Marked By Jutsu

Marked By Jutsu


Part XVI

Gaara

I gazed at his porcelain colored skin compared to my own sun darkened tone. His hand look almost fragile against my rough skin. I saw him move closer to me and I thought he was coming in for a kiss, but his lips brushed right past my cheek and went straight to my ear. I sucked in a breath as I felt hot lips against my neck and ear. He was whispering to me unaware of what he was doing. The Kyuubi plush fell from my hands and rolled from my lap as I shifted closer to him. I was just seeking to run my tongue over the pulse in his neck when a very distraught Sasuke wandered back into the lounge. We both turned at the sound causing me to catch Gaara's lips briefly. He blushed, but said nothing.


"Naruto....." he started and then stopped as if he was embarassed. "I need," another sigh, "I need your help with the song. I need to hear the vocal part to get it correct." He looked angry at himself for having to ask me. He sounded angry too. His voice was low and cut.


I sighed and stood picking my abandoned Kyuubi plush up and hugging it. "I'm not helping you if you start up something." I stated and razzed him before walking out of the lounge.


I sat on a stool in one of the empty studios tossing the microphone while Sasuke tuned his guitar up. For a brief moment I could feel his eyes burning holes in my back, but I ignored it. My acute hearing (thanks to Kyuubi) picked up the sound of him putting down the small tuner.


"You ready now?"


He nodded and started playing the opening riff to the new song we were working on. We went through it a couple of times so he could be sure of the chords, and then we just let go. I always did admire his guitar playing (though I'd never admit it). The sounds of just my voice and his chords made me think back to a few years ago when this was all just a way to blow off steam. Back before all this drama had come in. Sadness washed over me and I stopped singing. I felt the tears coming. Damnit! Boys didn't cry. I felt Kyuubi rumbling beneath the seal curiously. I couldn't help the depression though. The microphone dropped from my hand. Sasuke was singing the words to himself while I just sat there whimpering. I felt so foolish. His playing stopped though and I felt his presence close to me.


"I can't believe how long it's been." I sighed while keeping my eyes on the ground. "It used to be just you and me doing this in the school's music hall." I turned my head slightly to look at his bowed head.


"Yea..." his voice sounded so un -Sasuke like.

"Na...if this hadn't happened, if we had never become like this, would we still have been friends?" I asked quietly.


He hesitated and I could feel him searching for an answer. "... No, Naruto...."


I squeezed my eyes shut. It hurt to hear him say that. My hope of ever patching things up with him had been dashed, so I just nodded and ran from the room not waiting to hear the rest of his answer. I had fallen in love with him despite how bad he had treated me and even though I had done the deed with Neji, I still hoped that maybe Sasuke would be jealous and want me back. That it would change his attitude toward me, but it just made him worse. I went back to the rooms to the first person I knew I could find comfort with, Gaara. Why didn't I go to Neji? Well, Neji I knew would listen, but tonight was his designated training night since our practices didn't run late, and he had already left.


Gaara's eyes fell on me as I stood in his doorway. I rubbed at the errant tears that had fallen and walked over to him wrapping my arms around him and finally letting all the emotions in me loose. He had tensed for a moment and then slowly wrapped his arms around me. His cool hands rubbed awkward yet soothing circles on my back. I guessed that he wasn't used to this sort of thing, but his attempts were very calming and soon I found myself sprawled out across his bed hugging his side while he stroked my hair. His motions stopped for a moment and I looked up questioningly to be met with the face of my stuffed Kyuubi. I grinned through my tears and took it while hugging closer to him. I felt like such a child again, and it did feel kinda good.


I guessed I had fallen asleep in there because when I woke up the room was empty. I was wrapped in a blanket still hugging my plush. I yawned and stretched noting that the bed was still a little warm meaning that Gaara had just recently moved. Kyuubi had just woken up as well as I felt him stretching inside me making me move to pop my back. I moved from the room still hugging my Kyuubi plush and still in yesterday's clothing. Oddly enough all three of the other band members were sitting in the lounge not fighting. I smiled at them as I walked in.


"Good Morning all! Neji-sama!" I went over and kissed him before moving on, "Gaara-kun." I nice hug around his shoulders and a kiss to the cheek, "Sasuke..." feeling charitable I gave him a hug.


"Sleep well Naru-chan?" Neji asked while getting up to take his hot tea off the stove in the little kitchenette. I followed him and nodded enthusiastically. "Good. It seems that you and Gaara are more comfortable around each other." He offered a smile and wrapped an arm around my shoulders while dropping a kiss to my neck. "I'm glad you're able to be friends. You seem to need eachother." I felt him inhale against my neck and smiled.


"Neji-sama...." I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I know that we aren't really together, but I appreciate how special you make me feel." I dropped a soft kiss to his lips. "Nee.... how can you be like this...?"


"I felt a pull in my destiny I guess." He gave me another kiss then walked back into the other room.


I didn't quite understand his answer but accepted it. Neji did sometimes have a round about way of saying things. I smiled again and tucked the Kyuubi plush into the neck of my shirt so that his head stuck out and he was out of the way of my morning ramen.

~~~~~~~~~~

I was quite surprised at how the day had been going. No one had started any major arguments, well besides Neji and Sasuke having a tiff about some of the chord arrangements. All had been going well, even Kabuto seemed in high spirits today. I bet he got some last night. I couldn't help but be drawn to the dark bruises that just barely peeked out of his shirt collar. I chuckled to Kyuubi while singing. We were both mildly amused by the normally serious producer's slightly giddy behavior. I grinned and belted out lyrics happily. The day was going great, that was until an assistant entered the room. She walked to Kabuto and whispered with him briefly before leaving.


I had seen his expression turn sour and then he motioned Sasuke over. An unpleasant look crossed Sasuke's face and a little bit of fear showed in his eyes. Both subtle changes were quickly stamped out by his mask of indifference. He listened to Kabuto for a moment then turned and gazed at me for a minute and shook his head, but Kabuto seemed most insistent and beckoned Sasuke to follow after him. He looked back at us briefly and then followed Kabuto out.


I sighed and flopped down to my ass on the ground. We were never going to be able to be ready for tour at this rate. I sighed again and gazed at my band members.


"Hey Neji can you play the melody for a minute so we can practice?"


He was about to move to pick up Sasuke's guitar when the other Uchiha walked in. I jumped at his sudden appearance. Then he smiled poisonously at me, "I can play it, just sing me a few notes."


"Um....." I looked back at Gaara and Neji who both shrugged, "I guess it'd be okay for now." I started on the first line of the melody and he very suddenly caught on not missing a single note. To say I was in utter shock and disillusionment would be an understatement.

I kept singing despite my awe, and after a moment Neji and Gaara joined in. The more I sang the more into the music I got until I was dancing around and breathing the lyrics heavily into the mic. I turned to the location where Sasuke normally sat as if asking his approval, but instead found myself singing to Itachi and staring deeply into his hypnotic eyes. His eyes burned with lust despite his indifferent smirk. I could feel Kyuubi awakening inside me clawing to get out. I closed my eyes and turned away to escape that piercing gaze he had. As I turned back I opened my eyes to stare right into Sasuke's angry face. He looked as if he'd been roughed up a bit, and then I noticed it, a few bruises similar to the ones Kabuto had. Speaking of which he had come in just after Sasuke and looked as though he'd been slapped across the face and quite harshly as if the little dribble of blood on his lip was anything to go by.


Sasuke's eyes were on Itachi playing his guitar and narrowed dangerously. He stomped over to the other Uchiha and clamped down on the neck of the instrument. Itachi offered a superior smirk to his brother and shoved the guitar at Sasuke causing him to fall back a step. He glared and grasped at Itachi's shirt causing him to grin.


"Sleeping with the boss are we? Foolish little brother, you can never be the best by using those methods." He grabbed Sasuke's wrist and I heard it pop. "You should never lower yourself to that level. Our family is shamed by that level of weakness."

My eyes narrowed and I felt like crying. This had all been a lie? Was it all because Sasuke was pulling strings from behind the curtain? I wanted to slap Sasuke, but somehow I felt bad for him so I let Kyuubi have his way this once.


"Itachi-sama....leave Sasuke out of this please. It is just between you and me." I walked over to him and nuzzled the side of his neck from behind just as Kyuubi had commanded my body to do, "I'll do whatever you want as long as you keep his dignity in tact." I slid a hand down his arm causing his hold on Sasuke's wrist to lighten and then finally drop.


His fingers threaded around mine and he smirked while pulling me down a little to graze my cheek with his lips. I gazed sadly into Sasuke's eyes before lowering mine and turning my attention to Itachi. I think that I had just sealed my fate with this action. I was so disappointed in Sasuke and yet I couldn't hate him for what he was doing. Sasuke gazed harshly at me and then closed his eyes and turned away. I just didn't understand why I was trying to save his face after all the crap he'd put me through and would still put me through for this, yet here I was doing that.


"Let's just get back to practice, we have a show to complete." I sighed while moving away from Itachi.


This day had been completely ruined. It had started out so nicely and then just had to have that happen. I sighed while walking back to the lounge. I couldn't believe that I had just willingly given myself to Itachi to do whatever he wanted with just to save Sasuke who had hurt me way more times than I could count. Ironic wasn't it?


"Why would you do such a thing?" I jumped at the voice suddenly beside me. "I don't understand..."


I sighed at Gaara. "I don't know why either. I just felt bad about him getting screwed over."


"You know, I don't think he would say anything. He's been in this business for a long time and knows all the workings. His sole intent is to push Sasuke." Gaara kept pace beside me twirling a stick between his fingers. "Though Itachi is manipulative, I wouldn't put it past him to use that information for other purposes."


"Is it true? About the Sasuke and the well, the head guy?" I sighed, "I wanted to think that we had been picked for talent not because some one was lusting after Sasuke." My head drooped as we stopped in front of the lounge door.


Gaara's hand came up to my cheek tilting my face upwards to look into my eyes. "Sasuke is not the reason Kabuto brought you here."


My eyes scanned Gaara's face as my own hands came up to rest on his cheeks. He blushed and looked toward the ground. I smiled slightly at him stroking his lower lip with my thumb. "Gaara-kun, why are you so kind to me? You shouldn't be since the past...."


"You were first kind to me." He said softly while watching my movements from underneath lowered lids.


I smiled and brought my hands down around his neck and hugged him tightly. As always with physical contact he'd stiffen, but he was getting better. "You're a good person."


I snuffed at the air suddenly noticing a delicious and familiar smell. "Ramen! Ramen!" I jumped thoroughly startling Gaara before pulling him into the lounge after me. I noticed that no one was in the lounge so I dragged Gaara into the small kitchenette after me. A large pot of noodles was being stirred by Ino. "I love Ino-chan! She makes me Ramen!"


Ino glanced at me with a frown then waved the spoon at me. "Calm down Naruto or I'm not going to give you any!"


Not wanting to be on her badside, because she can have quite a temper, I went back into the lounge and scooped up my Kyuubi plush and sat hugging him on the couch. Gaara sat down across from me looking thoroughly confused.


"You love her? I thought you loved Sasuke..." he started.


I grinned at him. "You can love more than one person." His brow furrowed slightly so I continued, "There are different kinds of love. How I love Ino is different from how I love Sasuke and everyone else." Gaara nodded silently asking me to continue. "I have a playful love for Ino, like an older sister maybe. Sasuke, well it's difficult to say. My love for him hurts me, it probably hurts him too." I sighed. "It's different though."


Gaara gazed at me for a moment, "I think I understand. I think I've seen such a thing."

Both of our gazes shifted to the door as it opened to reveal Sasuke. His face was flushed and his neck was more bruise than before. His lip was also swollen. He covered his mouth as his eyes met mine and then he moved toward his room. Before he could make it to his room I snatched his wrist. His eyes narrowed at me. I gazed up at him pleadingly.


"Sasuke, please don't let this affect us. I'll even pretend I don't know anything."


"You don't know anything..."

He was about to yank his arm away when I pulled him around and into a hug completely catching him off guard. I burried my head into his chest and clenched his shirt tightly. "You're right, I only know what I've seen, what Itachi has told me, and what my senses pick up." I pulled his head closer to me to whisper in his ear. "Whatever happens between your brother and me... It's for you. Please don't be angry."


He turned to look at me. "Naruto....You still don't understand....I don't need your help...." His icy mask was in place, but I could see the sadness in his eyes. His touch lingered and then he pulled away. "This is my choice, so stay out of it." That said he walked into his room and slammed the door.


I sighed while looking after him. I couldn't believe what I was doing. This had to be a new level of care for him. I sighed again. I was better off forgetting about him completely. Warm arms wrapped around my body and then Gaara's breath was next to my ear.


"Is that the kind of pain you mean?" He asked while tightening his hold.


"Yeah.... I don't really understand it or why I put myself through it. I just sorta wish it would go away." I leaned into him a little feeling comfortable.


"Can I make it go away...?"


A/N: OMFG!!! I'm sooooo sorry for the wait. I've had so much on my plate. Anyway I started posting some scans of my on deviant art. http://schizoiori.deviantart.com/

Anyhoo! I promise Sasu will not be a jerk much longer.


To my AFNs:

SpiritFighter- Sorry. *hands tissues* Hey Sasu would look good in women's clothing. Hee hee.

Moonprincess90- Glad you like it.

dancing-neko-chan- yum muffies! Gaara is cute! You remind me of Shuichi's sister from Gravi. hee hee!

Dominion- OH NO! I don't hate Sasuke at all. I love him. I wish I could play older sister to him. I just need him to act this way because he's afraid of feeling something for Naru. Please don't leave my fic.... *cry*

Kiana- Yay muses! *pats the chibi'suke*


hanne- no prob! *huggle* Naruto has to wait a little before kyuubi lets him do XXX with Gaara.

MELSAMA- Itachi................ *melts*

TenshiKaitou- I promise you more wet dreams in the future chapters and yes more Neji smut. Thanks so much!

Tokiya- Yay fanart! I love the one you gave me. Can I post the arts on my LJ? I give you credit. Pweeeezzzz!????

Okita Souji- Fanart?? OH please send! If possible I'd like to post it on my LJ to give credit to all who have given art for this fic.

Miramar- oh ho ho ho trust me the SasuNaru will be there and it will be hot. The plot will make it so much sweeter though. I promise.

kenshinjunkie03- Thanks! I appreciates it! And yes sasuke will realize that Naruto means a lot to him. He's afraid right now.


P1- oh please dun hate sasu. He's acting stupid cuz he's afraid. But yes more NejiNaru and NaruGaara

Anku- we'll just have to see how the story develops. I don't hate either character. I know it's bad highlighting sakura's bad points, but I need her for plot reasons and well Sasuke just needs to get the sense knocked into him.

akuma-river- I'm so glad you took the time to sit and read my fic and found it worth that time. I'm so happy you like it. I hope I continue to hold your interest.


well guys that's it for now. I'ma go curl up with some illegalities and my naru plushie and decompress. Since XMAS break is coming up hopefully I can update more. Yaoi cookies for all! *poofs*