What Can I Do For You?

I don’t own Naruto nor do I make money from it.



Summary: As a result of a freak accident, Naruto is blinded. His parents enroll him in a program at a local school for the blind to help teach him how to adapt to living without his sight. There he meets Nagato, a councilor assigned to him. They are drawn to each other but their budding relationship is threatened by factors neither can control.



A/N: written for a gift exchange on Y-gal. For SilverMyst.



Warnings: cursing, disabilities, sexual situations



Stars In Your Eyes



Some would say that a person’s treatment of the people and environment around them was the cause of the bad and good things befalling them. Karma. Good things happen to good people. Naruto Uzumaki would then promptly tell them to go fuck themselves. After the last two weeks of his life, he didn’t believe for a moment that those old superstitions of good things happening were true. In his opinion, they are complete and utter bullshit.



Until two weeks ago, he’d been your average college student. He’d been a good friend and neighbor. He wasn’t a boy scout and had played his fair share of pranks on teachers but was never malicious in his jokes. Everyone loved him. He’d listened to his mother and father, gone to church, and been an all around good person. He was nice to old people and volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club. If one went by the saying, good things happen to good people, he should have been given a medal not be suffering though what could be permanent disability.



Yet here he was, riding in his parents’ car. An uncomfortable silence filled the interior of the vehicle, only the sound of the engine and slight bumps in the road giving Naruto any indication they were moving. They had long since given up trying to make idle conversation with him. His fingers clenched rhythmically in his khaki pants as his thoughts swirled within his waking nightmare.



Even now, he searched for some excuse to give reason to his suffering. He wanted to blame Sasuke. Naruto had been drooling over his best friend’s car for weeks--a birthday present from his parents. Every time Naruto had begged the bastard to let him drive it, the asshole ignored him.



Finally, his birthday rolled around and an envelop was found pushed under the door to his single occupant dorm room. Inside was a note stating that the car was to be dropped off at Sasuke’s house by midnight and in the same condition that he’d received it in or there would be hell to pay. Naruto was ecstatic. He’d skipped classes, spending the entire day driving around in the sleek sports car. He’d gone through two full tanks of gas before finally heading to return Sasuke’s baby to him.



Accidents happen. Cars aren’t perfect. Fuel lines can burst. Engines can break down. For Naruto, it happened so fast, he wouldn’t fully know the following events of the night until much later. Being that his time with the beautiful car was drawing to a close, he’d opted to push the vehicle to its limit on the long stretch of practically deserted road as he made his way towards Sasuke’s house. The speed of the car was probably well over a hundred when the front axel of the car broke--probably due to faulty workmanship in the factory. The rest was a blur. He remembered losing control of the dangerously fast car followed by the loud screeching of tires and the busting of glass. Pain shooting through his skull was the last thing he remembered before waking up in a very dark room.



Fear hadn’t set in until he heard movement in the room. His mother’s hand stroking his face while she murmured he was going to be alright was the starting point of dread pouring through him. She wouldn’t sit in a pitch black room. There would be some light. The sound of the nurse checking his bandages and scribbling of a pen on paper brought the fear into full life. It wasn’t that the light wasn’t turned on. He was blind.



The Uchihas, including Sasuke, visited him. He could hear the relief in Fugaku’s voice as he told them the accident was a weakness in the axel waiting to happen. It was only a miracle Sasuke hadn’t been driving. Their thoughts did little to ease Naruto’s anger. He couldn’t blame Sasuke. He wanted to, but couldn’t. He couldn’t have known the car was faulty. Naruto pushing the limits of the vehicle had probably saved his friend’s life.



In remorse for Naruto’s injury--more likely gratitude for being the one injured instead of their son--the Uchiha’s offered to pay for Naruto’s treatment. The Namikaze family wasn’t poor, but they weren’t loaded with enough money to give their son receive the best medical treatment available. When offered such a tempting gift, parents tend to put aside pride in favor of their children.



The best specialists in the country were flown in to examine Naruto. While the swelling had gone down, his brain still needed time to heal and essentially, reboot itself. His sight might return in weeks or not at all. There was no way to predict the outcome. The doctors suggested he be enrolled in a therapy program to help the newly blind learn to cope long term with their disabilities.



As a result, he was now sitting in the silent car, driving along the pavement towards some unknown rehabilitation clinic to help him deal with the possible outcome that the blindness was permanent. He just wanted the earth to devour him whole. What would he do if it was permanent? It’s not like his major of engineering would do him any good. He couldn’t use a computer if he was blind or write a book. All he would be able to do was sit and stare into the blackness. It wasn’t fair. Good things should happen to him. He was never mean or malicious. What had he done to deserve this?



Closing his eyes, he felt the car pull to a stop. They had arrived. “Son…we’re here.”



“Yeah, I figured that by the stopping of the car…though, I’m blind so it could have been at a gas station but there’s not the smell of gas so I would assume we are at our destination.” Naruto retorted, his anger at his situation not allowing him to feel remorse for snapping at his father.



“Naruto…baby, you know it might be temporary but there is no way to know and the doctors all think it might be best for you to receive therapy to help you adjust. Your vision might fully recover or possibly only partially.” Kushina stroked her fingers through her son’s messy blond hair.



“Yes Mom, I was sitting there when they told me. I’m blind, not deaf.” He’d never been an asshole until the accident, always reserving that personality quirk for Sasuke. Lately, the stress of possibly being blind for the remainder of his life left him with a foul taste in his mouth. It also left him with a short fuse, refusing the help of others. He simple felt abandoned by whatever higher power ruled the cosmos.



“Naruto! Don’t talk to your mother like that.” He could hear the anger and frustration in his father’s voice. They had always been so close but now the littlest thing could cause the newly formed rift to widen. Thankfully the possible argument was neutralized at the approach of footsteps.



“Mr. and Mrs. Namikaze? My name is Konan. I’m the administrator here. And you must be Naruto.” She smiled towards frowning blond.



“Yeah,” he muttered in the general direction of her voice.



“I’m sorry, Ms. Konan. He’s been rather withdrawn since the accident. When Fugaku told us about this clinic, we thought it might be a good place for Naruto to learn some skills in case of the worst.” Kushina took her son’s hand, guiding him up the steps.



“Don’t worry. A lot of people here are in similar situations. Many come in with heavy emotional baggage from their sudden lack of sight. One of the services we offer is counseling. Naruto’s counselor is one of the best in the state in dealing with the aftermath of sudden blindness.” Konan opened the door for the family.



Naruto was only half listening. In the world of darkness, he was forced to rely on his mother’s hand to guide him through the building. He kept a fear in the back of his mind of losing his grip on her and being unable to find his way. His hand gripped the sleeve of her shirt tighter to keep her close. His attitude might belie his true emotions but he was terrified of being left alone in this suddenly dark world.



“Naruto, why don’t you wait in the common room. Maybe meet some of the others while we finish up with the paperwork.” Konan suggested as they stopped.



“Alone?” His eyes took on a fearful gleam at the instructions. She couldn’t mean alone. He was blind. He couldn’t find his way out of a box.



“It’s just straight down this hall. Hold onto the rail lining the hallway if you need to.” Konan opened the door for his parents to walk through.



“He’s blind, he can’t find his way without us.” Kushina started to lead Naruto down the hall.



“Mrs. Namikaze, just because Naruto is blind, doesn’t mean he should be completely reliant on you. This clinic is to help him learn to be independent. You need to let him go so that he can stand on his own feet. He can't get lost. The halls are monitored strictly. If anyone looks to be in trouble, assistance is sent immediately. Let him learn to stand on his own feet.” Konan’s words were spoken gently but the meaning was evident. You are smothering your son. It wasn’t actually true and yet it was. Naruto was just as afraid of being alone as his parents were of leaving him.



Kushina and Minato nodded, stepping away from their son and into the office. The hall was strangely quiet. Muffled sounds were coming from further down the hall but fear kept his feet firmly planted where he’d been when his mother’s arm slid from his grasp. It was shameful for him, Naruto Uzumaki, to be afraid. He should be more willing to jump into whatever adventure he could find.



His hands shook, making him shove them deep into the pockets of his baggy khaki cargo pants. He was going to stay in this spot until his parents returned. If anything, Naruto Uzumaki was known for his stubborn nature.



A tapping sound drew his attention. He strained his ears to distinguish the sound. The sound of quiet footsteps joined the rhythmic tapping. He didn't like the thought of someone sneaking up on him. In the dark world he was now confined to, everyone seemed to be sneaking even when they weren't. “Who’s there?”



“You lost?” The voice was smooth like chocolate. It soothed his nervousness in the calm way it played through his sensitive ears.



“No. My parents left me here to go sign some papers.” Naruto couldn’t stop the slight tinge of anger in his voice. He was angry at them for leaving him standing here in the dark. He was angry at life for having made it possible for him to be here at all. He felt nearly bursting with this build up of anger from the various sources.



“Why don’t you go to the common room? It’s just down this hallway. You might find some people to talk with as opposed to standing in the hall like an idiot.” Amusement radiated for the other and it annoyed the hell out of Naruto. It reminded him of Sasuke. It reminded him of how the bastard looked--as if he knew something no one else did.



“I’m blind. I’m not going anywhere alone.” Naruto grumbled, pressing his hands deeper into his pockets.



“So?”



“What do you mean so? I can’t see where I’m going. I can get hurt or lost or god only knows what. I’ll just stay here until my parents are finished.” He was a bit ticked off at the man. He was probably one of his new ‘therapists’. He probably didn’t know what it was like to be trapped in a world where the lights were forever cut off.



A chuckle sounded, confirming his suspicion of the man laughing at his expense. “I say again…so? Being blind only adds another aspect of adventure to your world. You can’t use your eyes…so use your ears…use your hands. Use your other senses to compensate. You heard me coming down the hall long before I got here, didn’t you? If you weren’t blind, you probably wouldn’t have even noticed as I passed you.”



“Yeah…so?”



“So…why don’t you accompany me down this hall and into the common room. You don’t have to worry. I won’t leave you alone until you are safely there.” A hand took his own and placed it on the side rail lining the halls. Naruto shivered a little at the touch of cold hands on the warm skin of his forearm.



“Fine.” Naruto pouted a little as the footsteps moved away from him.



“You coming?”



“Yeah…yeah.” Naruto mumbled, keeping his hand firmly gripped on the railing as he followed the footsteps down the hall.



“So what’s your name?” The laughter was gone from the voice--replaced by genuine interest.



Naruto nibbled a bit on his lip before answering. “Naruto.”



“Interesting name.”



“Yeah, well…my parents are interesting people.” Naruto’s lips turned upward in probably the first smile across his face since the accident.



“Interesting good or interesting weird?” Asked his escort.



“A little of both,” Naruto chuckled, pausing uncertainly as the rail’s straight course ended.



“Yo, Pein. What’s up, dude? Who’s that with you?” Naruto’s hand gripped the railing. He could tell the direction of the voice and that it was roughly a few feet from where he stood.



“Suigetsu, I’d like you to meet Naruto. He’s new here so don’t give him too hard a time.” His escort’s voice held both affection and reprimand as they spoke to the person.



There was a heavy sigh, followed by a grumbled, “Spoilsport.”



“Your name is Pein?” Naruto asked, glancing in the direction he last remembered the voice coming from.



“It’s a nickname but one I enjoy. It’s what most of the residents call me.” Pein answered, a smile present in his voice. “You can call me either Pein or Nagato. I answer to both.”



“Pein…” Naruto tested the name on his tongue.



“Well, I’ll be seeing you Naruto.” The tapping and footsteps moved away from him.



“Wait! Don’t leave me here alone.” Naruto’s eyes scanned the darkness from habit, looking for some visible sign despite his blindness.



“Dude, just chill. Reach out your hand and I’ll guide you to a chair.” The voice was closer and Naruto reached out his hand--desperately seeking physical contact. A cool hand locked with his and led him towards a large sofa. When his hands touched the smooth leather material, he breathed a deep sigh of relief.



“Thank God.” He whispered, his heart finally calming in his chest.



“Yo, new guy. I take it you haven’t been visually challenged for long.” He felt Suigetsu slump beside him on the sofa.



“About two weeks. They still don’t know if it’s permanent or not.” Naruto relaxed now that he was in a somewhat safe place.



“I’ve been here going on two years. I finished my training a few months back but opted to stay on as a peer councilor. The money’s not great, but it’s free room and board. Not to mention, all the bottled water I can drink. I hate that tap shit. It’s got to be bottled for me to drink it.” Suigetsu chattered on about himself, not appearing to care if Naruto was listening or not. “You just missed Karin. She’s a royal bitch. I’ll be glad when she’s gone.”



“How do you know it’s bottled water?” Naruto blurted out the first thing in his mind.



Suigetsu paused in his lengthy dialogue of Karin and how much of a skank she was. “Eh?”



“The water. They could just put tap water in your bottle and hand it to you. How do you know it’s real bottled water?” Naruto looked to his side where Suigetsu was lounging.



“Dude, you are green. You know that safety ring shit around the cap. You can hear that thing snap when you open a bottle. If the dudes here are going through the trouble of sealing tap water to trick me, I’ll drink the water because they have earned my respect.” His companion chuckled at his comment.



“Oh.” Naruto nodded even though Suigetsu had already confirmed he was blind.



“So I take it you don’t have a cane yet?”



“A what?” Naruto asked, pulled from his thoughts.



“You know, a cane to help you walk. Keeps you from running into walls or furniture…well, it doesn’t keep you from it because I know Karin had one epic crash into the wall a few months back. I think she was, you know, boozing it up but I can’t prove it but I could have sworn I smelled vodka in the room after the crash.” Suigetsu went on to describe Karin, how much she annoyed him, and how she wouldn’t respect his position as peer councilor.



“Naruto? Did you make a friend?” Kushina settled on the arm of the sofa, running her hair through Naruto’s hair in a soothing motion.



“His name is Suigetsu. He’s a peer councilor here.” Naruto leaned against his mother, suddenly very tired.



“We finished signing the paper work. We’ll visit you every Saturday and your neurologist will visit every week. If you like, we can bring Sasuke with us on Saturday.” Minato patted his son’s shoulder.



“Don’t leave me here alone, Mama.” Naruto buried his face in Kushina’s bosom.



“Naruto, this place will be good for you. If your eyes don’t get better, this place will teach you how to live with your disability,” Minato encouraged.



“Can’t I learn at home. You or Mama could teach me.” Naruto fear began to rise at being left alone in this huge dark place.



“Naruto…I can promise we won’t leave you alone until you are ready. You saw how I called Nagato to come to show you to the common room. And he didn’t leave until he made sure Suigetsu was here to look after you.” Konan crouched before him, her hands taking his. “You’re safe here and we can teach you important life skills.”



“Just give it a few weeks, Naruto,” Kushina asked. “If you are still unhappy here in a few weeks, we’ll bring you home.”



Naruto considered this for a moment before nodding. “Alright but if I don’t like it, I want you to come get me.”



Minato took his hand in a shake. “Deal.”



“We’ve taken your luggage to your room. Why don’t you say goodbye to your parents and then I’ll show you to your room.” Konan stood, stepping away to speak quietly with Suigetsu while Naruto said his goodbyes. He refused to move from his spot on the couch until he could no longer here the steps of his parents echoing down the hall.



“Naruto, take my arm.” Konan held out her arm to Naruto, who lifted a shaky hand to it.



His fingers felt the scratchy texture of her suit as he linked his arm with hers. “Are you wearing linen?”



She chuckled. “Wool. Some of the younger kids like to feel the texture. The building next door is a school for children born blind. I help out with some of the younger kids.”



“What do you teach them?” Naruto asked, curious for the first time since his injury.



“The same thing you learned in school. We teach them to read. It’s best to start teaching Braille early though older people can learn it as well.” Konan explained as she paused before a door blaring loud music. Banging on the door, she stuck her head in the room. “Tone it down or I’ll suspend your music privileges again.”



The music lowered a little but could still be heard through the walls. Konan shook her head with a sigh. “Who was that?”



“Gaara. He’s been here for a year. I would give him a bit more of a tongue lashing but I figured you wouldn’t like to hear it,” Konan chuckled. “He’s not a bad kid, just a little broody.”



“Will I have to be here for that long?” Naruto didn’t want to spend years in an institution. It made him the people were put here to be forgotten about. Even Suigetsu had graduated but remained. Would his parents leave him here for good?



“Here’s your room. It’s hard dealing with a roommate when you are learning to take care of yourself. That’s why we have private rooms.” Konan ushered him into a room. “Five steps in front of you is the bed. There is a dresser on the opposite side of the bed and the bathroom is directly across from the foot of the bed. Your bags are on your bed so you might want to go ahead and unpack.”



“Unpack? How the hell do I unpack when I can’t see a damn thing,” Naruto snapped, glaring in the general direction of the woman.



"You’re here to become independent. You need to learn to be able to put away your clothes, make your bed, and take care of yourself in the real world. These are necessary skills for you to survive.” Konan’s voice remained calm through the explanation.



“I’m blind…how am I supposed to put up clothes when I can’t see them or the drawer.” Naruto’s frustration was edging his tone.



“You are more than your eyes, Naruto. I’ll leave you to it. One of the other’s will come and show you to dinner.” The door shut with a click, leaving him in silence.



He reached out with a hand, patting the bed in search of the bags of clothes his mother had packed for him. His anger spiked again and he shoved the two bags to the floor. How could they expect him to find the clothes he wanted to wear or know if his socks were matching? Flopping back on the bed, he stared blindly at the ceiling. He had a feeling he wouldn’t be staying here long.



~*~



A knock on the door brought him from his brief nap. He reached for the light before recalling his predicament. The relief brought by his dreams faded as reality set in. He just wanted to stay in bed.



Pulling the pillow over his head, he buried his face in the mattress. The knocking continued. Only Naruto inbred determination kept him from answering the call. If he ignored them, perhaps they would go away and the knocking would stop.



“Yo, Naruto. It’s Suigetsu. Konan told me to come get you for dinner. Wake up.” Suigetsu’s voice grated his nerves. He just wanted to be left alone. “Wake up, you dick. I’m hungry.”



“Go away.” Naruto finally answered.



Suigetsu scoffed at the answer. “No. You need to come to dinner. It’s bad to lock yourself up in your room. They won’t let you stay in there so get up.”



Naruto threw his pillow at the door. “No! Now go away.”



“Fine. The councilors are going to be knocking on your door soon.” The tapping and footsteps disappeared from his door.



Rolling over, he fought back tears. He wanted to cry at the unfair turn his life had taken. His stomach grumbled, letting its master know it was not pleased at being denied dinner.



Closing his eyes, he frowned at the tapping and footsteps once more. “Go away, asshole. I told you I didn’t want to come to dinner.”



“Is that anyway to talk to your councilor?”



Naruto turned over in bed. He knew that satiny voice. What had he called himself. Pein? “What do you want?”



The answer was simple. “I want you to come to dinner.”



“Why? I’m just going to end up stuck here permanently like Suigetsu. Blind people can’t have normal lives. I can’t see but you councilors and doctors don’t seem to realize that. I was going to be an engineer. Now what? Live on room and board at a rehabilitation clinic for the blind?” Naruto swung his feet over the side of the bed. What would he know about being blind?



“Who told you being blind meant never being able to live a normal life? Sure you can’t see but it shouldn’t stop you from doing what you want.” Pein argued.



“What would you know?” Naruto crossed his arms, putting up a brave front.



“Well for one thing, I’ve been blind since I was twelve. That didn’t stop me from going to college and getting a degree in psychology.” Pein thumped his cane for good measure.



“Wha? You’re blind?” Naruto gaped. He would have never thought the confident voice that had pulled him down the hall like the pied piper belonged to a blind man.



Pein seemed to be amused at Naruto‘s surprise. “Why so surprised? Who better to help the blind adjust to their situation than someone who’d experienced it.”



“You just don’t act blind,” Naruto mumbled.



“Oh? How is a blind person supposed to act? Suigetsu has been blind for five years. Does he act blind?” Pein heaved a sigh. “You are trapping yourself in your own fears. I understand your feelings. I went through it myself and so did Sui. I know it feels like it but being blind doesn’t mean the end. Let me help you.”



Naruto shifted on the mattress. The truth glared in his mind’s eye. He was being an idiot for being so afraid. One little talk with Pein didn’t make the fear go away but it helped ease his loneliness and frustration. Pein was someone who had been through this. True, he had been much younger but still old enough to remember what it was like to see.



“So, are you going to get off your ass and come to dinner?” The cane tapped again in mock impatience.



“Fine.” Naruto grumbled, feeling slightly better.



“Good. Now come here and I’ll lead you to the cafeteria.” Pein held out a hand through the door.



Naruto stood and moved slowly towards the door. He forgot about his still packed bags tossed unceremoniously on the floor. Shuffling his feet and unable to see them, he stumbled over the bags. His arms flailed wildly as he struggled unsuccessfully to regain his balance.



If it wasn’t for the strong arms wrapping around him, he would have crashed to the floor.



“Whoa! What happened?” Pein caught the flailing blond in his arms, juggling the both him and his cane.



“I tripped…” Naruto mumbled.



“On what?”



Naruto had the grace to blush regardless that his escort was just as blind as him. “My bag.”



Pein chuckled again. “You’ll learn that as a blind person, you have to become a creature of habit. A misplaced chair or stool can result in a fall. Your furniture must always go in the same place. You can’t leave things sitting out because if you forget about them, you might not be able to find them or they might cause an accident. Don’t worry. You’ll learn.”



Naruto sighed, not sure he was ready for this but not having a choice as he was practically dragged from his room and into life once more.



~*~



Six weeks did a world of good for Naruto. While he was still prone to episodes of depression, working out his frustrations in sessions with Pein did wonders for him. His true personality began to emerge, much to the annoyance and amusement of the other residence and faculty.



Naruto discovered a kindred spirit in Suigetsu and many suffered pranks created from their devilish minds. Naruto was still a novice of navigating the clinic so Suigetsu handled the more physical aspects of their pranks while Naruto was the brains.



“We are so bad. You do realize this.” Suigetsu snickered as the two pulled a wagon snatched from the children’s building.



A grin split Naruto‘s face as both halted before their destination. “I know, but it’s so fun.”



“Gaara is going to be so pissed,” Suigetsu said as he slowly pushed open the door to Gaara’s room.



“He deserves it. I think he is determined to go deaf as well as blind.” Naruto rubbed his hands together with excitement. The plan was to kidnap Gaara’s stereo. The residence wing would surely give a collective sigh of relief once the stereo was removed from Gaara’s abusive claws.



“Maybe he’ll learn his lesson and respect everyone else’s ears before blaring that shit he calls music. Stay here and be ready to make a quick exit if you hear anyone coming.” Suigetsu pulled out his cane, tapping carefully around the room. His hand extended until it brushed against the metal and plastic signaling the location of the stereo. “Yo, dude. This thing is nice. His parents probably shelled out a pretty penny for it.”



“Just hurry up and get the thing before we get caught. I don’t want bathroom clean up again. It’s worse when you can’t see what you are cleaning but still smell it.” Naruto glanced up and down the hall out of habit.



There was a fair amount of cursing and grunting before Suigetsu stumbled out the door with the system. “As much as a pain in the ass this is…it’s going to be so fucking worth it. I’ve had the slut on one side of me and the goth on the other for like a year. I can’t catch a break.”



“Karin? She really is a slut? Like with guys? Here?” Naruto’s eyes bugged out. He’d always thought Suigetsu ribbed on her just to be an asshole.



“Like all the time, dude. They go in and out like no one’s business. I wouldn’t go anywhere near that cooch even if you paid me.” Suigetsu was so adamant in his words, Naruto caught the sound of desperation and a hint of exaggeration.



“You like her.”



“No fucking way. She’s a slut.” Suigetsu accented his statement with a shove to Naruto’s shoulder.



“You do…how did I not see it before?” Naruto’s laughter became louder.



“What about you?” Suigetsu snarled. “I bet you beat off after every session with Pein.”



“How…?”



“I stopped by your room to invite you to walk with me outside. You know, you are pretty loud when you are cumming. You keep quiet about Karin…and I’ll keep quiet about Pein. Savvy?” Suigetsu grabbed the handle of the wagon, tugging it towards his room. “Oh, a word of advice. You might want to save your wanking for the shower. The water muffles the moans and the tile is quite a bit thicker than plaster.”



Naruto flushed from the roots of his hair to the bottom of his toes, rooted where he stood. Of all the embarrassing moments, Suigetsu had to hear him jerking off to the mental image fucking Pein in his office. Grabbing at the rail lining the hall, he tapped his cane along the floor.



“Naruto?” Little Naruto twitched at the voice. It was pure velvet. He would know that voice anywhere.



“P-Pein…What are you doing here?” Naruto stammered out, trying not to let Pein’s presence unravel him overly much.



“I was on my way to ask you if you would like to go have a soda with me before our session.” Calm radiated from Pein, soothing Naruto’s nervousness.



“Uh…sure.” The two walked towards the cafeteria where Pein left Naruto to collect two soda’s from the vending machine. Naruto couldn’t read Braille yet and it made figuring out what was what a little more difficult.



“What did you want to talk about?” Naruto accepted the soda, taking a long drawn out swallow.



“I wanted to say I’m happy at how you’ve adjusted. I should have known it would only be a matter of time before your true personality came through. Being an asshole doesn’t suit you,” chuckled Pein.



Naruto blushed again. He would have been surprised if Pein couldn’t feel the heat radiating from his cheeks. Scratching his cheek, he grinned. “I’m sure it won’t be long until you wish it was.”



He could practically hear the brow raising. “Is there something I should be aware of?”



Naruto swallowed loudly, “Uh…no?”



“Is that a question or an answer?”



“Answer.” Naruto fiddled with his half empty can when curiosity rose in him. It was something he’d wanted to ask Pein since his first week at the clinic. Now that he had him to himself away from the office setting, he girded up his courage. “Hey, Pein. Can I see what you look like?”



“What? Well…I suppose. I have several piercings so don’t be alarmed when you feel them.” Pein moved his chair closer to give Naruto easy access to his face.



“Piercings?” Naruto lifted a hand to the other’s brow. He could feel the soft texture of hair. His hands ran over the course hair of his eyebrows, feeling two metal rings protruding from them. “Those aren’t so bad.”



“There’s more.” Pein said as Naruto’s hands drifted down his nose, encountering the metal bisecting the bridge of his nose.



“Whoa…” Naruto swallowed, his body becoming more and more turned on at the metal.



His eyes were wide as his fingers reached the soft lips. He paused there, his heart racing at having the chance to touch such a place on Pein. As his fingers drifted over the plump bottom lip, he paused as his hand found yet another piercing. The snake bite piercing seemed just as exotic to him as the metal lining the slope of Pein’s nose. He didn’t find it disgusting or weird. It was strangely arousing to find such modifications on him.



“How…How many piercings do you have?” Naruto traced his hands over the shaved skin, feeling the faintest stubble before regretfully lowering his hands from the smooth face.



“Twenty-seven.”



“God!” Naruto’s mind raced. He’d only felt ten piercing on his face. He doubted the remainder of them were located in Pein’s ears alone. That left seventeen unaccounted for and he desperately wanted to find them with his hands.



“I promised Konan last year I would stop when I hit thirty. That means I can only get three more before hitting my limit.” Pein slid his chair back, sighing almost dejectedly. “Are you shocked?”



“More like stunned. I mean…you can’t see. Why would you want to go through the trouble of getting a piercing? It must be a pain taking care of all of them.” Naruto’s fingers itched to reach up and touch them again. The metal had been cold and smooth against his fingers.



“Some times. I’m used to it. I received my first at sixteen.” He pointed to the hoop in his right eyebrow. “After that, it was almost as if I couldn’t stop myself.”



“Nagato? Naruto’s neurologist is here.” Konan stepped into the cafeteria.



“Today?” Naruto frowned. He wasn’t due for another examination for at least four days. The neurologist always came on Thursdays. It was his scheduled day to be poked and prodded.



“She said she wanted to check a few things since your last test results came out strange.” Konan assisted him to his feet. “Why don’t you go to the exam room. Nagato and I will be by shortly.”



Naruto nodded, not really wanting to leave Pein but understanding he couldn’t spend the day with him, even if his wished it. Pein was councilor to all those in the program as well as to a few of the younger kids in the next building. He would be an asshole to try and take up all his time.



A bit annoyed at being pulled away early, he mentally counted the doors before pushing open the door to the exam room. “Good afternoon, Naruto.”



“Dr. Tsunade…you’re early this week.” Naruto allowed her to usher him to sit in a chair.



“Your tests came up unusual. Since your accident, they’ve been fairly consistent. Last week, there was a marked differentiation. I wanted to try some things. I’m going to perform a few tests, let me know if you see, feel, or hear anything strange.”



“Err…alright.” Naruto scratched his head, listening to her shuffle through her bag.



He’d gotten used to the random false sight episodes that happened from time to time. Pein had explained that even he still suffered from the phantom sight. It was similar to the phantom leg pain an amputee experienced. The brain, still connected to the eyes, would send false images to the part made for deciphering visual input. It gave a momentary flash of light or shadow. It wasn’t actual sight, but an illusion. Seeing his vision go from black to grey with light wasn’t uncommon.



“I’m not sure if this counts, but I just had a phantom sight episode.” Naruto commented, hearing the woman’s breath catch.



“Just now?” she asked.



“Yeah, just now.” He frowned as his vision went grey again. “And again. What are you doing?”



“Naruto…I’m shining a light in your eyes. Your pupils are starting to react normally. I think your visual cortex is healing!” she exclaimed happily.



“My vision is coming back?” He was stunned. The first thing he thought was that he would have to leave the clinic…and Pein.



“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You might only recover enough to distinguish between light and dark or possibly shapes. We really don’t know how bad your brain was damaged. I‘ll call your parents and let them know the progression.” Dr. Tsunade began scribbling in her notebook.



“I want to stay here.” Naruto said, clenching his jaw.



“Well kid, I wasn’t suggesting you had to leave. We don’t want to remove you from your rehabilitation until we see how far you are going to come. This isn’t the movies. Eyesight doesn’t just turn back on one day. It’s a gradual process that could take months or years. You should stay here until we know the full extent of your recovery.” Tsunade patted Naruto on the back. “But this gives a little bit of hope.”



Hope was different things for different people. While Naruto longed for his vision, a small part of him hoped it would never return. Vision meant being discharged from the program. Vision meant possibly never seeing Pein again. It made him wonder if a foolish crush on his councilor was worth never seeing again?



Naruto was unusually silent at dinner that evening. The meal went on nearly without a hitch until Gaara came roaring into the room screaming for the assholes who took his stereo to reveal themselves. A loud round of applause was issued to the mysterious snatchers of the local goth kid’s stereo. Suigetsu was particularly loud in his laughter at the sound of outrage and threatens of physical harm if his stereo wasn’t returned posthaste.



“Hey, Naruto…What’s wrong?” Pein approached him while he sat quietly in the common room.



“Nothing…” Naruto mumbled, his mind still spinning with the possibilities of what Dr. Tsunade had said.



“I maybe blind, but I know you haven’t been this quiet in weeks. Your voice is usually the one carrying over all others and when I don’t hear it, I worry.” Pein nudged Naruto’s let with his foot. “Walk with me.”



Pein linked his arm with Naruto and led him from the building and into the gardens. Naruto wasn’t allowed in the gardens alone yet, the risk of falling and injuring himself was too great. “What did you and Sui do with the stereo?”



“Are you sure you’re blind?” Naruto asked, a bit surprised.



“I have a superpower. It’s called hallway monitoring. Konan told me about your escapades. You’re both caught on America’s stupidest criminals.” Pein chuckled at Naruto’s groan.



“Now I feel stupid. I can't believe Sui didn't know.” Naruto groaned stumbling a little on one of the stones.



“He probably forgot. It’s not brought up a lot. Don’t feel bad. I think the administration is going to let it stay hidden for a while. Maybe Gaara will have more respect for others afterwards.” Pein paused at a bench, lowering himself and pulling Naruto to the seat beside him. “So tell me what’s on your mind.”



“Is this session on the clock?” Naruto joked, pulling nervously at his sweater. It was November but the temperature was thankfully mild, requiring only sweaters as opposed to thick coats.



“This is me asking a friend what’s troubling him.” Pein tapped his cane on the soft ground with gentle thuds.



“Dr. Tsunade told me something today and I don’t know what to think of it?” Naruto began, running his damp hands back and forth on his jeans.



“Did she confirm your blindness is permanent?” Pein radiated comfort. “You know, it’s not the end of the world, right?”



“She…that is…she told me I might see again. She said my brain was relaying the correct signals or my brain was deciphering it correctly or something…I don’t know. If I had been told this in October…” Naruto shook his head dejectedly. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to say.



“Don’t say you don’t know if you don’t want to see again. That’s fear talking. I would give almost anything to be able to see again. It’s nice here because you are amongst people like you. The real world is not a nice place for people with disabilities.” Pein placed his hands over Naruto’s.



Naruto stiffened at the touch. If Pein kept touching him, he would embarrass himself. “She said I might never get my sight but she said it looked promising but only time would tell.”



“You should be happy. Let’s wait and see what happens.” Pein withdrew his hand, leaving Naruto strangely distraught.



“Pein…if I get my sight back. I won’t get to see you.” Naruto flushed brightly. It was practically a confession of his feelings.



“On the contrary, you’ll be able to see me for the first time,” Pein joked.



“You know what I mean. I’d give up my sight in an instant to stay here with you.” He’d said it. If Pein didn’t understand that, he couldn’t make it any more plainer than that.



“Naruto…”



“Don’t say anything yet.” Naruto pulled Pein into his arms, pressing their lips together. His hands buried in the thick hair that had teased his fingers earlier when he’d traced Pein’s features for the first time.



Pein stiffened against him and Naruto feared the implications of it. His fingers tightened in the soft locks briefly before releasing them from the chaste kiss and pulling away. “I’m sorry…”



“Naruto, a relationship between us…I’m your councilor. I…” Naruto stopped listening. He really didn’t want to any longer. He’d made his affections known to no avail.



“It’s okay. I’m sorry.” Naruto grabbed his cane, walking half blindly back towards the building.



“Naruto wait…”



“I can find my way. I’ve walked out here a lot with Sui and a few others,” Naruto called before disappearing around the bend. He just wanted to go to his room. Now he hoped he would regain his sight so he could leave and forget about this.



Closing the door to his room, he stumbled across his bed. He couldn’t believe how stupid he was. For all he knew, Pein was in a relationship. His personal life had never come up in their sessions and Naruto felt stupid for never asking anyone.



His hand lifted to his lips. Short though the kiss was, Naruto’s lips continued to tingle at the memory. He moaned at the memory. The sweet taste of the chocolate cake they’d had for dessert had remained on Pein’s lips. Why did he have to fall in love with someone who was unattainable?



He felt himself beginning to float as sleep pulled at him. The day had been difficult and the effects were beginning to pull at him. A small smile graced his features before sleep pulled him under. If there was any sweeter way to fall asleep, it was with Pein’s taste on his lips.



~*~



The next few weeks were a strain on both Naruto and Pein. Pein never spoke of the incident in the garden again after a disastrous attempt the morning after in their daily session. Their entire relationship became strained to the point another councilor was assigned to Naruto.



Naruto took it as a final blow. Outwardly, he was the same jovial twenty year old man. On the inside, he became more and more unhappy. He became good at hiding his pain. He didn’t realize Pein was in a similar situation.



“Konan…I don’t know what to do. Every time I try to speak to him, he draws up tighter than a clam.” Nagato ran a hand through his thick ginger hair. “I’ve been told he can distinguish light, dark, and shapes. It won’t be long until he can see fully.”



“Well, you certainly got yourself in ass deep. You know, I could fire you for fraternizing with your patients.” Konan smirked as she crossed her legs demurely.



“I can hear the laugh in your voice, Konan.” Nagato grumbled. “What am I going to do?”



“Nagato…I love you. You’re like a brother to me but I can’t help you if you don’t tell me how you feel.” Konan slid her chair closer, taking his hands.



“I don’t know. I’ve tried analyzing my feelings and I only seem to become more confused.” Nagato lowered his head to rest on their joined hands.



“Well, tell me about Naruto,” she suggested.



“He’s smarter than people would think. He’s funny. He makes people feel comfortable. He runs when he’s scared. His voice is loud but so expressive. I wouldn’t need eyes to know what he was feeling by his voice alone.” Nagato sighed, “I’m in deep shit, aren’t I?”



“I think you did the right thing transferring him.” She stated while giving his shoulder a firm pat.



“You do?” Nagato mumbled from where his face was pillowed on Konan’s lap.



“I think you’ve fallen for the guy and it would be easier to have a relationship with him if you aren’t involved in counseling together.” Konan chuckled as Nagato’s head shot up from her lap.



“You’re serious…I’m still an employee of this clinic and he’s a patient.” Nagato shook his head in disappointment.



“I swear, sometimes I want to punch you but then I would feel bad for punching a blind man.” Konan rolled her eyes. “A few more weeks and I would imagine he won’t be here anyway. I’d be willing to look the other way if something should happen between you two between now and then.”



“Konan…I…” Nagato pulled her into an embrace. “Thanks.”



“Don’t worry about it. Just remember you owe me one.” She stepped back from his embrace. “Now get out of here. Unlike you, I have paper work.”



Nagato crossed his arms. “I have paper work too.”



“Get out of here,” she grumbled.



Nagato smiled, took his cane, and exited the office. He really didn’t need it inside the building but occasionally, people moved things around and it was better safe than sorry. Taking a deep breath, he began his search for Naruto--finding him in the common room with Suigetsu. “Naruto?”



Suigetsu lift his head as Nagato entered the room. “Yo, Pein. Me and Naru were just making fun of this show. I can’t see what’s going on, but I can sure as hell pick on their voices.”



Nagato smiled at Suigetsu’s enthusiasm and was grateful Naruto had made such a good friend of him. “Sui…Do you mind letting me talk with Naruto for a bit?”



“Huh?” Suigetsu blinked for a moment before his face split into a wide smile. “Ohhhh…No, I don’t mind.”



Leaning over to whisper in Naruto’s ear, Suigetsu grinned devilishly. “Let me know if he has a Prince Albert.”



Nagato was pretty sure he and Naruto shared an equally red face, only neither could see. Suigetsu would have known that Nagato’s hearing was strong enough to have picked up the whisper. “Would you walk with me, Naruto?”



“Uh…sure, I guess.” Naruto stood and took Nagato’s offered hand.



Nagato lead them through the building until they reached the atrium. The sun shown down through several windows and the room was warm despite the cold winter day. “So, what did you want to talk about?” Asked Naruto as he settled beside Nagato on one of the love seats dotting the room.



“I heard you might leave us soon?” Nagato chose his words carefully, not wanting to scare Naruto off before he could let him know how he felt.



“Yeah…Dr. Tsunade said that if my eyesight continues to improve, at this rate I’ll leave in a month or two.” Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously, making Nagato smile. He could feel the movement and the nervousness in his companion. It mirrored his own internal turmoil.



“That’s good.” Nagato said, reaching a hand to take Naruto’s. “You should be happy.”



Naruto swallowed audibly. “I am. You were right. I shouldn’t have said I wanted to stay blind.”



“I was wrong too.”



“About what?” Naruto asked.



“I want to get to know you…I shouldn’t have pushed you away but I was afraid, confused, and surprised when you kissed me,” Nagato began. “I know you’re leaving soon but I want to make the most of the time we have here to see if there is anything there. I don’t think I could live with myself without knowing.”



Naruto’s breath caught in his throat. “You want to…date me?”



“Well…I suppose you could say that.” It was Nagato’s turn to be nervous.



“What about what you said…you know, about being my councilor?” Naruto’s hand tightened on Nagato’s.



“I’m not your councilor anymore. As long as we are discreet, we can get to know each other.” Nagato slid closer to Naruto, lifting a hand tentatively to his face. “You’ve felt my face, can I feel yours?”



Naruto nodded as Nagato’s hands lifted to his hair, burrowing through the thickness. Nagato closed his sightless eyes at the texture of the soft locks. His hands lowered, running over smooth ears and earning a giggle from Naruto. “Ticklish?”



“A little,” Naruto mumbled.



Nagato locked the information away for later. Continuing his exploration, he pressed his fingers to Naruto’s brow. The skin was smooth. Running his fingers down the bridge of Naruto’s nose, he smirked at the memory of Naruto’s initial response upon feeling the piercings through his nose.



Naruto was beautiful. It was the only way he could describe him. It wasn’t his skin or his hair or his features. It was a feeling he got when he touched him. It was Naruto’s bright personality. When Naruto was happy, everyone was happy. When Naruto was sad, everyone felt it.



Nagato leaned in, rubbing his lips over Naruto’s then pulling back. It wasn’t much of a kiss--more like a gentle brushing of lips. “Want to give it a try?”



Naruto opened, then closed his mouth with a snap. “I’d like that.”



“Can I ask a favor?” Nagato linked their fingers. “Call me Nagato.”



~*~



The next few weeks were wonderful for Naruto. His eyesight was steadily improving. It also held dread. The more he improved, the shorter his time with Nagato would be. They both felt it and the stolen kisses increased in desperation.



Need warred with discretion as Naruto was currently grinding down on Nagato’s lap--sharing a stolen moment together. Naruto had taken to keeping his eyes closed when with Nagato. He’d told him he didn’t want to see him until he could do so clearly. He knew Nagato had red hair and piercings but that was the extent of his knowledge.



“Naruto…ah…you need to stop.” Nagato’s breathless words only drove Naruto on. For the past few weeks, he’d been allowed to touch and kiss Nagato. It left him particularly horny most of the time.



“Why?” Naruto panted, sucking on the earrings along the shell of Nagato’s ear.



“I’m…” Nagato moaned desperately when Naruto’s hand pressed down into Nagato’s crotch, rubbing the hardness. “Naruto…”



Naruto pressed down on the knee he straddled, determined to make Nagato come. His control was usually astounding. It annoyed Naruto when he would be left breathless but Nagato remained apparently calm. His parents were coming to discharge him the next day. He’d been deemed fit to return home. His eyesight was still terrible but was improving every day. It would probably have decent vision by the start of summer.



“Nagato…I need to cum…” Naruto gasped, jerking his hips into Nagato’s thigh desperately.



The words seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Pein shoved Naruto from his lap and onto his desk. A few Braille books he had situated on the desk tumbled to the ground. His hands immediately worked open Naruto’s jeans. His hands trembled as he fisted the length.



Naruto arched high on the desk. “Nagato!”



Nagato’s lips brushed along the head before engulfing Naruto in a warm, wet mouth. Naruto was embarrassed at how hard and close he got after only a few sucks. He’d had blow jobs by both men and women but none compared to this. Nagato’s tongue stroked around the head, the piercing teasing Naruto to even taller heights.



Stars danced behind his closed eyes as Naruto’s hips jerked upward in several uncontrolled thrusts, cum shooting from his tip in an orgasm neither man was prepared for. Nagato choked a little, pulling back to swallow what he could.



Naruto blushed crimson. “I’m sorry…It just hit me.”



Nagato coughed a little. “It’s alright. You taste good.”



Naruto’s blush deepened. It was the first time they’d gone beyond kissing and light touching. He masturbated regularly just to take the edge off and he’d still cum like it was his first time. Deciding to do the same for Nagato, he reached for the other‘s tented trousers. “Let me…”



Nagato obviously had no will to deny him as Naruto crouched between his spread legs. Naruto lowered the zipper and dipped his hand inside to find the pierced arousal. His fingers traced the piercing, noting the location and size. “You do have a piercing here but it doesn’t feel like a Prince Albert.



“It’s…a frenum piercing…” Nagato cried out as Naruto lowered his lips to suck at the metal barbell he’d discovered with his hands. “I…I’m thinking of using m-my last three piercings to create a ladder.”



Naruto arched his brow, imagining what Nagato would look like with several of the same piercings down the length of his penis. It was an arousing thought. “I like that thought.”



Naruto returned his lips to the piercing. Nagato went wild when the bit of metal was teased. It was placed in a highly erogenous zone and Nagato was certainly showing the effects it had on him. He tongued the piercing once more before nibbling across the head. Engulfing it in his mouth, he sucked on the head while his hand ran up the shaft. Bucking of hips forced him to place a hand on Nagato to keep from choking.



There was a low, pleading whine followed by his name before warmth began flooding his mouth. He was more prepared for it than Nagato, swallowing quickly. Nagato’s body shook with each swallow until he collapsed in the chair, exhausted.



Naruto laid his head on Nagato’s thigh, sighing. “My parents are coming to get me tomorrow.”



“I know.”



“I might not see you for a while,” Naruto continued.



“I know.”



“I want to be with you. I think I’m in love with you but I want to ask you a favor.” Naruto lifted his head from Nagato’s lap. “I don’t want to see you until I can really see you.”



Nagato frowned. “What do you mean?”



“I’m not going to come see you until I can see you clearly. I didn’t want to gradually see you. I wanted to actually see you. We can talk on the phone. I’ll make sure you have my number. I just…I just want my first look at you to be amazing.”



Nagato smiled. Naruto was a bit of a romantic. “What if you don’t like what you see?”



“I’ve felt you with my hands. I love what I feel.” Naruto leaned in to kiss Nagato--tasting each other on their lips.



“It’s not the same thing.” Nagato chuckled running his hands down Naruto’s face.



“I know but you could look like the elephant man and I would still love you.” Naruto paused with an arch of his brow. “Well…maybe not the elephant man, but you get the idea.”



Nagato nuzzled his face into Naruto’s neck. “Yeah…I get the idea.”



~*~



Naruto pulled the borrowed vehicle into the parking spaces outside the clinic. It felt different being able to see the place with his eyes. The exterior seemed almost bland. Then again, the residents weren’t exactly much on visual beauty so much as input relayed by the other senses.



It had been a long and hard three months, full of tests and procedures. He still saw Dr. Tsunade every few weeks for progress check ups but his vision had almost completely returned. It wasn’t as good as before. Images farther away remained slightly blurry and he needed glasses to read but it was a small price to pay to be able to drive a car, watch a movie, or read a book. The first moment he’d seen Sasuke clearly, he’d nearly kissed his friend.



Sasuke had promptly slugged him before hugging him until his breath nearly stilled in his chest. After their not quite tearful exchange, Sasuke had shown off his replacement car. Instead of an amazingly fast sports car, he found a large, crimson SUV. Naruto had proceeded to collapse with laughter. It appeared Fugaku Uchiha wasn’t going to take chances with his son’s life even if Naruto’s accident was a one in a million chance.



“There’s nothing to be afraid of.” He muttered, killing the engine of the borrowed SUV. He smirked a little in memory of Sasuke’s face when he’d asked to borrow the SUV. Under threat of bodily harm if he came back with one scratch on his person, Naruto had left the Uchiha estate in the driver’s seat of the SUV.



His hands shook a little. The only image of Nagato he had was the one his mind created from touch. He would love him regardless. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t movie star gorgeous but there was still that little tingle rushing through him.



“Naruto?”



Naruto glanced up at the familiar voice of the clinic administrator. She was stunning. He hadn’t realized she was pierced until she walked close enough for him to see the labret situated below her full lower lip. She’d had the voice of a hard ass but her features could be considered worthy of modeling. “Shit, if I’d have known you were this gorgeous, I’d have hit on you more.”



Konan glared playfully at Naruto before pulling him into a warm embrace. “Why do you think I work with the blind? It saves on sexual harassment suits.”



“I bet. Thanks for helping me out. I know what we were doing was kinda against the rules.” Naruto had the grace to blush.



“If anyone asks, tell them your relationship came about after you were discharged.” Konan gestured for him to follow her in the building.



“Does he know I’m here?” Naruto asked nervously.



Konan shook her head. “No. I thought you might like to surprise him. He’s been a bit down since you left.”



“He didn’t sound upset when we talked.” Naruto mused, following her through the halls. He’d nearly learned them by heart but it felt different walking through them with working eyes. He equated it to the sensation of driving through the same area in both day and night--even familiar areas look different.



Konan smiled sadly. “Of course he didn’t sound upset with you. I’m sure he was happy talking with you. It’s every other hour of the day he’s miserable. It wasn’t like he went home to you every night. He got to speak with you for a few minutes every other day or so. It’s not the same thing. He’s afraid, you know. I know my Nagato. He’s afraid now that you have your sight, you won’t want a damaged person. It’s hard for the seeing to live with a blind person. You know the drill. Everything has to always be kept in it’s exact position. It's easy to become frustrated with each other.”



“I understand but…I think about him all the time. I want to be with him.” Naruto ran his hands through his hair. “I miss being with him. Hearing his heartbeat. Kissing him.”



“I like you Naruto. You’re a smart guy.” Konan led Naruto into the common room where several people were talking. He closed his eyes, trying to place the voices.



“I know those steps…Naruto! Dude! You never call. You never write. I thought we were buds.” Suigetsu exclaimed, jumping to his feet and moving in their direction.



“I’ll leave you to catch up. When you’re ready, Suigetsu knows where Nagato is.” Konan patted Naruto on the back before disappearing down the hallway.



“Sui.” Naruto grunted as he was pulled into a hug. “Sorry, I’ve been busy with doctors.”



“Yeah, yeah. You always did make excuses. Everyone, Naruto’s here for a visit.” Suigetsu led him towards were several people were seated. Exclamations and welcomes were exchanged. Even though Naruto’s sight had been returned, he was welcomed as one of their own. It took a moment but soon he had faces to connect with all too familiar voices. “You remember Neji, Shino, Gaara, and the slut.”



“The slut has a name, you ass wipe,” snarled Karin as she jabbed at Suigetsu with the end of her white tipped cane.



“So…you admit you’re a slut?” Sui winced as the cane landed again with a crack.



“You two never change,” Naruto chuckled before leaning in whisper in Suigetsu’s ear. “What about Gaara and…you know.”



“I heard that, idiot.” Gaara mumbled. The redhead goth lifted a small device.



“Pein bought Gaara a top of the line iPod with every song from the dude’s collection on it. Now he can burst his eardrums out without us having to suffer through it as well. Win-win. We even put up Gaara’s old stereo here in the common room.” Suigetsu smirked in Naruto’s direction. “Now, as sure as I am of this all being fascinating to you…don’t you have another reason for being here?”



“Are you sure you’re blind, Sui?” Naruto grinned broadly. “Where is he?”



“He’s out in the garden. He sits out there a lot since the weather warmed up.” Suigetsu settled back in the plush sofa. “Can you find it on your own or do you need me to lead you around like a lost puppy again?”



“I think I can find it.” Naruto chuckled, closing his eyes. It would be easier without the visual cues. He worked his way down the appropriate hallway towards the garden.



When he finally opened his eyes and was standing before the door leading into the central garden, his nerves returned in full force. This was it. He would finally see Nagato with his eyes. He would be able to put a face to the silky baritone voice. Taking a breath, he stepped into the garden.



Moving slowly through the area, he closed his eyes at the soft scent of roses and azaleas. He was surprised the entire building wasn’t outside enjoying the outdoor smells. He scanned the area, spotting a figure seated on a bench beneath a tree. Breathing out slowly, he closed the distance between them.



The light filtered through the branches, lighting up the highlights in Nagato’s ginger hair and catching on the silver piercings dotting his face. Almond shaped eyes were closed, his face lifted to take in the warm sun to combat the slight chill still remaining in the Spring afternoon. He was beautiful. If Naruto had been amazed at Konan’s appearance, he was doubly so at the sight of Nagato.



As he stepped closer, Nagato’s head shot in his direction. Pale gray eyes opened to stare sightless in his direction. His eyes seemed to be made of the same material as the stars. He‘d never considered himself the type to write poetry but Nagato's eyes were worthy of such praise. The light glittered in the gray depths like stars in the early morning sky before being dispelled by the rising sun.



“Can I help you?”



Naruto smiled, settling beside Nagato. “I hope so.”



“N-Naruto?” Nagato reached a tentative hand towards Naruto, his fingers pressing to his face in almost desperation.



“Yeah…I missed you.” Naruto wrapped his arms around Nagato, burying his face in the sun warmed neck.



“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Nagato whispered.



“I wanted to surprise you. Surprise.” Naruto smiled at the annoyed look crossing Nagato’s face as he pulled back. “I didn’t want you to worry yourself into a fit. I’m looking at you now and I think you’re wonderful.”



Naruto reached up to trace his boyfriend’s pale features. He started at his brow, moving down his nose, and finally to his lips. “Just like I imagined.”



“Liar,” Nagato chuckled.



Naruto pouted for a moment. “It’s true. I imagined you as perfect and I’m not disappointed.”



“Naruto…I have to ask.” Nagato’s voice took on a tone of seriousness. “Now that you can see, are you sure you want to continue this?”



“I knew you were going to say that and I don’t even have to think about it. Yes, I’m sure. I mean, we won’t get to spend every day with each other since I still have another year at the university but I’m going to get a part time job during the week to pay for a car so I won’t have to keep borrowing the bastard’s car.” Naruto nuzzled his lips against Nagato’s jaw. “After this last year though, I’m moving in so you better be ready.”



“You’re pretty sure of yourself. What makes you think I’ll still want you after a year?” Nagato asked.



“Well, I know you don’t want me for my looks so I guess I’ll just have to woo you with my debonair personality.” Naruto growled playfully.



Nagato took a deep breath. “I’m blind. I’m horrible to live with. I can’t cook at all. I’m worse than a woman about the seat being left up. I have terrible morning breath. Are you sure you want to be involved with someone like me?”



“I'm positive. The only thing that could make me leave you is for you to tell me you don’t want me. Tell me now and I’ll leave and never bother you again.” Naruto was serious. He would exhaust every argument but if Nagato insisted, he would go and never come back.



“Then I suppose I should warn you. The entirety of the residents in this building has been listening in on our conversation.” Nagato jerked his head towards where a crowd had gathered several feet away.



“Geez…you knew they were there the entire time? Looks like I’ve officially lost my super human hearing,” Naruto sighed dejectedly.



The entire building was awaiting the outcome. Konan, Neji, Karin, Shino, Konan, Suigetsu, and even Gaara all snickered at their presence finally being acknowledged. “Could you guys give us some privacy?” Naruto asked plaintively.



“No way, dude. This is the most excitement we’ve had since Karin discovered she had crabs.” Suigetsu stated, promptly releasing a yelp as Karin’s cane connected with his leg.



“Asshole! I’ve never had a venereal disease but I can’t say the same for you!” She shouted loudly.



“Ouch, bitch! You better run or I’m going to pound you so hard you won’t know what hit you.” Suigetsu yelled in Karin’s direction.



“Promises. Promises,” Karin intoned.



Suigetsu froze, obviously mentally playing the words over in his head. The pale skin of his face burst into color and Naruto’s eyes grew large before he doubled over in laughter. The look on Suigetsu’s face was priceless. He only wished the rest of the crowd could see it.



“Fuck…I didn’t mean it like that. I wouldn’t touch your cooch with a ten foot pole!” Naruto knew better though. That was Suigetsu speech for 'just you wait until we’re alone'.



“Well…since we aren’t getting any privacy…Will you give me a chance? I know I’m going to make mistakes and leave something out or misplace your favorite cup but I really want to give us a chance.” Naruto lowered his lips, brushing them across Nagato’s in a kiss similar to their first so many months ago.



“Give me a chance.” Naruto traced his fingers around the sightless eyes. The light twinkled in the gray depths like tiny stars. It was a shame such beautiful eyes were blind.



“Pein, if you don’t give him a chance, you’ll regret it just like I regret calling Karin a slut.” Suigetsu rubbed his bruised shin with a grimace.



“How can I say no to that?” Nagato chuckled, reaching up to trace his fingers across Naruto’s face.



“Now that’s settled…who’s up for ice cream? The kitchen has Rocky Road!” Suigetsu clapped his hands together, effectively signally the end of the show as the idling people made their way back inside.



Naruto lifted his hand to Nagato’s face. “How about that ice cream?”



Nagato chuckled, “Our first official date is ice cream in the cafeteria of a blind school.”



“I love the ice cream here.” Naruto said, pulling Nagato to his feet. “Does this mean I get to be the one leading you around now?”



“Only if you want to get us lost.” Nagato slipped his arm through Naruto’s just as when he’d lived at the school. “I’ll lead.”



“Fine, Leader. Lead the way.”



Their strides adjusted to match each other and the two took the first steps in their life as a couple. The joining of Nagato and Naruto was cause for much gossip amongst both the employees and residents. Every weekend found Naruto at the school where Nagato resided. The beginning wasn’t problem free but they faced their problems instead of running from them. The stars had shone down on them showing that even in adversity, good things did in fact happen to good people.



The End.