doors banging open and a cart being wheeled out stopped the nurse’s next words and they both jumped up. The cart rolled out of the room and behind it came a tired, but content looking Neji still decked in his blue surgery outfit. “He’s going to be okay, Naruto,” Neji said softly to Naruto and Naruto felt his knees buckle as he heard the news.

“Naruto!”
“Dr. Uzumaki!” He could hear Neji’s and the nurse’s voices call him as he fell onto his knees.

Oh thank God,” Naruto whispered with happiness before he allowed the nurse to help him back to Sasuke’s recovery room. As soon as they had Sasuke settled back into the room, Naruto occupied the seat next to a once-again still figure and once again, took the pale, limp hands into his own tanned ones and held tightly as if his life depended on it.

“He should wake up in a couple of hours from his coma,” Neji had said to him before giving him a look and leaving. “I’ll come check him every now and then.”

Now, in the silence of the room, the excitement and anxiety that had kept him going earlier was slowly seeping away and Naruto began to feel the lack of sleep catching up with him now that Neji had told him that Sasuke was out of the woods.

Neji . . .

Naruto should go thank him . . . but he was too tired right now . . . maybe he’d take the nurse’s advice and take an hour nap before rejoining the world of the living . . .

***
It was a beautiful day.

Too beautiful of a day to be stuck inside the hospital, Naruto mused as he threw on his white lab coat and hurried towards the main station to check with the nurses on any updates for incoming patients.

“Is it going to be busy today, Hinata?” Naruto grinned boyishly at her. Seeing him, a blush stained her cheeks before shaking her head.

“No, Dr. Uzumaki. Only one person has been notified to come in. The police said they found him unconscious this morning on the sidewalk of north downtown. Witnesses said he was coughing and suddenly, he started to choke blood. People ran to him when he began to fumble through his jacket, but it seems like he had run out of medicine for quite a while and was on his way to buy more when he got his attack. It’s a shame,” her pale eyes bent down in sadness and Naruto walked over to pat her gently.

“Don’t fret too much over it, Hinata. You’ll just give yourself unnecessary stress. Working in this field requires you to accept this kind of stuff.”

“Thanks, Dr. Uzumaki—”

“And what did I say about calling me Dr. Uzumaki?” Naruto said sternly to her. His glinting eyes hinted her of his teasing nature, but she blushed.

“Sorry Dr. Uz—I mean Naruto!” The blush deepened and Naruto could only laugh.

“Remember, Hinata.” Waving, Naruto left the station and went to go prepare room for the incoming patient. It didn’t take more than five minutes before the sirens of the ambulance came rolling in and Naruto went out to greet them.

“Make way, make way,” one of the officers yelled to bystanders as some stopped to observe the event with interest.

“Dr. Uzumaki is coming,” Naruto shouted as he ran through the path that immediately paved for him as his voice swept through the crowd. “Let’s see the patient.” From a short distance, Naruto saw them lift the stretcher to the ground and Naruto rushed over to the paramedics. “What are the stats?”

“He’s in a coma right now, is breathing irregularly, has . . .”

Whatever the red-headed paramedic said next became lost to Naruto as he stared at the man on the stretcher. The man that he had last saw two weeks ago . . .

“Sasuke . . .” An unbelieving moan escaped his parted lips as he stared at the sight before him. A pale Sasuke lay in a precarious position and his skin held an unhealthy pallor to it. His black hair had always contrasted with his pale skin greatly, but today, it was made the most obvious. “Sasuke . . .”

“You know him, Dr. Uzumaki?”

“Know him?” Naruto’s voice was shaky; unstable—almost to the point of hysteria. Know him? “That’s funny you should ask—” Because I love him.

“This man,” the paramedic shook his head sadly. “I’ve told him to take better care of himself the many times that I’ve seen him in the ER, but he never listens, foolish man. And now he’s here—”

“You’ve seen him before?!” Naruto absentmindedly gripped the red headed paramedic’s arm tightly. “Where? Here? When?”

“Easy doctor,” the paramedic said as he gave him an intense look. “I used to work at the Sand Hospital in Sand City as a paramedic and he was always a regular patient there.” Giving the clip board a quick look, the paramedic looked once more at Naruto. “Apparently, with the same disease that he had over in Sand City too.”

Naruto felt his heart stop.

***

“Sasuke!” Naruto bolted up from where he had fallen asleep and feeling disorientated, Naruto wiped his bleary eyes to reassure himself that Sasuke was not in any immediate danger like the day he came into the ER room.

Seeing Sasuke on the bed albeit still and unmoving calmed Naruto’s panic and feeling more refreshed, Naruto let his dreams of that awful day come rushing back. In his whole career of being an Emergency Room doctor, Naruto had always prided himself in being able to handle anything, but that day broke the record when Naruto blacked out in front of the paramedics. Wiping his eyes one more time, Naruto tilted his head to glance at the clock that ticked silently across from his sitting position and saw that more than eight hours had passed since Sasuke’s surgery.

Eight hours . . .

Naruto quickly looked at Sasuke in eagerness, but he was disappointed. Breathing softly in and out, Sasuke still slept, but this time—this time, Naruto reminded himself, Sasuke was only in a coma for a short term—not a long term. “Wake up, dammit Sasuke,” Naruto murmured quietly in the small room that had been saved for Sasuke. His eyes glared fiercely at the sleeping Sasuke. “Damn you, I said wake up. You . . . just want to torture me, don’t you?” He tried to look angry at the motionless dark-haired figure on the bed, but he found it hard to maintain his front when all he wanted to do was the opposite.

“Wake up, Sasuke, wake up.” Naruto’s voice trembled in the process of commanding the unmoving man and when his eyes began to sting, Naruto felt his walls begin to crumble as the man continued to sleep. “Wake up, Uchiha!” He whispered sternly in hopes it would reach the unheeding man next to him. “Just wake up and I’ll . . .” A tear trickled down Naruto cheeks silently as his stern look changed to one of anguish.

“And I’ll finally listen to you . . .”

“Naruto,” Naruto snapped his head towards Sasuke in delusional hope, but the man still slept contently. That must mean . . . “Behind you.” Naruto turned his head to see an exhausted Neji come through the entry and walk towards the bed where Sasuke lay. “How is he?” His question was quiet—almost hesitant to ask.

“He hasn’t awakened yet, Neji.” Naruto’s voice spoke of anxiety and an unnamed fear as he wiped his eyes hurriedly. Neji hurried to comfort the blond.

“He will wake up soon, Naruto. Don’t . . . Don’t worry.” Neji said in an attempt to reassure him before checking the machines and then leaving to only stop at the door once more. “When he wakes up just press the red button for the nurses to come, okay? I’ll be sure to be here until he wakes up.”

“Thanks Neji,” Naruto’s softly uttered appreciation sent tears reeling into Neji’s pale eyes and nodding gruffly, Neji left without another word for fear of betraying himself.

Naruto was wrong about earlier.

Neji understood perfectly about Naruto. He understood too perfectly. For, wasn’t he in the same situation as Naruto? He loved Naruto with all his heart, his soul and yet, he could not have stopped loving Naruto if he tried. Naruto was right . . . you could not choose who to love . . . and you could not choose who to love you . . .

And Naruto’s heart had not chosen him.

-

Naruto had only been sitting next to Sasuke’s prone body for a couple of minutes after Neji left when the machines started to beep loudly. Loudly beeping—reminding him of countless nightmares that he had of Sasuke in the hospital and Naruto cringed. Before Naruto could do anything, a sudden flurry of nurses all decked in white came rushing in to surround the hospital bed and monitor the machines loudly. The then-silent room had suddenly become chaotic and feeling like a stranger in his own hospital, Naruto allowed himself to be unconsciously pushed out of the circle that had ringed around the dark-haired man.

Naruto reluctantly let go of his grip on Sasuke’s limp one as a nurse came to block his view of the still man, but was surprised to feel the sudden, desperate tightening on his left hand when he tried to release his grip.

“D-Don’t” The voice carried hoarsely through the loud, frenzied room to Naruto and Naruto felt like the world had stopped for a moment as he stared at the man whose obsidian eyes began to flutter lightly.

In his surprise, his hold loosened and with another entrance of another nurse, Naruto was grudgingly pushed back to the window to watch the nurses take care of Sasuke. There was suddenly another outbreak of motion and struggling could be heard as the nurses began to protest.

“Where am I?” An angry, low voice said as he struggled to sit up against their protesting arms.

“Mr. Uchiha,” a short, brunette nurse said calmingly. “You are in a hospital due to your disease. Do you remember?”

“The Sand Hospital?” The low voice suddenly sounded small and almost vulnerable as he questioned the nurses and Naruto felt his heart ache for the forlorn man. Unconsciously his feet began to walk towards the bed of its own will and Naruto could not stop it.

Left, right, left, right.

The man continued without their answer. “Just let me out now. I’ve told you to stop taking me in because I don’t have the money to pay your hospital. Your hospital keeps badgering me about my bills and I keep telling you to stop treating me.”

The nurses’ eyes widened slightly at his coldness. “But you . . . will die if you’re not treated,” a blonde nurse said hesitantly to the dark-haired man and his indifferent answer angered Naruto greatly—made him want to hit some sense into Sasuke.

Didn’t he know that Naruto cared? That he would die if Sasuke no longer lived?

“Be careful not to injure yourself further, Mr. Uchiha. You just came out of surgery. Your disease is gone for sure, but it’s good to be cautious,” a tall nurse chided the dark-haired man. There was an angry objection and as the nurses tried to calm him, things became frantic as some nurses ran to go get sedations and Dr. Hyuuga.

“Didn’t your hospital tell me that you wouldn’t do surgery until you knew I was financially secured?” The dark-haired man was livid as he glared fiercely at the nurses.

Angry at Sasuke, at his predicament, at himself—Naruto barged into the circle with vivid blue eyes flashing. “It’s the Konoha Hospital, you bastard.”

“N-Naruto,” Sasuke’s eyes were disbelieving and almost exultant to a point before it transformed into clouded vehemence. “What are you doing here? Looking for another chance to rub salt into my dilemma?” His eyes landed on Naruto’s white lab coat and his name tag and they suddenly lost their fire as he let his struggling body fall limp to the bed. “Well . . . go ahead Dr. Uzumaki,” his mouth twisted in mockery, but he had no more energy to fight, “I . . . I’m giving you a free shot. Just get it over with and leave me alone.”

“Don’t you dare talk to Dr. Uzumaki like that, Mr. Uchiha,” a voice rang coldly across the room, emphasizing the titles of superiority and faces turned to the voice.

“Dr. Hyuuga!” Nurses shouted in relief as they saw his intent to calm the situation down. Neji acknowledged them with a nod before striding angrily over to the bed-ridden man whose expression was clearing more and more with each passing second—recognition and reality hitting him all at once.

“You guys . . .” Sasuke whispered, “You guys planned this, didn’t you guys?” His tone lowered more and instead of seeing anger like he expected, Sasuke’s eyes were becoming more and more withdrawn from them. “I can’t believe this . . .” His voice sounded heartbroken—once more vulnerable again. “How does it feel to see me weak and defenseless?” His voice was cutting and Neji’s nostrils flared in frustration.

“Damn it, Uchiha! Don’t talk to Naruto like that. If you won’t respect him, at least respect the fact that he paid for your surgery and your stay! Without him, I wouldn’t have done your surgery, you know!”

Those sentences sent Sasuke reeling up as the information hit him like a ton of bricks and suddenly, his hands shot up to grab Naruto’s white lab coat. “DAMN YOU, UZUMAKI!” Sasuke’s eyes stormed angrily as he hissed furiously through clenched teeth to the blond man who did not resist him. “You always want to rub your riches in my face, don’t you? Always want me to acknowledge that I am in debt to you? You have always wanted me to remember the differences in our social statuses, haven’t you?” His eyes were grieved. “Well, congratulations. You’ve succeeded—you and Neji.” With that, his hands went limp and he once more fell against the bed to close his eyes in defeat. “You’ve won, now leave me be. I’ll leave as soon as tomorrow. One more day of debt won’t add too much to what I already owe you.” His face looked crushed and his body weak and Naruto couldn’t handle it anymore.

“Damn YOU, Sasuke!” Reaching over to where Sasuke lay, Naruto paid no heed to the ushering of the nurses out of the room with Neji as he grabbed Sasuke’s hospital gown roughly, but careful enough not to hurt him. His eyes were shooting sparks of angry blue fire at the obsidian ones. “Damn you, Sasuke! Damn you,” Naruto’s voice lowered to an upsetting pitch as he glared at the quiet man. “Why didn’t you trust me? Why didn’t you tell me that you had that disease? Why did you leave me? Why, Why, WHY?” With each shake of Sasuke and no response, Naruto fell to his knees and ignored the tears that slipped smoothly down his cheeks. “Why, Sasuke.” Naruto felt on the verge of collapse. He felt like a dead body trying to move through dark, heavy water that threatened to choke him any second. He needed answers soon.

“Why does it matter?” The dark-haired man answered stiffly.

“I—I love you, you bastard!” Naruto said before throwing his arms around the lying man. Sasuke resisted Naruto with an angry push, but Naruto was stubborn and began to kiss Sasuke’s pale face—his aristocratic features—his beautiful dark eyes, his smooth cheeks, his soft lips, the eyelids that always fluttered when his lips lightly pecked feather kisses on them. Naruto began to inhale the wonderful scent that only Sasuke had, began to run his hands through the raven locks and Sasuke shuddered with a groan before surrendering to the warm touch of Naruto.

“I hate you,” Sasuke said with gritted teeth as he tried to suppress a moan. “I hate you, but my body betrays me,” he said and it was like déjà vu to Naruto as they began to kiss each other heatedly—arms entwined each other and bodies arched to be closer as lips pressed roughly against the other.

All thoughts of where they were, of who could see them, of what might happen evaporated and all Naruto could see was the dark-haired man in front of him whose heavy-lidded eyes, disarrayed black hair and thoroughly kissed lips made him crazy. “Sasuke,” Naruto whispered huskily before bending down to kiss the bare chest that had been revealed in their scurry.

“Tell me why you left, Sasuke,” Naruto hungrily kissed down his front in wet hot trails. “Why did you leave me alone, Sasuke?” Naruto lifted his head and there was a susceptible look in the cerulean eyes as he awaited Sasuke’s answer.

Sasuke looked carefully at him before he finally answered in a halting voice, “I . . . didn’t want you hurt. I was dying, couldn’t make enough money to pay for the treatment and so I left. I wanted you to remember me as the real me and not the pitiful, sick one.” Sasuke turned his face away, but Naruto turned the chin to face him once more.

“I don’t care about that! I could have helped you with the costs.”

“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you!” Sasuke’s eyes flashed indignantly at him. “I don’t want your money. I never did, never will—”

“When will you get it that I want to use my money on you, you moron,” Naruto lifted his mouth from the Uchiha’s lightly panting ones. “You are what makes me happy and without you, I don’t care about my money. I would rather throw it all away then not have you,” Naruto’s husky voice breathed softly on Sasuke’s chest and he shivered from the intensity in those passion-filled blue eyes. His throat suddenly feeling dry, Sasuke looked bewilderingly at him.

“You . . . would? Throw it all away for . . . me?”

Naruto let out a small chuckle at his expression before it darkened to desire. “Not just my money, but my life,” Naruto whispered with a small kiss to the pale neck before giving the long, slender neck a hungry suckle.

The Uchiha’s breath hitched and with a groan, his arms came to cup the firm ass of the blond and pull him closer. “I would too,” he breathed rapidly as the blond’s mouth hit a sensitive junction. “Oh God, Naruto,” he let out a hiss of pleasure, “I—I love you so much—so much,” he panted softly before closing his eyes in pleasure and arching slightly. “Kiss harder,” he gasped as Naruto’s tongue brushed his nipple. When Naruto obeyed, his hands clamped roughly on Naruto’s ass and brusquely rubbed it. “Mine,” Sasuke growled possessively as he stared deeply into Naruto’s cerulean ones. “You are mine only, not Neji’s.”

“N-Not Neji’s,” Naruto panted in Sasuke’s ear, “yours only, you possessive bastard. But only if you promise to stay with me.” Naruto looked intently at Sasuke for his answer—his eyes now looked fearful as Sasuke bent his head down.

Finally the dark-haired man looked up. “What about my debt to you?”

“I want to pay for you, Sasuke! It makes me happy, damn it!”

“I want to repay you—to have nothing between us,” his voice was unyielding and Naruto sighed with frustration before a smirk slowly graced his lips and he bent down to kiss Sasuke’s bare shoulder.

“Then you can spend the rest of your life repaying me with this,” Naruto gave a slow sensual grind against Sasuke’s lower half and with a gasped moan, Sasuke arched. “Because you are mine, and I won’t let you go another time.” Gripping the Uchiha’s shoulders in a possessive hold, Naruto bent down to lick the softly parted lips of the dark-haired man seductively. “Mine and mine only, Sasuke, you can’t get away from me anymore.”

With the small, pleased smirk that curved the dark-haired man’s luscious lips, Naruto accepted that as a sign of approval and continued on. “Mine only.”

~Fin~

O_o Whoa, I don’t know what to think about this story. Kinda angsty and kinda romantic . . . I think (I hope). I wanted to work with the concepts of rich and poor and how Sasuke and Naruto would act in them. Well, I hope you enjoyed this LONG oneshot. I hope it was worth it though! It kind of just came to me and I wrote this whole thing in one sitting, so excuse any grammatical mistakes and whatnot, but if you do see any major ones, point them out and I’ll fix it. Any comments? I welcome them!
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Second Chances