Spiral Falling

Title: Spiral Falling
Author: BeccaAmon
Genre: AU
Pairings: Naruto x Sasuke x Naruto
Warnings: Shounen ai, yaoi, lemon, language
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply.
Archived at: [Voyeurism]http://www.geocities.com/serenitatishime/
[Banana Oil]http://www.bananaoil.tk/
Author’s note: My first Naruto and NC-17 fanfiction. Be kind, enjoy^^. Thanks for reading.
Feedback: Always welcome, especially constructive. If you’re just e-mailing me to tell me you’re enjoying the fanfic, that’s deeply appreciated.
AN: unbeta-ed. Thank you so much for all the great comments and reviews! =^.^=. I’m glad you’re enjoying it so much.

“….” - Dialogue
* - Scene change/ time pass

Chapter 22 -Standing still

To his eyes, the cement floor was jagged, uneven. He ran his palm against its rough surface and knew that if he pressed hard enough and pushed forward, it could break the skin. A solitary ant crossed his line of vision, carrying a large flake of green leaf. It scurried past, heedless of his presence. He thought of blowing it away, of taking the leaf from its firm grasp, but in the end he allowed it safe passage. A cloud sluggishly floated above him. After its large shadow had skimmed over his body, he uncurled from the floor, stood up and dusted off his uniform. The school roof was free of any other presence. He stood in solitude peacefully under the afternoon light.

Sasuke closed his eyes, breathed in deeply and then felt the edges of his solitude fade away.

The roof door swung open noisily, slammed against the wall and shuddered under the force. Naruto walked through the threshold and was instantly bathed in sunlight. In his arms, he held two bulging bags which were overflowing with lunch foods. Sasuke watched the boy’s balancing act for a moment before walking up and giving him a helping hand.

"Thanks."

"Was the line long?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head as he plopped down on the shaded part of the roof. "Nah, Sakura and Ino just stopped me on the way here. Gads, girls can talk your ears off if you didn't find an escape right away," Naruto explained as he dug through his lunch bag.

Sitting down, Sasuke smirked and looked to see what Naruto had gotten them. He was thankful that he found some real food and not just snacks. He began with the salad, licking dressing off his fingers as he liberally poured it over the greens.

"Thanks, dobe."

He felt Naruto's shrug against his side. "No prob."

They eagerly dug into their lunches and watched a line of ants cross the sun-heated floor near their feet.

Naruto reached for another sandwich and the sound of tearing plastic accompanied the crunch of lettuce as Sasuke ground the greens between his teeth. Naruto invaded his bag for a napkin and stole a stick of carrot off his salad.

"I was thinking-"

"-Always a bad idea," Sasuke quirked.

"Ha. Ha," Naruto laughed dryly and stole another baby carrot.

"As I was saying, we should check out that new game at the arcade."

Sasuke took a swig from Naruto's can of soda. "What kind of game is it?"

"A ninja game."

Intrigued, Sasuke allowed Naruto a few minutes to explain the game's intricacies to him before he interrupted to inquire about a part that had piqued his interest. "So, the guy left their village and your mission was to get him back?"

"Yeah."

"But he wanted to leave. Why go against his wishes?"

"Because he doesn't understand what he's doing."

"Leaving the village is a big deal isn't it? Surely, one has to know what he’s doing."

Naruto looked into the distance and then turned to him, his eyes an obscure blue. "Yeah, maybe he knows what he's doing, but he doesn't realize that together... They can be stronger."

Sasuke gave a rueful grin and tilted his head to the side. "In the end we're all alone and we have only ourselves to rely on."

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed. "I don't believe that."

"I guess that's where we differ," Sasuke murmured, meeting Naruto's clouded gaze.

Sasuke saw Naruto's eyes clear and that familiar gleam that told him the boy wasn't going to back down appeared. Before the argument came into fruition, he distracted Naruto away from that particular conversation. "I think we should go. It sounds promising."

It worked. "Yeah? Cool! I've been waiting for it for months!"

Sasuke nodded and listened to Naruto prattle on about the techniques and characters. In the back of his mind, he thought of the runaway character, of how similar they were.

*

Sasuke commanded his player to dodge Naruto's attack. With a combination of a few tricks, he was able to escape Naruto's trap and retaliate.

"Damn!" Beside him Naruto slammed his palm against the button. Groaning at the 'Game Over' flashing in the screen, he fed the machine more coins. After a second, their fight continued.

"So, how are things with your mom?"

Sasuke spared a second to glance sideways at the blond. The screen's flashing lights reflected over Naruto's face, making his eyes glow. "Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah."

"Do you talk? Do you spend time with her?"

"Why are you asking?"

Naruto shrugged, jostling his arm, which made his character slip and fall for a shadow trap. He cursed and reminded himself not to use that character anymore. Naruto made his player dance around like an ape with a squirrel running around its back. "I can't ask?"

Sasuke sighed at the 'Game Over' message and pressed the restart button. "You never asked before."

"Well, I'm asking now." Naruto moved his shoulders, mimicking his dodging character.

Sasuke pressed the pause button.

"Hey!"

"My mom and I talked for awhile. It was... Alright."

Naruto grinned and restarted the game. "See?" He released a water jutsu. "That's all I wanted to know."

Sasuke hid a grin and took out a weapon to parry Naruto's blades.

It had been a surprise to him when she had come up to his room to deliver some of his folded laundry. She hadn't left right away. Instead, she had started straightening things up around his room before striking up a conversation with him. He had pushed away his homework even though he had wanted her to leave. For a long time, he had told himself that he wasn't who she wanted and that he could never be that person. He had tried to dredge up his anger and bitterness for being second place, but the feelings had eluded him. Perhaps it was because he'd been lazy that day, or because that part of him which longed for the caring mother he barely recalled having once upon a time had slipped through a crack in his defenses. For whichever reason it was, he had talked to her, had cracked a smile at her awkward encouragement in his studies and had suppressed the smile from widening when she failed to attach the familiar phrase 'Just like your...'

"Damn! Sasuke! I'll get you for that!"

He sniggered and kicked Naruto's player up in the air, jumped high and smacked the length of his leg across the character's stomach, propelling it back down. Its body bounced off the floor a little as the 'Game Over' sign flashed one more.

"Damn! "

"Heh."

Naruto raised his index finger. "Once more! I'll kick your ass this time, I swear!"

"We can stay here all night and you won't beat me, dobe."

"What? Let's play again! I'll show you!"

"You won't beat me…."

"One more ti-"

"-Besides," Sasuke moved closer, using the arcades noise as an excuse to whisper against Naruto's ear. "I can think of better ways to spend that time," he whispered with sultry eyes.

"I’ll bet you can!" Naruto yelled and shoved more coins into the machine.

Sasuke blinked in bewilderment as the game's song began to play. Naruto chose his player and looked at him expectantly, fingers tapping at the buttons, impatience barely disguised.

"Once more! I'll kick your ass!" Naruto promised.

Sasuke chuckled and did as the boy asked.

*

They stepped out of the noisy arcade and sighed as the breeze cooled their heated bodies. The placed had filled up a bit too much for their liking and with sore fingers and one bruised ego, they had decided to go somewhere else less crowded.

Naruto stretched beside him, grinning for all he was worth, arms reaching to the sky.

Sasuke caught sight of the strip of skin that flashed as Naruto stretched his tired limbs, licking his lips at the knowledge it was only his to touch.

"I could go for something to drink." Naruto yawned and began walking up the busy sidewalk.

Sasuke followed and quickly caught up.

"Since I kicked your ass, I think you should buy me some ice cream." Naruto never stopped grinning.

At the mention of ice cream and the route Naruto was leading them on, Sasuke knew that they were headed to Sakura's ice cream shop.

"You only kicked my ass at the end of the journey, dobe."

"Aha! But it was the most important battle. I got my friend back."

"You mean the run away."

"Yes, my characters friend." Naruto nodded vigorously. "You."

Sasuke smiled despite his pounded ego. Yes, he had been thoroughly beaten, but it made Naruto happy and earned him an impulsive hug, so all was well, he thought.

"Fine, I'll buy your ice cream, but only to make you feel better when I tell you that I let you win."

Naruto stopped walking and glared at him. It would have been menacing if only Sasuke didn't find the expression so thrilling.

"You wish, Uchiha! I kicked your ass big time! Come on." Naruto raised his fists. "Put 'em up."

Sasuke looked at the shining determination in the blue eyes, the upturned lips that were vainly suppressing a full out smile, the cast of the late afternoon sun on gleaming skin and felt a familiar excitement within.

"Dessert," Sasuke growled.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as he was pushed into a convenient alleyway. "Desser- what? "

Sasuke pushed Naruto against a building's wall, trapping him with his body.

"Sasuke?" Naruto's hands slid down to Sasuke's waistband as the dark-haired boy's fingers dug into Naruto's spiky hair and pulled a little at the strands. He rested his cheeks against scarred ones as his lips touched a soft ear.

"That mouth always got you in trouble, Uzumaki..." He nuzzled his nose against soft hair. "Always made me want you."

He felt the body against his shudder as the fingers at his waist snuck under his uniform shirt and palmed his skin. Sasuke kissed Naruto's cheek, following a path to tempting lips. He captured the soft flesh, pressing into it demandingly.

Naruto pushed against him. Air whooshed past his ears and suddenly his back met the hard concrete wall as Naruto flipped them around.

Sasuke smiled into the kiss and opened his mouth to admit Naruto's slick tongue. The hands traveled up his sinewy torso and sought out his excited nipples, drawing a long moan from him. His hands pulled on the golden hair, tilting Naruto's head to deepen their kiss. Their breaths were stolen and shared as their tongues met. Every wet stroke rid them of the sense of their surroundings, leaving only the awareness for the other and the sensations given and reciprocated.

"Now, don't you think that this was a better way to find out they were involved, Ino?"

"HELL YEAH!"

Sasuke slid his eyelids halfway open. He hadn’t realized he had shut them. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura donning her work apron. She was carrying a garbage bag and Ino was standing beside her, still dressed in the school uniform. Both were staring in avid fascination, blushing quite prettily despite the grins splitting their faces.

Naruto moaned into the kiss, pressing against him some more, hands wrapping around his torso to pull him closer.

Sasuke kept his eyes on the girls as his tongue lapped against Naruto's lips before invading them once more.

"Holy... Sakura, I believe what we have here is a pair of exhibitionists."

"A pair of very sadistic exhibitionists," Sakura agreed as she stared, unblinking.

Naruto chuckled and withdrew his mouth and tongue, biting onto Sasuke’s bottom lip before stepping away. He waved to the girls belatedly and pulled Sasuke to walk toward them.

"Is it some kind of kink of yours to be groping and sucking face in random allies, boys?" Ino pressed an accusing finger against Sasuke's chest once they got close enough.

"I couldn't help myself." Sasuke grinned ruefully.

"I see you helped yourself plenty," Ino observed, pointedly eyeing Naruto's disheveled hair and flushed skin.

Sakura giggled and attempted to return Naruto's hair into its regular, slightly less mussed appearance.

"Leave it, Sakura." Ino drew the girl's hand away from running it through the blond locks. "It gives him that bedroom, rugged look." Ino growled playfully.

Sakura pouted and then giggled along with Ino with that tone that always made him think they were giggling about something entirely different.

Over the days, the girls had come to accept their relationship. With the familiar flirting came a lot of teasing and fooling around. Sasuke had always felt like the outsider of the group, but slowly, he felt like he was being drawn into the cluster.

"So, was this just a random alley you decided to stumble into and grope each other in, or are you coming inside?" Ino inquired while Sakura tossed the garbage bag into the large bin.

"A little of both," Naruto answered for them.

"Well then, come in! The others are inside."

"The others?" Sasuke piped up.

"You'll see." Sakura waved as she and Ino headed to the shop's back entrance.

Naruto shrugged as the girls disappeared behind the door. Turning casually, the blonde leaned over, closed his eyes and kissed Sasuke softly. They stilled for a moment, holding the kiss. Sasuke allowed his eyes to shut again as his hand drew up to cup Naruto's cheek. Naruto's lips moved against his, mouthing silent words carried by his warm breath. They drew apart slowly, eyes glazed, completely breathless.

"Wha… What did you say?" Sasuke whispered his question while he felt he was surrounded in a light haze.

Naruto only smiled and started walking out of the alley. Sasuke chased after him and they both turned to enter the shop's doors.

As he was about to repeat his question, a loud greeting sounded from a corner of the dessert parlor, welcoming them both. They were surprised to see a crowd consisting of Kiba, Shikamaru, Shino and Chouji. TenTen, a senior, Hinata and Ino chatted with Sakura at the counter, which was void of any customers at the moment. At another table, Sasuke spied two other senior students that belonged to the council, Hyuuga Neji and Rock Lee. Lee waved to them enthusiastically, as full of cheer as always, while Neji lifted his head from a thick text and gave a prompt nod before returning to his reading.

Naruto gave an equally loud greeting and made a beeline towards the first group, swerving around seats and the few customers occupying the tables.

Sasuke nodded once to both groups as he walked alongside Naruto.

"Hey!" Kiba greeted again and pulled a few seats from unoccupied tables for them. "What have you guys been up to?"

"Oh, just checking out that new ninja game at the arcade," Naruto said, plopping down messily onto the seat.

"Ooh! I know about that one! Damn, if I knew it was coming out today, I would have gone and for sure I'd kick your ass!" Kiba declared.

Naruto snorted. "You can try."

"That sounds like a challenge," Shino inserted.

"I think it was a challenge to all of us," Shikamaru added.

"Woooooh..." Chouji encouraged.

"Why not?! I'll kick all your sad asses."

"You got it!"

"Sure."

"My ass is not sad," Shikamaru said.

"Hmm, quite perky looking, actually." Chouji supplied.

Silence.

"We should ignore that," Shino advised.

Snickers filled the air.

"Here you go boys, some dessert for you." Sakura slid two bowls of ice cream toward Naruto and himself.

"Eh? But we haven't ordered yet," Naruto pointed out.

"Or paid," Sasuke added.

"Of course you’ve paid." Ino grinned with glinting eyes beside Sakura.

"Hey, I want a free dessert."

"No, Chouji. These are not free. They paid earlier."

"Eh? Where?"

Sasuke had a hunch.

"At the back. We ran into them." She grinned.

"Figures." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Naruto sniggered beside him.

"Sakura-san! Please have a seat. You've been working too hard." They turned to see Lee offering Sakura his seat.

"Oi, thick eyebrows sempai sure is getting bolder," Naruto observed.

The senior's affection for Sakura had never been a secret. Sakura had had an unfortunate, or fortunate to some, minute of clumsiness and had tripped on a step one day. She would have fallen down the stairs if it hadn’t been for Lee rushing up the stairs late for his class. He had caught her as they both fell, his body cushioning their fall. Ever since then, the senior had proclaimed it fate and had begun expressing his undying love for the pink-haired girl. She refused him constantly with words or shoves, but Sasuke thought, and Naruto agreed, that her flat out refusals were more out of embarrassment than true displeasure. It seemed that she wasn't used to such treatment, one brimming with dedication.

Sakura refused the offer to sit, predictably, but turned him down nicely, walking back behind the counter.

"Hmm, I think she's coming around," Kiba observed.

"Okay, bets on the table. How long until she gives in?" Shikamaru placed a bill on the table. He got a swap at the back of his head from Ino.

Kiba, Naruto, Chouji and surprisingly, even Shino, stopped mid-way reaching for their wallets, looking sheepish.

"Hmph! Boys," said Ino, as if referring to some beast that had peed on her favorite shoes.

She took Lee's seat and placed herself beside Shikamaru who still held his smarting head.

"Oi! There's no room for your fat-"

Another smack to the head silenced him. ‘For a smart guy, he sure gets stupid around her,’ Sasuke observed to himself. He felt Naruto's body shake with laughter against his side since Ino's, and now Hinata's, presence at the table ate up the remaining elbow room. Sasuke didn't really mind the tight fit.

"It would be wiser to move to a larger table," squeaked Shino, squeezed between Kiba and Chouji.

Everyone turned to the large table Neji and Lee occupied.

"I vote that we move." Naruto suggested.

"But I worked hard to warm my seat..." Shikamaru protested.

Everyone else got up and claimed seats at the large table. After an exaggerated sigh, Shikamaru trudged along to join them and plopped in between Ino and Chouji.

Conversations flew across the table as the day passed, until a ray from the setting sun warmed Sasuke’s cheek through the glass windows. There was another place Sasuke wanted to visit before he had to go home. His father had said he would be home in time for dinner and although his opinion tended to swing toward skepticism, there was a small part of him that hoped. His father had never been the verbal kind. Well, no one at his house, really, had ever been too fond of words. But Sasuke had found a way to read the man’s moods in other ways. He didn’t tell Naruto much when the boy had asked about his family life, but that was only because he felt as if, if he spoke them out loud, the progress he had made over the years would shatter. So he remained silent, perhaps until he was sure everything was not as bad any longer as it had been once.

Sasuke reached beneath the table to grasp Naruto’s thigh, squeezing for attention.

Naruto paused in his conversation with Ino and looked at him, tilting his head in question. Then, as Sasuke nodded toward the exit, Naruto immediately understood.

He left Naruto to announce their departure and instantly the table erupted in protest and tugging at their clothing to stay a while longer. He was amused and amazed inside. There had been a time when he had ignored them all and pretty soon they had learned not to speak with him. There had been a time when Naruto had barely existed in their sphere as they left the annoying kid alone. But now, Sasuke thought as he backed away from the group, now it was different.

Naruto waved a final good-bye and so did he. The group called out a final protest and then conceded and waved them away good-naturedly.

Upon leaving the shop, Sasuke led them to a path at the park. He recalled the newly restored swings and thought it would be a nice place to enjoy the view of the setting sun. The swing set looked over a forested hill and escalated above a few neighborhoods. He had run to that place as a child when he’d had nowhere else to go.

“Where are we going?” Naruto asked, tripping a little on the uneven path. His hand automatically held onto Sasuke’s arm. It slid down and melded onto his fingers.

Sasuke looked over at the boy and saw how he tried to cover his embarrassment with his stubborn expression, daring Sasuke to tease him. Instead, Sasuke pulled Naruto along the path and delighted in the warmth their entwined hands made.

“It’s a park I used to go to when I was a kid,” was his answer to Naruto’s previous question. “When things weren’t that great. It’s a nice place to cool off.”

Naruto nodded in understanding, squeezing his hand. Briefly, Sasuke wondered what it would have been like to have an eight year old Naruto holding his hand like this at that time. Would they have been different people? He pondered the thought, looking up at the pink and gold skies.

They found the swings empty, bathed in sunset beams, welcoming as always. Taking a swing each, they sat looking at the sunset, with their heads resting on chains and hands intertwined, dangling in between them.

Before the last rays disappeared and brought the night, Naruto stood and pulled Sasuke to his feet. Sasuke was about to ask when Naruto explained before his question left his lips.

“This might sound stupid,” Naruto said as he shuffled the dirt beneath their feet, looking at the remaining light, “but I thought I’d like for the image in my head to still have the sun instead of the darkness that followed.”

Sasuke was taken aback. Rarely did Naruto express this part of himself, but when he did, Sasuke was always left breathless. He thought about what Naruto had said and found he liked the idea.

“If that’s stupid, then I can be an idiot with you.”

A surprised laugh escaped Naruto’s lips and Sasuke found himself embraced as mirth shook the boy’s slim body.

Sasuke pressed a smile onto Naruto’s shoulder and held the boy as they stood still.

When they parted ways, Sasuke felt calm. He had his family, his friends and his best friend, all of whom were people he felt he had never had before. It seemed too good to be true at times, especially times like now. Was it alright to speak it out loud? He wondered. Would just a whisper be allowed?

A sudden thought crossed his mind. He had wanted to invite Naruto to a convention this coming weekend. It would be more entertaining with the boy by his side. He turned in his step and trotted to the direction he had seen Naruto go. As he sped up, a feeling welled up from his gut. It was similar to that time when he felt he was being watched, those times when Naruto had mentioned seeing someone that looked like him. He felt a rush of trepidation that had him changing his light trot to a panicked run.

There! At the street corner he saw a head of blond hair. He stopped as the streetlights turned red. He would have stopped anyways when he saw the scene right across from him. Naruto stood in front of a tall man, trench coat billowing in the light breeze. The last of the sunset touched their figures making them seem unreal, a figment of his imagination. Naruto looked stricken, a mirror of his own expression. The figure turned his way, as if expecting him.

A familiar face, an unwanted presence. The streetlights continued to flash in sync to his frenetically beating heart.

TBC