Surviving a Zombie Apocalypse

Chapter 13: Born this Way

That night at dinner was a very quiet affair. Everyone sat with their heads bowed, and about halfway through dinner Naruko got up and left. A little after she left, Sasuke vacated the table too, and Naruto followed him to make sure he was all right.

"Koishii," the blond called softly, but his boyfriend didn't turn around. Naruto sighed.

"Sasuke."

Silence.

"Sasuke?"

Still no answer.

"Goddammit, temee, talk to me!"

"What is there to talk about?!" snapped the raven-haired teenager, turning as quickly as he could while on crutches. "Naruto, don't you see what's going to happen? Our fathers are going to give us a long lecture about how 'being gay isn't okay,' and then they're going to make sure that we never see each other again! That's what Father did with Itachi and his last boyfriend, and that's what's going to happen to us!" He was shaking, though whether from fear or anger Naruto didn't know. "Father's going to put spies on us to make sure that we don't!"

Naruto stood there, shocked.

"So you're just gonna give up, Sasuke?" he said finally, his quiet voice shaking with emotion. "Everything between us… You're just gonna give it all up?!"

"What other option is there!?" Sasuke yelled at him.

"Screw the parents, 'ttebayo!" answered the blond angrily. "If we love each other enough, we can get through anything! Or was all of this just for shits and giggles?"

The other boy looked taken aback, and his dark blue eyes widened. Then he hung his head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," he whispered, tears crystalline in appearance slipping slowly down his cheeks. "This… this is real. I love you, a lot, and I don't want what we have to get taken away. This is just… just extremely stressful. I didn't want Father to find out yet… Oh fuck, Naruto, what's going to happen to us?"

The blond walked to his boyfriend and held the raven's trembling body in his arms.

"I dunno, 'ttebayo," he murmured in Sasuke's ear, "but as long as we have each other we can face anything they throw at us. Why don't we go to bed? It's been a long day, and we could probably use the sleep."

The raven nodded wearily and let Naruto pick him up bridal style.

Back in their room, Naruto deposited his boyfriend gently on the bed and tucked him in. Sasuke was already asleep, and Naruto was about to join him in bed when he heard a knock on the door. Full of trepidation, he went to answer it. It would be his father, disowning him and kicking him out…

It was Naruko. Naruto's blood began to boil.

"What?" he said tersely. "I'm tired, and I wanna sleep."

"Just please listen to me, Naruto," his sister said pleadingly. "I'm really sorry that I outed you and Sasuke. I was just so angry at Kyuu-nii that I said the first thing that came to mind-"

"And the first thing that came to mind was essentially 'Your youngest sons are gay for each other'?" the blond hissed with such venom that Naruko stepped back. "Goddammit, d'you know what you've done!? You're causing us unneeded stress in the middle of an already exponential crisis, 'ttebayo! I'm as scared as hell of our dads' reactions, Sasuke almost had an asthma attack worrying about our dads' reactions this afternoon, and I blame you! You outed us before we were ready to tell our fathers! And then you come and apologize and think that everything's gonna be all rainbows and sunshine again!? No! If you want to apologize, try putting yourself in our position first! And apologize when we're both awake! Now get the fuck away from the door, and let me go to sleep!"

He shut the door in Naruko's shocked, pale face and took a deep breath to calm himself before climbing into Sasuke's bed next to him and putting his arm over the raven's body in a protective gesture. His boyfriend sighed in his sleep and snuggled closer to Naruto's warm body. Despite the seriousness of their situation, the blond smiled gently.

"I love you, S'uke…"

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Two days later, Sasuke finally got the cast off, and could now walk without crutches, albeit with a just noticeable limp. In celebration, even though they were both stressed because of the unknown impending consequences of Naruko's outing of their relationship, he took Naruto on a walk to the lake in the middle of the Uchiha compound.

"Wow, I didn't know you had a lake in the middle of your compound, 'ttebayo!" Naruto whistled. "Do you have an onsen too?"

"Actually, yes," said Sasuke, pointing to an area just beyond the lake, where steam rose up from behind a bamboo thicket. "Do you want to go over there?"

"Do I!?" cheered Naruto, dragging his boyfriend along. "I was just kidding when I asked, but hell yeah!"

Sasuke chuckled.

"You are utterly hopeless," he said, amused.

"And that's why you love me," quipped Naruto.

"True enough," agreed the raven-haired teenager, one of those infrequent genuine smiles gracing his rosy lips.

When they got to the onsen, they exchanged their clothes for two white yukata and two towels and gratefully sank into the steaming water.

"Oh wow, 'ttebayo," sighed Naruto. "It's been months since I've actually felt this relaxed. We should do this more often…"

"Well, seeing as it's owned by one of my uncles and his wife, we are pretty much guaranteed access whenever we want," Sasuke replied. "Besides, I come here frequently, as it seems to help with my asthma. Now how did you get out of training?"

"I snuck away," said Naruto, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, which in retrospect, it really was.

Just then, the water rippled, startling the two boys.

"That wasn't you, was it?" asked the blond.

"No," replied his raven-haired lover. "You?"

"No," said Naruto, suddenly on edge. "Who's there?"

"Relax, Naruto," said a familiar voice, "it's just me."

Naruto's sky blue eyes widened in shock.

"Dad?" he asked.

"Right in one, kiddo," said Minato, coming over and giving his son a noogie.

"Ow, ow, ow!" cried Naruto, trying to push him off. "I'm not five anymore, Dad! Argh! Get off, 'ttebayo!"

Sasuke watched bemusedly. Were all the Uzumaki-Namikazes so immature? At this time, Minato noticed him and stopped noogie-ing Naruto and grinned.

"Hey, Sasuke-chan," he said amiably. "How is your leg feeling?"

"It's feeling fine, thanks," said the raven, feeling a bit self-conscious because he was naked and a little irritated but by now resigned to the fact that he would never be able to get people to stop calling him "Sasuke-chan". "At least I can get at the itch that has been bugging me for two months now…"

Minato threw back his head and laughed. Sasuke decided that he liked Naruto's dad… Why couldn't Father be more amiable? But then, he thought to himself with a sigh, Uchihas in general weren't very amiable people…

"So how're you feeling otherwise?" the tall man asked, smiling kindly, sitting down a little ways away from the couple.

"We're all right," said Naruto, taking Sasuke's hand in his own. Then he seemed to remember something. "Hey, wait! I thought you weren't talking to me or something because I'm gay, 'ttebayo!"

Minato's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"This is news to me," he said. "Wherever did you get that idea?"

"Well, you seemed angry when Naruko said that Sasuke and I were dating."

"Oh that?" said his father airily. "I'm fine with that. I was just miffed when she said you weren't using condoms. But honestly," he said, his voice becoming more serious, "I couldn't care less if you were dating a boy or a girl, as long as you're happy. You're sixteen, so I think you should have a general idea of who you are already. Besides, I've known for a while, even if your mother was in denial."

Naruto had an amazed expression on his face. He glanced sideways at Sasuke, who felt just as shocked as his boyfriend looked.

"Y-you have?!" he said faintly. "How!?"

"Oh come on, Naruto," said Minato, rolling his eyes. "I'm not that stupid. Most boys have had at least three girlfriends by their senior year, and you haven't had a single one. The only females you've ever kissed are your mother and Naruko, and only ever on the cheek. And did you really think you were hiding those Playgirl magazine subscriptions well?"

Naruto blushed as red as a tomato.

"Dad…" he mumbled, while Sasuke tried not to laugh and failed horribly. "Not in front of my boyfriend… Goddammit, Sasuke, it's not funny!"

"Playgirl?" said his lover, smirking. "Really? That soft-core eye candy?"

"All right," snapped Naruto, "what magazine do you subscribe to that's just sooo much better, temee?"

"Who said I subscribed to any magazines, usuratonkachi?" Sasuke asked coyly, grinning mischievously.

"Way too much information, boys," said Minato, blanching. "I'll leave you to it then. And Naruto," he added to his son, "you really should use a condom."

Naruto threw one of his geta at his dad, who just laughed and ran.

"SCREW YOU, 'TTEBAYO!"

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When they got out, Uchiha Fugaku was waiting for them. Sasuke's breath became trapped in his lungs… He'd almost completely forgotten about his father's reaction to him and Naruto. He steeled himself for something, anything, but all Fugaku said to them was, "Come."

They looked at each other, both with trepidation, each knowing exactly what the other was thinking, and then followed.

Fugaku led them through the hallways of the main house of the Uchiha compound, and they entered a tastefully decorated study, with an enormous oak desk and armchairs and a roaring fire in the grate. This would normally be comforting, but there was another person in the room, an unknown female, and Sasuke had a nasty suspicion that she wasn't there for a tea party.

He was right. As soon as Fugaku sat down, he started in.

"Sasuke, this is your tenth cousin twice removed, Uchiha Shizuka. Her father and I have been talking, and I decided that I made a mistake with Itachi that I will not be making with you. The marriage is already arranged-"

"The what?" Naruto cut in, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Sasuke felt the barely suppressed murderous rage radiating off of him, but if Fugaku or Shizuka noticed, they made no indication.

"-And you are going to be married a week from today. I will not take no for an answer, as I mean to have grandchildren who can carry on the main branch of the Uchiha clan. You are dismissed."

Sasuke felt a lump in his throat and an unpleasant cold shriveling feeling in his stomach. God no, this couldn't be happening. This was worse than he'd ever thought it would be. He barely even noticed when his father turned to Naruto and fixed him with a steely, triumphant glare.

"You, you ungrateful brat, will not touch my youngest son again. He is officially betrothed to someone else, and being intimate with anyone else besides Shizuka from this point on is a violation of the rules of the clan head, namely me."

"No."

The word leapt unbidden from Sasuke's mouth, and his father froze, a muscle twitching in his face.

"Excuse me?" said Fugaku, turning to the raven. "I'm sure I misheard you, Sasuke. Are you defying your father?"

The ebony-haired teenager was shaking from head to toe, not only with fear, but with barely controlled rage. "You heard exactly what I said," he said, in a cold, clear, controlled voice that was entirely at odds with what he was feeling. "I said no. I will not do it. I will not marry someone I have only met in passing on the street. I am not going to marry a girl."

"You will do it!" roared Fugaku. "You have brought shame upon the main branch of this illustrious clan through your unnatural affairs with this boy!" He pointed at Naruto, whose glare rivaled Sasuke's in intensity and killing intent.

"What is unnatural, Father," spat the infuriated teenager, "is how close-minded you are. If you really loved your sons, you wouldn't care about who they fell in love with, or who they let into their beds. Instead you are trying to force me into a relationship that is entirely at odds with who I am, a relationship that would be unfair to all three of us." He indicated himself, Naruto, and Shizuka with a shaking hand. "I am not going to let you break up me and Naruto and walk all over us like you did with Itachi and Shisui."

"What the hell is going on in here?" said a soft and dangerous voice. Everyone turned to see Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato standing in the doorway.

"Ah," said Fugaku, relieved. "Minato, your son needs to learn to respect the decisions of his elders. I have just set up a marriage arrangement between Sasuke and Shizuka, and yet Naruto is impudent enough to think he has a say in the matter."

"Well, quite frankly, Fugaku," said Minato calmly, "seeing as you are threatening his and Sasuke's future together, they both have a say in the matter. I don't see anything good coming out of forcing your son into a relationship with someone he doesn't love. And I'm not going to let you hurt my son either by tearing him apart from the one that he loves."

"They will learn to cope with it, Minato! And they will either get married or I will disown him!"

"Then disown me, you bastard!" Sasuke screamed at his father, finally snapping and throwing away all semblances of formality or of trying to keep himself under control. "It's none of your damn business who the hell I choose to date, or love, or fuck! I will not marry this, this girl that I have no love for and never will! I am gay, and you need to deal with it! And if you can't deal with it, then tough shit!" He felt Naruto squeezing his hand gently, and squeezed back. "I don't care if I came out of your sexual exploits with Mom; you are not my father anymore. A real father would support me and love me no matter what, and you're acting like a five-year-old who just found out he's not getting the toy he wanted so much for his birthday!"

He stormed out, slamming the door so hard that the wooden frame splintered. Naruto followed him after giving Fugaku a look that would kill the most stoic individual, leaving the parents alone with Shizuka.

After an awkward silence, Kushina went over to the pale girl, who looked very uncomfortable.

"Here, honey," she said kindly, "why don't I take you back home? I'll talk to your father for you about annulling the marriage contract, 'ttebane. Wait outside for me."

Shizuka bowed gratefully and walked out, shutting the door softly behind her. When she was gone, Naruto's parents both turned to Fugaku. Minato seemed perfectly calm, except for his eyes, which smoldered with anger, and Kushina was visibly enraged.

"What the hell were you thinking, 'ttebane!?" she snarled at Fugaku, who for the first time looked incredibly weary. He didn't seem to hear her; he put his head in his hands.

"Am I a bad father?" he asked no one in particular. "Did I not bring my sons up the right way? First Itachi and now Sasuke. What did I do wrong?"

"You did nothing wrong in bringing them up," said Minato evenly. "They didn't choose to be gay, or bisexual; they were born the way they are, the same as Kyuubi and Naruto."

"Kyuubi too?!" said Kushina, shocked.

"Now is not the time, Kushina," said Minato. "The point is, your sons both grew up to be strong individuals who will fight for what they believe in and protect those that they care the most about, much like you and Mikoto. The only problem here seems to be with the way you're handling this. You can't bend Itachi or Sasuke to your will. The only thing you can do is figure out if you love your sons enough to get past your homophobic tendencies."

"And if you try to break them up again, 'ttebane," growled Kushina, seeming to have quickly gotten over the shock of finding out that both of her sons harbored feelings for the same sex, "you will answer to us!"

"Now honey," said her husband pleadingly, "please don't make this issue bigger than it already is."

"If he hurts my Naru-chan I swear I'll twist his balls till they pop off!" the red-haired woman shrieked as Minato pulled her out of the study.

"Please don't do anything you'll regret later," he pleaded with Fugaku.

"Are you threatening me, Namikaze?!"

"No, Fugaku," said the blond man softly. "I'm just saying that you shouldn't do anything to further undermine your own relationship with your sons."

They left Fugaku alone with his tumultuous thoughts in the solitude of his study.

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Whaddya know? Love trumps all! Fugaku has a huge chip on his shoulder… What an asshole. Anyways, review!

Oh, and if I offended anyone with my spiel at the end of the last chapter, I am soo not sorry. I may be a generally accepting person at my core, but I do not suffer fools gladly. And by fools I mean Rick Santorum, Fred Phelps, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Rick Perry, and basically anyone who is an extremely fundamentalist gun-toting conservative Christian Republican. All fucking nuts and I can't believe people take them seriously! Don't get me started on Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, or Rush Limbaugh, because I will give you a long tirade about why I hate these morons. Especially Rush Limbaugh. I only tolerate Mitt Romney because his gaffs are funny as hell and it makes The Daily Show with Jon Stewart that much more hilarious. Now review, slave monkeys! Review!

Naruto: 0.0 What the hell?!

Me: 8D Exactly.

Sasuke: 0.0 Wait, that's it?

Me: -_- Whaddya mean, "that's it?" If you mean the chapter, then yes that's it.

Sasuke: 0.0 No hot "I'm-glad-we're-still-together-and-that-I-didn't-get-married-off-to-some-girl-I-barely-know" sex?!

Me: -_- Get your mind out of the gutter, Sasuke. I'm not going to do a shitload of sex scenes just because your libido is working overtime.

Sasuke: :3 Do it for the readers!

Me: 0.0 Uhm, what are you doing?

Sasuke: :3 Begging you for more sex scenes!

Me: 0_0 I was already planning on at least one more sex scene, so you can stop doing that. It scares me when you do that. It's just so… un-Sasuke-ish.

Sasuke: -Does a happy dance- Yes! :)

Me: 0.0 What the hell are you doing now!?

Sasuke: :D A happy dance!

Me: 0.0 A happy dance?

Sasuke: -_- That's what I said. Do you need a hearing aid?

Me: 0.0 No, I need my sedatives. Your dancing is very disturbing, very un-Sasuke-ish, and very stripper-like. –Walks away-

Sasuke: Fine, don't appreciate my dancing skills!

Me: Oh shut up, Mr. My-shit-don't-stink. This chapter's over. Go fuck Naruto or something.

Sasuke: #*_* HEY!

Naruto: :( Hey, I'm the one who does the fucking!

Me: -_- I don't care. One of you needs to fuck the other one so that I can go to sleep! –Pulls the covers over my head and turns out the light-

Sasuke: *_* -Rummaging through his stuff for his kusanagi-

Naruto: -_- If you kill her, the story won't get finished, and we don't get to make out and have sex and I don't get to fuck your brains out.

Sasuke: :( Dammit.

Me: :( Go away, bastards! –Throw shoes at both of them-

Sasuke, Naruto: OW!

Naruto: 0.0 You psycho bitch!

Me: D: Damn right, and I'll be even more psycho if you don't SHUT UP, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM, AND LET ME GO TO SLEEP!

Sasuke, Naruto: 0.0 -Get the fuck out of my room-

Naruto: -Sticks his head back in- But you will let us have hot and kinky sex in the next chapter? 8)

Me: D: -Losing it- YES, GODDAMMIT YOU MOTHERFUCKING BASTARD, YES! NOW GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM AND LET ME SLEEP! –Takes my vibrating alarm clock and throws it at Naruto, who squeaks and slams the door- Great, what have I agreed to? –Thinks- Never mind, I'll deal with it tomorrow. –Goes to sleep-

Oh and I'm sorry for the long delay! I started college, and I've been swamped ever since. So right now I'm using my break to upload a few more chapters!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which you will enjoy or else I'll rip out your spine and beat you to death with it.