Chapter 07:

“Where does Sasuke live?”

“What?” Amaru licked off the side of her spoon and dipped it into the tall malt glass filled with chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

“Sasuke? Where does he live?” Naruto asked, trying to raise his voice as he leaned closer to Amaru, who was sitting across him in the cozy booth, albeit extremely noisy ice cream parlor. Apparently, it seemed like everyone who was at the swim meet wanted to be at Oshi and most of the patrons were people arriving from Kusanagi High. The ice cream parlor was bright and colorful, its theme seeming to come from the pages of Hansel and Gretel. Everything – from the chairs to the tables and the windows and the décor – looked edible and tasty. Pinks and blues, yellows and greens, reds and purples…it was a children’s haven or a nightmare for those who couldn’t stand such cute things. To add to its appeal, a video arcade had been set up for older kids or adults who were young-at-heart. Currently, Kiba, Miho, Shikamaru and Temari were participating in a DDR contest and their excited screams, including those from their growing audience, carried over to Naruto’s table. Chouji and Miyabi were in their own world, both sharing a malt drink from the same cup, and trying to out-blush the other.

“Why do you want to know where he lives?” Amaru asked, raising her voice over another cheer from the DDR section. She gave him a mischievous look and Naruto flushed as she giggled.

“I just want to return his notebook,” he lied quickly, hoping she’d buy it. “He lent it to me and he has a test on Monday, so I want to give it to him before then.”

“Ah, okay. Do you have a pen? Never mind, I do.” She rummaged through her Prada handbag and whipped out a matching pen and pad set. She began to scribble his address, as Naruto watched with interest, noticing that she was left-handed. “So are you two friends?”

“What?”

“I said, are you two friends?!”

“Do you want fries?!”

“No, no! I asked if you two are…oh forget it…let’s get out of here and talk where it’s a bit more quiet.” She ripped off the page where she had scribbled Sasuke’s address and slid it across the table, nodding as Naruto tucked the information into his pocket. She rose to her feet, and Naruto, who hadn’t really heard the last bit of her conversation, wondered if she was getting tired and wanted to leave. She motioned for him to follow and he made a mental note to call his friends later to let them know they were no longer in the building.

However, it didn’t seem like Amaru was actually leaving. Instead, she led him up a spiral flight of stairs to the second floor, where it was much cooler and quieter. This section seemed more geared towards the grown ups as the décor was less cutesy and more mature with its beige and cream hues. Several doors lined the corridors and the muffled sounds of music and laughter from each one had Naruto wondering just what the hell could possibly be going on in the top level of an ice cream shop.

“In here,” Amaru invited as she pushed open a door and smiled warmly at one of the waiters, who must have known Amaru on a personal level, as he said nothing when she motioned that they were to be left alone.

“Karaoke,” she said, smiling as she turned on the machine and the T.V. It was a small room, but quite cozy and inviting. A large couch took up most of the space and a low coffee table with a tray of treats and some alcoholic beverages were left to entertain the guests. Naruto flopped on the couch with a sigh of weariness, reaching into his pocket to pull out the pack of cigarettes. His decision to visit Sasuke was beginning to weigh on his mind and not even the sight of Amaru now dancing around as she sang one of Madonna’s classic hits ‘Like a Virgin…’

Yeah right, Naruto thought with a smirk as he lit up.

…was enough to ease his racing thoughts. What exactly did he plan on saying when he got there?

“Come on, Naruto,” Amaru sang out as she reached for his hand to pull him to his feet. “Sing with me.”

“I don’t sing,” he muttered, eyeing the screen and trying to keep up with the words…but failing miserably. He couldn’t carry a tune and he didn’t really want to, but to keep her happy, he’d play along.

“Like a viiiiiiirgin, feel your heart beat, next to miiiinne,” Amaru sang and giggled as Naruto wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, placing teasing kisses on her neck as she thrust against him in rhythm to the music. She plucked the cigarette from his fingers and took a drag, before crushing it in the ashtray provided. Before Naruto could blink, he found himself pushed to the couch again, only this time, Amaru was straddling his waist, a look of blatant lust in her eyes as she pressed her warm lips against his.

Whoa! Talk about going fast, Naruto’s mind screamed (his body had long deserted him with the quick response in his pants to the feel of her thighs rubbing against his crotch), but Jesus! This wasn’t what he wanted…at least not so fast…

“Wai…wait…” he tried to say, gasping as she began trailing hungry kisses down his neck, her hands slipping beneath his shirt. “Amaru…hold on…”

“Wha…what?” she panted, looking up with cheeks flushed, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Isn’t this what you wanted? You want to fuck me, don’t you? Every guy wants to, so let’s just do it.”

She leaned down again to attack, but Naruto could feel his arousal dissipating faster than the thought of a wrinkled old lady giving him a blowjob. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and with a little more force, pushed her away from him.

“Amaru,” he began in a firm voice, hoping he could break through the thick cloud of lust that seemed wired into her mind. “Stop, okay? I don’t…this isn’t what I want.”

She blinked once and for a moment, something close to irritation filled her eyes. She groaned and ran fingers through her hair, getting off Naruto to reach for his pack of cigarettes. Lighting up one, she leaned back on the couch and took a long drag, rolling her eyes as she blew a ring of smoke into the ceiling. “What do you want then, Uzumaki Naruto?”

Naruto opened his mouth to say that he had wanted a sweet, nice girl he could talk to for hours, as he had always imagined Amaru to be. She always came off as angel on the interviews she did for television or magazines and yet…the wild girl sitting beside him, was a far cry from what his innocent dreams had conjured up. Sure he wanted a vixen, but not…not Amaru. She was supposed to be…pure. As lame as that sounded even to him.

“Sorry to burst your bubble,” she said with a light smirk as if reading his thoughts. “I’m not exactly Miss. Innocent. Definitely not a virgin either. “

“No kidding,” Naruto mumbled as he lit up another stick for himself.

“Funny though,” Amaru said with a chuckle. “Sasuke said you’d probably like me like this. He said you’re a wild one.” She eyed him with a twinkle of lust in her eyes. “Are you a wild boy, Naruto?” she asked with a husky whisper. She undid the top two buttons of her shirt, revealing a leopard print lace bra that had him sucking in a harsh breath. Oh, but she was good. Too good.

“Sasuke doesn’t know shit about me,” was all he could manage as he forced his gaze away.

Amaru gave a long-suffering sigh and redid her shirt, realizing now that this boy wasn’t going to fall for it. “I don’t know…he liked talking about you though.”

Naruto’s gaze flickered towards the red head, a brow raised in question. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, given the opportunity, all he likes to talk about is how cool you really are. He says you’re a kickass fighter and he’s never seen anyone who looked as …amazing? Yeah, he said amazing as you. God, for a moment there I could swear he was gushing like a lovesick bastard.”

Naruto’s face filled with color and the sudden memory of Sasuke’s warm breath against his ear and cheek as he had whispered,

/ I’d very much like to fuck you…/

….sent him sitting up with a jolt of awareness.

“I think he likes you,” came the sudden commentary that really had Naruto now off the couch and pacing towards the window.

“Stop…stop fucking around,” he finally said, trying to muster up the anger he should feel at the way the conversation was going. “I’m not into guys like that, all right?”

“But he said you kiss some other guy in your school…”

“What the hell?!” Naruto barked in frustration. “Does he tell you everything?!”

Amaru shrugged and reached for the bottle of wine on the table. She opened it with an expertise that didn’t really surprise Naruto and drank directly from it. She wiped her lips and belched in an unladylike manner, grinning as she took in the boy’s flustered countenance. “What’s wrong, Naruto? Worried that you might be lusting for Sasuke too?”

Naruto couldn’t trust himself to speak. The room was suddenly claustrophobic and he wanted nothing more than to escape this line of conversation. In fact…fuck going to Sasuke’s home as well. He prepared to make up some excuse to bolt from the room, when the next words from her mouth had him rooted to the spot.

“He’s…lonely, I think,” Amaru said quietly, as her gaze was now trained on nothing in particular. “He doesn’t show it…and likes to act tough, but I know…deep down he just really wants a friend, you know?”

Naruto did not like the way his heart was beating or why he was even listening to this, but he couldn’t resist wanting to know more about Sasuke for reasons beyond him.

“He’s popular,” he protested weakly. “Everyone wants a piece of him…so how you can say he’s lonely?”

“Idiot Naruto,” Amaru said without a sting of venom in her tone. “You can be surrounded by a million people, be the center of attention and yet…be filled with a void that only one person can complete. Haven’t you heard of that before? Look at me for instance…”

She waved her arms, spilling some of the wine on herself. Naruto was beginning to wonder if she was slightly drunk already.

“I’m the star of the swimming world…the most popular girl in the school…I’m going to graduate with Honors and go to the Olympics…blah, blah, blah…does anyone really want to know what’s going on with the real me? Huh? Nope. No one gives a shit. Everyone is concerned about images and what they want to present to the world and the real you hides inside…crying for release…know what I mean?”

Yes.

Yes, Naruto did know what she meant and it hit hard that she was able to pinpoint the exact thing Shikamaru had mentioned earlier in the day. He hadn’t always been angry at the world – the beast within him had only grown because he had succumbed to the emotion –to mask the pain and suffering from such a devastating loss that his young mind had found difficult to adjust to.

“…older brother took all the glory,” Amaru was saying and Naruto forced himself to listen. “Do you know how hard it is to live up to expectations, Naruto? To know that everyone is measuring you against this…pedestal.” She waved a hand over her head as she said this. “…and you’re trying so hard to get there, but you keep falling flat on your ass and no one forgives you for it. They expect you to be perfect and that’s the pressure he faces…or rather he puts on himself. He wants to escape his brother’s shadow, Naruto. To be his own person, even if he ends up being a prick most of the time.” She giggled and took another swig from the bottle. “At least…I’m glad you’re his friend.”

“I’m not…” Naruto began to protest, but decided to keep his mouth shut.

“So when you see him tonight or whenever,” Amaru slurred. “Tell him that you’ll be the bestest friend ever…and that you’ll love him forever and ever and ever…oh God…why are there two of you now?”

“Amaru!” Naruto dove for the girl, just as the bottle of wine slipped from her fingers. He caught it deftly and placed it on the table, cradling her now snoring form on his lap, while her words rang incessantly in his mind.

It didn’t make sense. None of it made any sense. Sasuke couldn’t possibly be…lonely. The guy was almost always surrounded by his adoring peanut gallery….well wait a minute, that wasn’t completely true. Now that he thought about it, Naruto could have sworn he had seen the other boy on his own in the most odd places. There was the time he had seen Sasuke sitting by himself next to the tennis courts, reading or doing his homework or something – and the time he had seen Sasuke shooting hoops alone in the empty gym when everyone else had gone home for the day. Or the time he had come to the roof, hoping to have a smoke, only to see Sasuke already there…by himself. Naruto had never stayed long enough to analyze any of the situations. His initial reactions were either that of disgust at someone else in his private place or a roll of his eyes at seeing the school heartthrob trying to act cool again.

“Ah fuck,” he muttered as he leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes. With this new information overload from Amaru, just what the hell was he supposed to do now?

__

After much explaining to his accusing friends (even though they ended up congratulating him at being so daring later on) and desperately trying to reassure them (especially the girls) that he hadn’t tried to rape Amaru and she had drunk the bottle of wine all by herself, Naruto found himself driving down the highway and towards his nemesis’s home. Temari had offered to take Amaru back home, so he had nothing to worry about. It was night time – eight in the evening to be exact – and Naruto was sure the members of the Uchiha household would still be awake. He hoped to make the visit brief. Go up to the gate, ask for Sasuke, tell him thanks for the evening…check up on his injuries and then bolt…nothing to it.

As the GPS navigated him to his destination, Naruto had to reluctantly admire the houses that lined this section of the city. They weren’t as huge as his uncle’s mansion, but they were comfortable enough. Most of the houses were painted white or done in steels and metals – a reminder that most of the people who lived in this area were the best engineers and architects the country had to offer.

“5531,” Naruto whispered as he made the turn which led him right to the Uchiha compound. The first thing to hit him was the traditional look of the home – the exterior gate looked like those that ushered one into the house of a yakuza, complete with the bamboo and wooden fences. There was an ornate design of what looked like a fan and Naruto guessed it must be the Uchiha family symbol or something. It was the only thing that gave one an idea of whose house they were visiting, and swallowing the sudden lump of fear that filled him (God, he hoped Sasuke’s father wasn’t a member of the yakuza!), Naruto pressed the doorbell and waited with bated breath.

“Who is it?” came the gruff voice from the intercom that he hadn’t even noticed hidden within a cluster of azaleas.

“Uum…Uzumaki Naruto…I’m Sasuke’s classmate.”

There was silence for a minute and Naruto was sure he could hear the faint sound of cutlery in the background. He winced. They must be having dinner. Great time to show up.

“Naruto?” came the familiar voice, which sounded surprised and …maybe it was his imagination, but actually…pleased? “Is that you?”

Hoping he sounded as nonchalant as possible, Naruto replied with a ‘Yeah, Sasuke. If you’re busy I can come back another…”

“I’ll be right there.”

Calm down, Naruto. Calm down. You shouldn’t get so excited over the fact that you’re about to see the bastard again.

So why the fuck wouldn’t his heart stop beating so fast? Why were his palms sweaty and why in fuck’s name was he trying to look good by straightening out his shirt, jacket and pants?

The rattling of locks, and then the dull creak of the wooden door opening, had Naruto blinking at the sight before him. He had never seen Sasuke in anything other than his school uniform or gym clothes or gi, so seeing the dark-haired boy in a pair of regular jeans and a plain black t-shirt made the moment a bit surreal. It wasn’t until Sasuke moved, did he finally notice that the boy was leaning on…

Crutches?! Holy…!

“Don’t just stand there,” Sasuke said, with a motion of his hand. “Come in already.”

“You’re on…crutches,” Naruto stated dumbly, as he walked into the compound, moving aside to let Sasuke bolt the door behind him. The guilt he had kept buried deep within rushed to the surface and he caught his lower lip between his teeth, wondering how he could even begin to apologize for his reckless fighting.

“It’s not too bad,” Sasuke was saying as he began to lead the way into the house. “My legs are still a bit weak, but you didn’t break any bones. The doctor said so. I should be fine by Monday.” He chuckled. “I guess I got what I deserved for being such an asshole to you, huh?”

“I’m….sorry,” came the hoarse whisper that had Sasuke stopping in his tracks. With his heart thudding at a mile-a-minute, unable to believe what he thought he heard, he looked over his shoulder at the boy who was motionless, his head lowered as if begging for forgiveness. The overwhelming urge to grab Naruto into his arms and to reassure him that it was going to be all right, was almost Sasuke’s undoing. However, he remembered that he didn’t want to freak out the blond any more than he already had. He had sworn to take things slowly, and physical contact of any kind…well besides future sparring matches, was completely out of the question.

“Wha…what are you mumbling to yourself for?” he finally managed as he nudged Naruto’s shin gently with a crutch. “Come on. Mom says you’ll have to join us for dinner. She made lamb stew. Non Japanese tonight.”

“Sasuke…”

“Let’s not talk about it,” came the firm statement as Sasuke turned away to lead them into the house again. “Okay?”

Nodding solemnly in agreement, Naruto followed his captain, who seemed adept at maneuvering the crutches already, into the lavish but comfortable home. The smell of good food filled Naruto’s senses and he all but drooled at the meal set on the table…well, if he could look past the stern features of the man staring at him from the head of the table.

“Good evening, sir,” Naruto greeted politely with a bow. He noticed Mikoto coming out of the kitchen and had to confess that Sasuke’s Mom was definitely falling into the M-I-L…

“So you’re Sasuke’s friend?” Mikoto smiled warmly at him. “It’s rare for him to invite anyone for dinner, so have a seat! I hope you like lamb stew.”

“Smells and sounds delicious, ma’am,” Naruto replied as he sat on the empty seat reserved for him, directly across Sasuke. There seemed to be two dining areas – this smaller one in the kitchen, which was quite homely and cozy, and a much larger one Naruto had spied on their way into the living room area, which was probably used for dinner parties and such.

Sasuke, for his part, was doing his best not to give in to the giddiness that filled him. When his father had asked if he knew any ‘Uzumaki Naruto’, Sasuke’s heart had lurched in response, perhaps wondering if someone was playing a cruel joke on him, but actually hearing that voice over the intercom had made him…well, he hated to admit it…ridiculously happy. And now sitting right across him, and putting on a show of great enjoyment of the meal at his mother’s expense (and her apparent delight), was the boy he never thought would want to see him again.

“So tell me, Uzumaki Naruto,” Fugaku began as he clasped his hands together and peered intently at the newcomer. “Are your parents aware that you are out this late at night?”

Holy crap, is he a cop? Naruto took a sip from his glass of water, before replying. “My parents are dead, sir. I live with my uncle now, but he’s not in town. He travels a lot.”

A brief but uncomfortable silence fell at the simply stated comments and Naruto kicked himself inwardly for being so blunt. But hey, they had asked and he was only telling the truth.

“I’m sorry to hear that, dear,” Mikoto finally said as she reached out to tap his hand gently. “What does your uncle do?”

“He writes…books,” Naruto mumbled and did his best to focus on his meal, hoping the next question wouldn’t be asked. However…

“What kind of books?” Fugaku queried with a raised brow.

Naruto could feel his cheeks burning and he caught Sasuke’s knowing smirk as he struggled to find a way to reply to this. Many in school knew about the famous Jiraiya novels which were quite graphic/explicit with their content. There was no way in hell he was going to tell Sasuke’s parents that his uncle wrote books about sex or lectured about them to his many adoring fans. It was too embarrassing!

“He writes books about….adult education,” he finally muttered.

“Oh, so he’s a college professor,” Mikoto enthused. “How lovely.”

Sasuke buried his choked laughter as he raised the glass to his lips to down its contents quickly. Watching Naruto squirm at the seemingly innocuous interrogation from his parents was just too funny.

Fugaku seemed satisfied enough with that. “Hn. So what extra curricular activities are you engaged in, Naruto?”

Now grateful than ever that he had been accepted into the Martial Arts Club, or Naruto was sure Fugaku would not have appreciated hearing that he was into photography….of the semi-pornographic kind, Naruto cleared his throat and replied demurely. “The Martial Arts Club…sir.”

“Oh…so you’re in the same club with Sasuke, hmm?”

“He’ll be representing Team Taka in the tournament,” Sasuke explained, something akin to smug pride in his voice. “He’s the one that gave me the injury, Dad. He’s that strong.”

At this, Naruto blanched and eyed Sasuke with panic, wondering why he would brag about getting beat up. No parent wanted to know that they were sharing a meal with a potential murderer of their son.

“Is that so?” Fugaku replied, now staring at Naruto with undeniable interest. “It’s been a while since my son has received such serious wounds in a fight. If memory serves me right, the only person to defeat him was his older brother. Do you know Itachi led Konoha High to two championship titles? He was quite the fighter.”

Naruto barely caught the flinch from Sasuke or the tightening of his jaw as he pretended to pick at his salad. He remembered Amaru’s words about Sasuke trying to break away from his brother’s shadow and Naruto felt his heart stir with understanding now. If Sasuke had to keep living with this everyday, it was no wonder he turned out to be such a self-centered bastard.

“But Sasuke’s strong too,” Naruto found himself saying before he could control himself. “I’m still hurting from the blows he gave me. And I don’t even think he came at me with his full strength. I doubt I’d be sitting here if he had given it a hundred percent.”

He tried to ignore the look of surprise on Sasuke’s face, blushing hard at what he had just done. He couldn’t believe he was actually standing up for him. Christ…must be the lamb stew talking.

“Of course he is,” Mikoto enthused with a clap of her hands. “My son is the strongest fighter I know and with you on the team, Naruto, I have no doubt Konoha is going to win the tournament this year again. Now eat up, boys, we need you both strong and healthy.”

“Yes ma’am!” came the simultaneous responses from the teenagers as they dug into the meal with gusto, leaving mother and father to share small smiles and knowing looks over their heads.

__

Naruto had really thought nothing of the invitation to Sasuke’s bedroom. Perhaps it was the after effects of the good meal, or of he and Sasuke helping out with the clearing and washing of the dishes, or the light banter they had all shared…either way, Naruto was feeling pretty damn relaxed and was all too eager to see what the famous Sasuke Uchiha’s bedroom was like.

“Whoa…” was the first reaction as he got a look at the large room. “Your room is freaking hu…get the fuck out of here,” Naruto gushed as he noticed the bookshelf and made a straight beeline for Sasuke’s manga collection. “You have motherfucking Fist of the North Star?! Dude! You are a rock star!”

Sasuke laughed softly and closed the door to his bedroom behind him. He set the crutches aside before hobbling to the couch to flop on it like a rag doll. “You can borrow them if you like.”

Naruto gasped and held Volume 1 to his chest as if holding on to treasure. “Really? You’re not shitting me, Sasuke?”

“No. I’ve read them several times already.”

“How come they still look like new then?” Naruto asked in bemusement, as he turned the book over in his hands.

“Because I read carefully, idiot. If you bend the spine though, I’ll kill you.”

“Well damn. Now, I’m afraid to open the freakin’ book!”

“Just learn to read like a normal human being,” Sasuke muttered as he forced himself to crawl on his hands and knees towards his video game console. “Want to play a game with me?”

Naruto, always eager to do something at any given time, scooted over to where Sasuke was and eyed his rather impressive collection of games, most of which were new and pretty damn rare to find.

“God, I hate you so much right now,” Naruto muttered as he picked up the new Metal Gear series he was yet to play.

“Why? You can afford it, can’t you?”

“My uncle’s a stingy bastard,” Naruto explained as he reached for the controller, while Sasuke set things up. “He won’t give me allowance unless he knows I plan to use it for my college fund.”

Sasuke snickered and leaned back against the couch as the opening credits of the game began to roll. “Fine then…if you want, I can loan you some games.”

Naruto mimicked his seating position, but eyed Sasuke warily. “Wait a minute…why are you being so nice to me?”

Sasuke’s cheeks flooded with color, but he stubbornly kept his gaze on the T.V screen. “Just shut up and play, dipshit. Besides…it’s my thanks for standing up for me at dinner tonight,” he finished quietly as if embarrassed to be admitting such a thing.

Naruto felt hot at the memory of it and shifted restlessly. “It was nothing but the truth. You are strong.”

“Not as strong as Itachi though,” came the bitter comment as the game began.

Naruto would have said something, but realized he’d have to focus on the screen before him. He still couldn’t help wondering just how deep Sasuke’s pain ran in regards to being considered second fiddle to his older brother. Naruto didn’t have a sibling, so he couldn’t really relate. Still…it must stink like hell, he deduced. Forcing himself to focus on the game, he wasn’t surprised to find himself losing as Sasuke must have already figured the in and outs of winning. So far, he was getting a smack down of epic proportions.

“Fuck you,” Naruto growled, after half an hour and four losses later. “Geez! Go easy on me!”

Sasuke laughed. “Okay, let’s try another one…oh yeah…how was the meet tonight?”

Naruto, who was in the process of changing the games, stiffened at the question and wondered how to go about telling Sasuke about his encounter with Amaru.

“It was okay,” he finally said. “We came in second. Five gold medals, six silver and two bronze.”

“Not bad,” Sasuke nodded. “I bet Kusanagi came first, right? How did your girl do?”

Naruto had the grace to blush at the insinuation that he and Amaru were an item. He failed to notice the pained look in his companion’s eyes. “She came in first…twice…no, three times. She’s fast.” And I don’t just mean in the pool either.

“She’s a good swimmer,” Sasuke agreed softly as Naruto sat back beside him on the floor. “I’m sure you two will be great together…right?”

Naruto stared resolutely at the screen, refusing to respond to the question. There was no doubt he could be good friends with Amaru, but somehow, he was doubtful their relationship would go any deeper than that.

“Don’t mind the brash way she acts,” Sasuke continued in that same quiet tone. There was a raw edge to his voice, as if he seemed to be struggling to control himself for some reason. “She’s really nice deep down…she just needs a real…”

“Friend,” Naruto finished. “Right?”

Sasuke’s lips quirked in a small smile. “I guess.”

“Seems like you’re filling that position quite nicely, Sasuke,” Naruto said with a small smile of his own. “You two have a lot to talk about apparently.”

Oh God, what the fuck did she tell Naruto? Came the panicked thought from Sasuke as he made a show of checking the battery in his controller.

“Yeah, well we’ve known each other since we were kids, so she’s more like a sister to me,” he said and took a deep breath. “So if she’s going to end up with anyone, I’d rather she end up with you.”

For a while, nothing was said as a thick silence descended upon them. Worried that he had pissed off Naruto, Sasuke tried to break the silence when a hoarse “Why?” was heard.

“Wha…what do you mean why?” Sasuke asked in a voice that seemed to quiver, daring to finally glance at Naruto. What he saw had his heart jack hammering in response. There was a dark and yet frantic look in those blue eyes – an intensity that had him trying desperately to gather moisture on his tongue.

“I’m an awful person, Sasuke,” Naruto replied quietly. “I drink, I smoke, I curse, and I’m somewhat lazy and as you put it…irresponsible. And there’s….there’s…” He swallowed. “There’s this thing inside of me that I’m scared of,” he finally confessed, eyes downcast as if ashamed of this curse. “It nearly killed you, Sasuke, and I’m scared that one day, I’m going to lose control and I’ll end up doing something I’m going to regret and I don’t want to hurt anyone else like that again, especially not the ones I really…care about,” he finished in a weak whisper.

Sasuke was finding it hard to breathe. He had never seen Naruto this…vulnerable and that gut-wrenching feeling of wanting to pull him into his arms and never let go, was beginning to cloud his better judgment. Fuck the promise to keep his hands to himself. He was going to go for it and if Naruto kicked his ass later on then…

So be it.

When he finally spoke, it was to breathe in a voice he barely recognized as his. “Naruto…”

The blond barely felt the trembling hand beneath his chin forcing him to lift his gaze. Sasuke’s face seemed to waver before him, and Naruto realized with dawning horror and shame that his eyes were filling with tears. Great. Just fucking fantastic. Of all the times to break down, it had to be now…in front of this guy.

“Sasuke, I don’t…”

“Shssh…” came the husky whisper as Sasuke leaned closer still to finally seal the distance between them. His lips were warm and tentative (almost shy) against Naruto’s parted ones. Their breaths mingled as a shock, more potent than Sasuke’s blows during their fight, coursed through their young bodies.

Too…fucking…intense…

“Please…let me…” Sasuke pleaded into his mouth, and before he could control himself, Naruto blossomed for him, his lashes fluttering closed as Sasuke’s lips became more in control. It wasn’t his first time kissing someone and apparently it wasn’t Sasuke’s first time either, for the expertise he was displaying so far was pretty damn amazing. Naruto gasped at the pleasure that raced down his spine when their tongues met, relishing in the distinct taste of the meal they had just shared and the unique taste that was Sasuke. He hardly felt himself pressed back against the couch or Sasuke now lying halfway above him as the kiss deepened. His hand sought and found Sasuke’s and held on tightly, his hips seeming to move of its own accord and thrusting into Sasuke’s grinding ones above him.

A moan was heard and Naruto felt a sudden rush of blood to the head as Sasuke finally released his lips to begin trailing hungry kisses down his neck and towards his ear…his certified weak spot.

Oh fuck…

“No…” he gasped weakly, knowing it was going to be a losing battle if this didn’t stop this soon. He was supposed to be grossed out by this. He was supposed to beat him up for daring to…

“Sasuke…stop…” He whimpered as Sasuke licked the lobe gently, his eyes squeezing shut as he struggled to hold on to his sanity.

No…no…no! I can’t do this! I just…

“No, goddamnit!” He finally cried out, pushing Sasuke away from him and staggering to his feet as he struggled to gather some much needed air into his lungs.

“Naruto…wait,” Sasuke began, trying to reach out to what he was rapidly losing.

“Don’t bother,” Naruto said quickly as he searched for the jacket he had taken off earlier. “I have to…I have to go…I don’t…” He ran trembling fingers through his hair, unable to look into those dark eyes that still burned for him. “I came to say thanks for the set up with Amaru…that’s all…and…and...fuck!”

And with that frustrated curse, Naruto fled the room and down the flight of stairs as if afraid that Sasuke would come chasing after him. He stopped long enough to give a polite bow and breathless ‘thanks for dinner and goodnight’ to the bemused parents who were watching T.V in the living room, before excusing himself and dashing out of the house.

It was a miracle he was able to get home in one piece; barely greeting Ms. Fuyutsuki as he ran up to his bedroom and promptly locked himself in. He dove beneath the comfort of his blanket (pulling it all the way over his head) and squeezed his eyes shut. He was still trembling all over…still in shock at how far he had allowed Sasuke to go with him tonight. What the hell was wrong with him? Where was that bravado he had displayed on the roof the other day? What had happened to the statement of never giving in to Sasuke even if he was the last man on earth?

/You might like it…/

“Hell no,” he whispered harshly, burying his face into the pillow. His traitorous body was, unfortunately, still reliving every sensation of Sasuke’s hard body pressed against him, the way their hips had moved, their obvious boners straining within their jeans…but even worse was the way his tongue and lips still tingled with the taste…

Oh God…

…the heady, delicious taste of Sasuke. Jesus fucking Christ…no one was allowed to be that good a kisser. No one.

“Oh man…” came the low helpless moan. “I’m fucked.”

Chapter Eight

©KiyaSama 2009