Throw it all away

Sasuke hadn’t expected it to be so easy. Sure, he’d always been able to manipulate Naruto to his own ends, but the blonde’s own random nature often disrupted the flow of his plans. Luckily, this time, Naruto fell right into the trap.

“Absolutely not!” shouted Neji, furious.

“But, Neji,” Naruto cooed, placatingly. He reached for him, but Neji sidestepped his advance, rounding on him instead. “Naruto, have you lost your mind?!”

Naruto frowned at that, and Sasuke smiled inwardly.

“What else could Sasuke do?”

“There are plenty of missions you could send him on.”

His eyes flashed, as he forced his temper down. Sasuke had the distinct impression that Neji refused to become unhinged in front of anyone but Naruto. It could be considered sweet. Hell, if he thought hard enough on it, he’d realize he and Neji actually had a lot in common.

They were both doujutsu users, from powerful clans obsessed with strength and power. They were both loathe to show emotions in front of those unworthy, which actually, was everyone but the blonde sitting across from them. They were both considered geniuses. They’d both fought Naruto all out. Except, Sasuke had won his match with the younger man.

His eyes slid coolly to the side. He knew Neji knew they both wanted the same thing. Neji had it. Sasuke wanted it. Neji wanted to keep it.

They were both in love with the same man.

This was no mere battle. This…was war.

“You know the villagers won’t be comfortable with Sasuke travelling outside of the village for at least a year. Hell, the elders would throw a shit fit.” He shrugged. “This way, at least Sasuke is protected from the village and the village is protected from Sasuke.” He smiled widely.

Neji narrowed his eyes in a way that told Sasuke he knew it was all Sasuke’s doing. Which, frankly, suited Sasuke just fine. Turning to the Jounin, he allowed his mouth to quirk in a victorious sort of smirk.

Neji’s fists trembled with the need to punch the look off his face. Sasuke was sure he wouldn’t stop at one.

“Hmph,” he said, gaze lazily meeting Neji’s. His sharingan flashed, and he smirked – satisfied with the way Neji’s body tensed in response. “Looks like someone’s jealous. How childish.”

Naruto blinked, as Sasuke moved to stand. Sasuke slipped both hands into his pockets casually. “I thought a Ninja’s job was to obey the Hokage.”

“Within reason,” Neji hissed.

“Oh? When did the rules change?”

“Enough!” Naruto snapped.

They both turned, Sasuke more surprised than Neji. Before them was not the happy go lucky Hokage from moments before. Gone was the wide grin and warm eyes. Naruto was sitting completely straight, which made him look more imposing than when he was snarling in your face. His pupils had turned to sharp slits, and there was an edge to his canines that implied fangs.

Sasuke felt a shiver shoot up his spine and lodge firmly in the base of his head.

Unsurprisingly, there was an insistent tugging in his belly, and blood pooling lower than he’d care for, given present company. He swallowed silently, captured in the gaze that seemed to hold both doujutsu users to the spot.

Naruto sighed suddenly, leaning his head into his hand and shaking his head softly. Neji shifted uncertainly beside Sasuke. When Naruto did speak again, his voice sounded weary.

“For the time being, I’m going to ask you to put up with one another as my personal guard.” He looked up, and when he did, Sasuke noticed his entire demeanor had reverted. He smiled at them warmly, but it didn’t quite meet his eyes. “This is all I can do now.” He paused for a moment, and chewed the tip of his tongue.

It was a nervous habit that was familiar to Sasuke, thus causing him to relax. Naruto always did that when he was actually giving consideration to his next reply.

“I really didn’t want to have to do this…” he mumbled.

Looking up at them, he straightened again, although it was the only change this time. “As Hokage, I hereby order you to get along.”

Both shinobi blinked at him.

There was a tense moment, and then Neji broke it by sighing, and mumbling something that Sasuke didn’t quite catch, but if he had to guess, sounded an awful lot like, “sentimental idiot.”

He felt a smile tug at his heart, and through honed reflexes, simply replied with a derisive snort.

Naruto, privy to both, smiled genuinely.

After a moment, he gave a carefree laugh and stood. “Well, I think it’s time to make my rounds.” He dusted his hands off in readiness, and padded around his desk.

Sasuke felt oddly triumphant that he’d chosen his side of it.

As they walked through the village, Sasuke ignored the stares and occasional whispers. He no longer had to worry about them as threats any longer. For, every person who asked, Naruto would inform. Sasuke’s status in the village had been reinstated. His inheritance returned to him. His ninja status upgraded, to match his skill level and experience. And above all…He was now the Hokage’s left hand.

He was a rich, powerful Jounin of Konohagakure, entrusted with the care and keeping of the village’s most important member.

True, Neji still ranked higher than he. But, he would wrest that too from the willful Hyuuga. And soon.


Neji, however, did not intend to give Sasuke a thing. Especially not without a fight. Sasuke could feel the constant threat, barley concealed by the other Jounin. The outrage, the wounded pride, the offended sense of importance.

Clearly, Neji saw him as a threat.

Good. He wanted the other to be completely aware of him. If Neji was so sure Naruto was his, there would be no need to emit such clear signs of jealousy and possessiveness. The simple fact that Neji actually felt threatened warmed Sasuke to no end.

Things were all going according to plan.


Naruto dropped into his chair with a heavy sigh. Sasuke stood by his desk, watching him with barely contained desire. Spending an entire day in Naruto’s presence, was nothing new. Hell, when they were younger, it was all Sasuke could do to make time for himself between one teammate and another.

If it wasn’t Naruto hounding him for a fight, it was Kakashi prodding him to train, or worst of all, Sakura, doing her utmost to wheedle him into a date. Of the three, while he’d found Naruto the most stubbornly annoying, he’d also found him the easiest to settle with.

It had been a surprise to Sasuke, when he was younger, just how easy it was to fall asleep with Naruto radiating protective, soothing warmth beside him, or at the very least, not too far away. It was comforting, knowing he didn’t constantly have to look quickly over his back. Naruto always guarded it by walking a step behind, close to Sasuke’s side, so neither had ever quite gotten lonely in their travels.

How content he’d felt, just sitting across a fire from the other. No words needed, as they stared into it’s raging depths, or up at the stars. Naruto would always pester him when it got too quiet. Trying to cajole conversation from the usually stoic teen.

Somewhere between the first moment he’d taunted the blonde on their first mission beyond the safety of the village, and his body throwing itself in the way of a lethal attack, Sasuke had started to feel himself change inside.

He hadn’t liked it. The oddly familiar feeling of complete comfort with another human being, choking his life’s goal. Naruto, with his happy smiles, despite all odds. His optimism, his friendly, accepting nature. How quickly and completely he attached himself to another living, breathing creature, that acknowledged his existence – be it human or animal.

There was a longing in his eyes, he didn’t realize he’d let slip, as he watched Naruto shuffle further into the chair’s warm support. A longing for what he’d had. For what could have been. The one thing that could make him complete, balanced…sane.

And he belonged to someone else.

Sasuke snorted, and moved to his side as Neji secured the door and windows. “Whatever happened to your boundless energy?” he teased gently.

Naruto grinned up at him. “I got old,” he replied.

Surprisingly, Sasuke’s snort mirrored Neji’s.

They paused, looking across the room at one another oddly. Naruto was quiet as something passed between the rivals in that not so awkward moment.

Sasuke realized the old feeling…it was returning. He’d completely forgotten Neji’s presence because of it. Or had he? Sniffing noncommittally, he turned his head, snubbing the brunette. Neji gave a soft snort, and finished with the window.

Crossing over to Naruto, he stopped beside him.

They were standing on opposite sides of the blonde now, but for all it felt, they may as well have been standing in an arena. Naruto was the coveted grand prize, gleaming in his effervescent way.

For the second time, Sasuke found himself staring into the cool gray orbs of the Hyuuga. However, while the challenge was there, the hostility had waned some, much to Sasuke’s surprise.

They both looked down as Naruto’s hands closed about their wrists.

His bright eyes were hidden by thick lashes and closed lids. He sighed happily.


And for the first time since he’d returned, Sasuke felt both utterly content and profusely conflicted all at once.