Full Circle

Full Circle

chapter 14

"How about we all go out somewhere today," Sasuke suggested over breakfast the next morning. "Things can get kind of boring around here and I'm sure you want to keep your guest entertained on the last day of his stay, right Naruto?"

"That sounds like a good idea. Takara will be over pretty soon though. We should wait for him. "

"Of course we will. What sort of kid friendly activity should we try?" Sasuke agreed good naturedly. Naruto's eyes lit up immediately and Neji and Sasuke both braced themselves for the outburst that was surely about to come.

"Let's go to the BEACH!!" Naruto crowed, bouncing excitedly in his seat at the breakfast table. "I haven't been to the beach in forever!"

Sasuke considered the possibility of an entire day with Naruto in a swimsuit and no Sai in sight. Yes, this could be a most excellent idea... He chuckled quietly, holding back a much more frightening bout of maniacal laughter.

"That sounds perfect Naruto. What do you think Hyuuga san?" Neji nodded evenly and Sasuke inwardly cackled once again. "We should start getting everything ready right after breakfast. I'll go to the kitchen in a few minutes and have the cook start preparing some food to take with us."

"What about Sai?" Naruto asked. "Should we wait for him too?" Sasuke leaned in close to murmur discreetly in the blond's ear.

"Don't worry about Sai. I couldn't help but notice that your friend doesn't seem to care for him much, so I've already asked him to allow us this day to ourselves. He won't be coming over regardless."

"Oh... Okay then." Naruto sounded quite surprised at this information. He gave Sasuke a curious look, almost calculating. But a moment later he just nodded, unable to find any fault with his logic. Neji's disdain for Sai really was rather obvious.

When Takara showed up with an enthusiastic hug for all three of them, Naruto told him of their plans for the day. The smallest Uchiha was ecstatic! Before he could completely fly off the handle though, Sasuke told him that he should go and ask his father, just to make sure it was alright and he zipped off again to find Itachi. A short while later, armed with towels, blanket, umbrellas and picnic basket, along with some pails, shovels and a beach ball for Takara... and Naruto, they were off for the day.

The best (which mostly meant least crowded because it wasn't really a tourist spot) beach in the area was actually a large rock-lined inlet filled with imported sand. Takara wasted no time in dashing across the sand, kicking up a wave of it behind him.

Meanwhile back at the ranch….

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“Ah, hello sir,” said a cheerful Sai to the Uchiha’s butler. “I’m just here looking for Sasuke.”

“Oh, I’m afraid Master Sasuke has gone out for the day with Uzumaki sama and Hyuuga sama. Perhaps you could call again tomorrow?”

Sai politely thanked the man and assured him that he would do so. Then he turned and sauntered back down the front walk with a thoughtful smirk on his face.

“Hmm… Nicely played Sasuke kun, but the next move is mine.”

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The beach may have been less crowded than the usual tourist spots but on a day like this, it was by no means deserted and the little group of three rich, good looking young men and one adorable child drew quite a few curious stares as they picked their way across the hot sand to a nice out-of-the-way spot. After setting out their huge beach blanket and strategically placing a couple of big umbrellas, (with Uchiha fans on them that drew even more attention) Naruto and Takara immediately stripped off their shirts. Naruto sighed with pleasure at the feeling of the sun warming his bare skin and Takara sat at the edge of the blanket, yanking off his sandals and dug his toes into the sand with relish.

Neji and Sasuke each sought refuge in the shade as they searched through their bags for sunscreen. Neji pulled out his in an aerosol canister and shook it up, drawing Takara’s gaze at the rattling sound. The boy watched in fascination as the Hyuuga began to spray a coating over his skin.

“Can I try?” he asked. Sasuke looked over and snorted.

“That stuff doesn’t work.”

“It gives a more even coat,” Neji answered as he handed the can to Takara.

“Yeah. Then it needs to be reapplied at the slightest hint of sweat or water.” He began to rub a generous glob of his own (maximum spf) sunscreen on his pale skin. Neji just shrugged and waited with mild amusement until Sasuke got to the point on his back that he couldn’t reach.

“And now you have ‘that’ problem.”

Sasuke glared at his too innocent tone that announced more surely than anything that the Hyuuga loved to be right.

“I’ll help you with that Sasuke,” Naruto chimed in. Taking the bottle from Sasuke’s hand, he settled behind him, without waiting for an answer, which he suspected might never come from the proud Uchiha anyway. Sasuke suppressed a shiver at the first touch of the blond’s cool hands to his sensitive skin and managed to smirk at the Hyuuga.

“Yeah. Now I have ‘that’ problem,” he said in a playfully gloating voice.

Neji raised an eyebrow at this uninhibited show of enjoyment of the blond’s proximity. He hadn’t expected such an off-hand admission from his friend’s stoic fiancé. Perhaps Itachi had been correct in his assertions after all. Absently, he thought back to their conversation the night before.

Itachi had apologized for his ‘uncomfortable comment’, though it hadn’t seemed overly sincere since the older man still clearly enjoyed the flustered reaction he’d gotten from the usually composed Hyuuga. He’d explained that the relief he felt at the idea of being a ‘free man’ again was driving him to flirt like a shameless teenager. This statement, coming in such a serious tone from a man that he was almost certain had ‘never’ acted like a shameless teenager in his life, had been rather mind-boggling. But now, thinking about it after the fact, Neji could barely hold back a grin at the idea of the further scandal it would cause when the news came out that not only was the main Uchiha heir filing for divorce, but he was ‘driven to flirt shamelessly’ with young men at random. He wondered, with a quiet chuckle, whether the Uchiha patriarch was yet aware of this development.

When Neji had collected his wits enough to tactfully bring up his concerns about his friend’s engagement, Itachi had very seriously attempted to allay his doubts about Sasuke.

“He really does care for him a lot,” the elder Uchiha had assured. “It’s just taken him awhile to realize it. I can almost guarantee that when all’s said and done, they will work out together splendidly. Naruto kun is good for my little brother and I have faith that Sasuke will take very good care of him… as soon as he learns to fully appreciate what he has.”

While Neji was still a little wary of that last cryptic phrase, he was inclined to tentatively agree that Sasuke did seem to have some feelings for Naruto.

“Damn that feels niiiice…” Sasuke mentally groaned as Naruto worked the lotion into his skin with smooth caressing strokes. He could have spent the rest of his life just sitting there, letting Naruto touch him. Well, sitting that long might get a little uncomfortable actually. Maybe he could lay down after a bit. Mmmm… Laying down with Naruto … and touching.

Just as his mind was starting to slip into the gutter, he remembered his fiance’s original request to take things slow, as far as the physical went. At the time, he’d been quite happy about that idea… What had he been thinking?!

Naruto finished with the lotion and sat back, looking in bemusement at Sasuke’s slumped form. He was amazed that the Uchiha had relaxed so readily and so completely when he was touching him like that. Not long ago, a simple hug had made him stiffen up like a statue. Maybe he was really starting to lighten up and get more comfortable around him. Naruto didn’t want to get his hopes up. Sasuke had been sending him a lot of mixed signals and the guy was really hard to figure out. He really did seem to be acting differently these past few days though.

Sasuke looked up with a tiny frown as the blond boy moved away, without a word, to his own corner of the blanket and began to rub the sunscreen into his own skin. Normally he could’ve expected a smile and a teasing remark but Naruto had seemed more reserved with him ever since Neji had shown up.

He refused to feel too discouraged though and quickly offered to return the favour and reach Naruto’s back for him. The way the blond tensed at the first contact caused another little frown, but he chose to concentrate instead on the feeling of smooth, sun-warmed skin beneath his fingertips.

Naruto cut the treatment off abruptly before it could turn into a full-on massage, jumping up and calling Takara to come build a sand castle with him. Sasuke sighed as he watched them run off with pails and shovels, laughing happily.

Neji just sprawled out on the shaded part of the blanket and flipped open a book while Sasuke watched Naruto and his nephew find the perfect spot to start building. They seemed to be having a grand time… without him. Some while later, Sasuke had lost track of time but the castle had begun to take shape nicely. He was still keeping an eye on their interactions with a faint smile when a volley ball from the game nearby, rolled over the sand toward the industrious duo and came to a stop at Naruto’s foot. A tall, muscular guy came jogging up to them and Naruto tossed him the ball with a smile.

Sasuke found his frown returning when, instead of just leaving, the guy tucked the ball under one bronzed arm, striking a casual pose and seemed to be starting up a conversation. The Uchiha managed to remain seated for a few more minutes before he finally got up and stalked over. As if he didn’t already have enough problems with Sai. Neji watched him take off out of the corner of his eye and gave a little smirk.

“Hey guys,” Sasuke casually announce his presence as he approached the small gathering around the castle. “It’s starting to look pretty good.”

“Uncle Sasu!” Takara squealed. “You like our castle? We’re gonna have a moat and everything! Uncle Naru says that part has to wait ‘til last though.”

“Yeah, I like it a lot. You’re doing a great job there chibi,” Sasuke agreed. He turned to Naruto, ignoring the buff volley ball player. “I just came over to ask if you two wanted to take a break for lunch.”

“Hmm?” Naruto looked up at the sky, noting the sun’s position. “I suppose it is about that time now. I am kind of hungry. What do you think buddy?”

“Can we finish after?”

“Sure chibi,” said Sasuke. “Actually, it’s better that way. You can’t go in the water for a half hour after you eat, so it’ll give you something to do.”

“Okay, let’s go eat then. It was nice meeting you.” Naruto waved politely to the nice stranger and followed a bouncing Takara back over to where Neji was waiting. Sasuke took his place beside the blond with an inward grin, resisting the urge to look back at that idiot who dared to try and chat up his fiancé. Shot ‘down’ Sucka!

Lunch was a simple affair. The cook had considerately created the kind of meal that was least likely to somehow get sand stuck in it. Afterward though, Sasuke presented the object of his affections with his favourite desert. A small smile of amusement tugged at his lips when blue eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Ah! Thank you Sasuke!” Naruto literally, threw himself at the Uchiha, hugging the breath out of him before taking his precious cannoli and practically making love to it in the usual way that never failed to bring a slight pink hue to Sasuke’s cheeks.

“Oh, no. It’s ‘my’ pleasure,” Sasuke thought to himself. “Dear God! When did my brain start working like this?” He’d never really been attracted to someone before. Who knew he’d turn out to be such a perve when it finally happened?

"Hey chibi," he said, turning to Takara to distract himself. "You want a flag for your castle?" Grabbing a toothpick and carefully tearing a triangular piece from one of the napkins, he threaded the small stick through the paper and presented the little boy with his flag. Takara was delighted and demanded that Uncle Sasu make him a flag for each tower. So Sasuke set to work making three more little flags.

"Look what Uncle Sasu made for us!" said Takara, waving the little flags in Naruto's face.

"Yeah I see. Great idea Sasuke." He gave the Uchiha a warm smile.

"Thanks," Sasuke mumbled.

"You want to help us finish our castle Uncle Sasu?" Takara asked, already bouncing in place, clearly ready to get going. Sasuke glanced at Naruto, who was smiling back at him expectantly.

"Sure chibi. Sounds like fun," he answered, ruffling the boy's hair.

When the castle was finished, it really was quite the architectural wonder. Neji, who had been dragged over for a viewing by Takara, declared it the very nicest sand castle he'd ever laid eyes on. Sasuke had dug out the camera to take a picture of the masterpiece, promising the little boy that Itachi would get his very own copy. Then Neji had taken the camera from him and instructed the three of them to stand behind the castle while he took another picture of them all together.

They spent the rest of the afternoon wading and swimming and chasing each other over the sand. Naruto and Sasuke played a game of catch in the water, using Takara as the ball. The little boy would scream as he was thrown through the air by one, landing in the water with a big splash. Then he would splutter when the other pulled him back up and breathlessly beg them to do it again. By the time they were ready to go home, they were all pleasantly exhausted and Takara fell asleep in the car on the way back. Sasuke passed the sleeping boy, directly to his father when they got out of the car and Itachi took him upstairs, apparently deciding not to bother bringing him home.

After a late supper, they all said their goodnights and Naruto, giving a long stretch and a yawn, headed off toward the pool-house while Sasuke started for the stairs. He was stopped however, by Neji.

"I'll be leaving in the morning Uchiha, and I just wanted to tell you that I think you have the potential to make Naruto happy. He seems to like you and I think you do care about him. So congratulations on your engagement."

"Thank you Hyuuga," Sasuke answered automatically through his surprise.

"You're welcome. But of course, if you were to make him 'unhappy'..." Neji gave him a meaningful look and Sasuke smirked.

"I understand." The two nodded to each other and went their separate ways. "Actually that Hyuuga's not bad guy," Sasuke thought to himself as he entered his room. "I rather like him."



(A/N; Ok, so I realize that you guys have been waiting awhile. The Christmas season doesn't count of course. I don't know how anyone gets anything done at that time of year. Mainly though, I've been having some serious technical difficulties since then. As you can see though, while I haven't been uploading, it doesn't mean that I haven't been writing anything. So now that I've finally nursed my computer back to health, I decided to type it all up and edit it all together so that I could just throw it at you at once. Hey, I know a triple update would make 'me' excited. So read on my children and enjoy.)