Countdown before a kiss mark fades

III
We’re family

Faint murmurs surrounded the two of them as they entered the gates of the municipal high school together, sakura petals falling about from the trees bordering the spine road towards the huge building.

“Hey… it’s them… take a look at the blonde guy.”

“He’s hot, though… have you heard what happened to his family?”

“Got toasted alive in the fire, and the other?”

“Oooh! He’s more my type.”

“Idiot I’m asking what about him? He made it to the news just a couple of months ago. Got into a winter accident…”

“Pfft… the first one’s family got toasted, while the other’s got buried in the snow. You can’t really tell how cruel mother earth can be.”

“Hey watch your mouth they can hear you.”

Sasuke’s hands clenched into trembling fists, a defined scowl wrinkling his picture perfect face as he moved to beat the lights out of the group of friends on the other side of the locker room but a firm hand wrapped around his elbow and he turned, onyx gaze asking permission. Sasuke really wished that he had his sword right now.

Naruto showed nothing but a pleading look on his face, shaking his head faintly and not thinking of letting Sasuke go if he didn’t calm down.

“Dammit…” Sasuke let a low hiss roll out of his tongue as he unclenched his hands, letting a heavy sigh before looking up at the smiling blonde, thankful that he didn’t burst. And without that smile wearing out but only turning that to a cynical one Naruto turned towards the direction of the group.

“Oi bunch of idiotic craps who know nothing but talk about someone else’s shit.” Suddenly the group paused along with everybody else, Sasuke included as they stared shocked at the blonde.

“You talking to us?” Said the tall woman squeezing herself with her boyfriend as she arched a painted brow.

“Not really. But you replied, so is that a yes?” The woman didn’t just scowl, she was trembling with anger, the same went for her boy friend and every one else in her group.

“What does that mean?”

“Oh nothing. Just thought I could remind people to mind their own shit, and shove whatever they’ve got in their hands up their assholes before I do it for THEM.” The metallic bang echoed inside the locker room as the blonde slammed the door of the shoe locker close beside him, eyes throwing a feral gaze towards the nervous group with his low and calm growl. “Or do you want that?”

Naruto stopped growing on five feet and eight inches at the age of fifteen, back then he was taller than Sasuke although he was more slender than the latter because of the sport he chose, but now Sasuke had grown a whopping six feet and one and he’s still growing, not to mention that unlike Naruto’s body frame his bones were big, making the slightest increase in muscle obvious no matter how lean they were. It was needless to say that the two possessed different charms of their own, the two each having a camp of fan girls and the numerals further increasing as they hit their second year in high school.

The woman blushed with the playful tone in the blonde’s voice, she kept on trembling but for a totally different matter, because apparently, no one would want to upset the promising raven Tokyo Daigaku hopeful and his blonde sword dance national champion best friend directly.

As the silent tension went on, Naruto was the one who broke it first, his eyes taking on its fake happy arcs and his shiny smile. “Well then, how about we go torture those little kouhai of ours in the dojo hmm Sasuke?”

Sasuke produced his own smirk promising sweet and painful death to anyone within three meter radius except Naruto. “Have you sharpened those little knives Naruto?” The group’s breaths hitched almost at the same time at the mention of swords, the couple’s not only popular but also holds the school’s status up on a high level because of what they had achieved in the competition in Singapore, they knew those two can cut a few limbs or two and make it look like an accident and the principal wouldn’t care, they were sure, because they had already witnessed it happen. The news of Sasuke nearly castrating their pervert of a teacher Orochimaru in the infirmary because of Naruto was one event to be talked about in years to come.

Naruto cut himself accidentally on the thigh during practice, he was just too unfortunate that Orochimaru was the health adviser that day, but Orochimaru’s fate was far worse, since Sasuke happened to visit Naruto after the practice, and Sasuke happened to have his sword when he saw Orochimaru’s fingers inside the half naked blonde’s ass, his mouth gagged and hands restricted with a towel attached to the headboard. So naturally, Sasuke’s sword happened to be lying on the bed with its blade turned upwards when Orochimaru happened to unknowingly sit on it. At least… that was what Sasuke said that happened, which was a far cry from the actual truth.

“Ah yes… should we try them out later?”

Sasuke’s black pupils rolled dangerously to the group’s direction, giving them a sadistic sidelong glance and they tensed even more. “Should we…? Naruto that’s something you needn’t ask, of course, the question is on whom?”

“Ahahaha! That’s what I like about you Sasuke!!!” And the two marched out of the locker room, a chorus of sighs echoing behind them and the two sniggered.

Sasuke gave a playful jab on Naruto’s side, muttering something akin to thanks which the blonde returned with a light pat on the back. “No prob. We’re family.”

We’re family.

Somehow I’ve started to realize that everything we do to each other seemed very natural for the two of us even if it didn’t for the rest of the world.

When you’re afraid of the sound of thunders you would crawl up to my bed, we would sleep together under the same covers locked in each other’s arms. Every night I would listen to you speak, I do not think of the words, just your voice is enough to make me sleep.

We would skip class, study, eat, practice and laugh together, when I was still thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years old I haven’t thought of our routine abnormal, rather it was just ordinary, for me to not bring lunch when I knew you would for me, for me to reject another girl’s confession when I knew that being with you was more enjoyable. But everything changes, it is the one thing that is permanent in this world, everything changes even feelings, words, actions and thoughts and when it did, it nearly destroyed me.

Your actions, your ways, your voice, your expressions they remained the same but the constant changing of your body, my way of seeing them didn’t, it became tarnished with my desire for you.

Since that time… that time… I…

“Hooh!!!” The still pool waters rippled violently as a mass of shiny blonde hair emerged from beneath, he flung his head back as he floated about, hands flattening on the smooth cold tiles of the edge of the middle school pool facilities as he lifted himself from the cold waters, sitting relaxed on the tiled floor, legs swaying about still submerged in the water, his modesty covered with cycling shorts no larger the fig leaf.

“This is why I joined the swim team here.” Damp strands from the front of his face he raked backwards, exposing tanned skin from hours of practice of swimming that was once pearl complexioned compared to the man’s pale skin equally exposed in his swimming trunks still submerged in the water in front of him.

Naruto braced both hands on his sides a little behind him tilting his body back, looking up the roof of the closed pool before directing his gaze towards Sasuke on the pool. “See? See? I told you it’s great that we’ve joined the swim team Sasuke!!! Compared to the scalding heat outside this is far better… although… why did it have to be an all boys thing?”

Blue eyes glanced around, seeing nothing but flat chests, some hairy, some skinny, and the bumps in between them urk… no shapely boobs, no girly giggles, a certain pink-haired girl for example… and he couldn’t help but sigh, he could’ve enjoyed it more with girls gracing the pool too. Well with Tsunade-baa, that’s another thing… double urk…

And then he caught sight of Sasuke with his faraway look on his face staring at nowhere, nowhere, well not really he was staring at… him?

“Hmm? Sasuke?” He straightened up, waving his tanned hand up and down to snap the raven out of his dream like state, but when it didn’t succeed he shouted his name instead. Finally snapping the raven out of his musings and then nearly drowning when he slipped on the chest high pool water’s floor, struggling a little until he found his footing.

“What the hell? Sasuke were you off to lala land or something?” Naruto kneeled on the tiled floor, looking incredulous at Sasuke who continued to cough out pool water and looking disgusted at the taste of chlorine.

“Sh-shut up. What do you want?” Sasuke looked away, wondering why looking at the blonde’s bronze complexioned skin would always put him into a daze, there was just something in the frame of his body, the lean muscled thighs and arms, the small of his waist how they would move almost sinuously... every flex of the muscles…

“Hey! You’re daydreaming again!” Sasuke blinked back, shaking his head slowly as he squeezed his eyes shut, crap what’s wrong with him? He’d been dreaming of the dobe, and the dreams weren’t ordinary one, heck every time he’d wake up he’d find his boxers housing an erection. No, no he’s definitely not gay! Must be the hormones… yes… the hormones, it’s their fault.

According to studies a boy of fifteen years old normally experiences those kind of things, there’s also the identity crisis which fades after passing the puberty stage. To be attracted to Naruto was normal, since they’ve been close since childhood and he’s the only one that Sasuke trusts, it’s normal… yes, it’s normal.

“Well anyway…” Naruto slowly stood up from kneeling on all fours, stretching his body here and there with a groan along with the audible cracking of bones. “Since this is our last summer together as third years AND we bagged the Kantou regional championship for the males swimming division, Captain Sai’s inviting us for a party at his house later after practice.” Naruto chatted up quite cheerfully with a big grin plastered at his face, karaoke, beer, some pizza and lotsa lotsa porn were the things that made up their third year in middle school, it’s an initiation of some sort before entering high school, and since Sai’s the only person living by himself that would just double the uncensored fun. Although it’s totally different in Sasuke’s opinion.

One look on Sai since his transfer in their second year and he could filter all the malicious glances and signals getting their way towards his dobe of a best friend. He just knew that Sai was up to no good.

“Mother said she’s going to prepare something for us as victory dinner. We have to go home early.” He watched with a twitching brow as Naruto turned his back on him altogether, his firm and round posterior all available for Sasuke to scrutinize with the dampness of the little cloth almost making it see through almost like a second skin.

At that Naruto turned his body back halfway, twisting his waist a little, “Don’t worry, I already told Aunt Mizuki about it, she even told me I can stay over night! Why, aren’t you going too Sasuke? I’ve already asked permission for you though, I mean everybody’s gonna be there including coach Sasori-”

“Even more so why you shouldn’t come…” Sasuke grumbled low on his breath, blowing bubbles on the water as he submerged his head halfway up to his nose.

“Sasuke stop doing that you look like a creepy kinda crawly sea monster with your hair floating all around you…” Naruto suppressed a shiver to run down his spine, the principal had been hitting on Sasuke’s shoulder length hair to be cut ever since their second year but the man just refused to do so, the reason, he was clueless but since Sasuke got first place in that Singapore sword dance competition the old hag just let it go.

“And why didn’t I hear of this earlier? Ever since childhood you’ve really got the habit of keeping things up to the very last minute when you know it’s too late for me to think about it. You also did that when you joined this club without telling me first hand.”

“That’s because you don’t think about it. You just refuse. Always.” Naruto pointed his finger towards Sasuke with a deadpanned expression, before turning around altogether, his hair whipping to the side as he did so before it plastered on his damp nape. “I’ll bath and get changed. Are you gonna come or not?”

Sasuke brooded over it for a while as Naruto bothered himself with getting his things ready sitting quietly on one of the plastic lounge chairs and he let out a sigh, “Alright, wait for me in the locker room!” He shouted back and the blonde just smiled at him before disappearing in the shower locker room after a wave of his hand.

Turning around to face the far end of the swimming pool, he decided to have a couple more laps in the pool before he should head back, since tiredness often distracts people from thinking various troublesome thoughts… various disturbing ones. But had he only delayed the movement for just a couple of seconds, he’d have caught sight of a tall muscular teen with deep black hair who’d been mistaken his brother or related to him of some sorts plenty of times walking inside the shower locker room.

Sai paused from going into his own locker and leaned his side on one of the row of lockers behind Naruto’s own with folded arms where the blonde was currently sitting on the bench between his locker and the one where Sai was leaning on to.

The blonde unaware of the raven’s silent scrutiny continued to towel his hair while the other white clothe was resting on his lap, covering his lap but the beginning of his ass in all available for everyone who went inside to see before the bench where it was sitting covered the rest.

The transparent beads of water that seemed to shimmer against his perfectly tanned skin glided down his back and arms, some pooling on the bench where he was sitting and the others dropping on the floor around his feet.

The idiot had no idea how hot he was looking right now, and Sai could actually feel his summer shorts tightening at the mere thought of how that skin would taste under his tongue and beneath his palms and body. When he looked over at the earlier year books, he found out that Naruto naturally had pearl white skin, it’s got the luster of the treasure of the sea but not pale unlike the Uchiha’s, but either way he liked the blonde’s body, especially his hot ass where no trace of the so called ‘bikini lines’ could be seen. He wondered if Naruto had ever experienced swimming naked.

“What perfect skin.” Naruto jumped a mile high at the sound of Sai’s smooth silk laced cold voice, his back plastered to the wall and a hand securely placed on the towel covering his crotch while the other nearly falling off his head covering the half of his shocked face.

“Y-you fucking retard! Captain, are you trying to kill me!?” Sai coolly chuckled, his voice sounding like the strumming of a well tuned guitar as he unfolded his hands over his chest and walked with feral grace towards Naruto’s direction, the blonde pressed himself harder against the cold wall, a sigh of relief escaping him quietly when Sai paused mere meters away from him and just sat himself on the bench facing Naruto’s locker. The raven crossed his legs, leaning back he pressed his palms on the hard surface on each of his side and turned his head to the blonde, his eyes giving an appreciative look from the blonde hair down to the damp naked feet, but without taking his time on the barely concealed treasure resting in between the teen’s thighs first.

Naruto gulped audibly as he fought the urge to run naked out the room, he was the first to go and wash up because of his appointment with the high school principal where he was applying for scholarship, Naruto didn’t know why but Sasuke told him not to be alone with Sai no matter what happened, and during the time where they were in the middle of the regional competition he found out why, Sai was gay, he found out with first hand experience when the man LITERALLY hit on him rather than heard about it from the others.

“You know I’ve always wondered, your skin was naturally white…”

“I got tanned because of swimming practice.”

“I knew that, what I wanted to ask was why you have… no lines unlike the others.” Blue eyes widened a little, before they looked a way a definite blush reddening the blonde’s cheeks and nose. “Could it be you like to swim naked? Pray tell me… last summer was that the reason why you’re always the last of the team to leave the beach?”

“S-stop staring! Geez captain can’t you leave a straight guy alone?” As Naruto squirmed uncomfortably he felt himself rooted to the spot by the man’s lusting gaze, in all his life he had never expected to be admired by a guy!

Sai gave out a hefty chuckle, annoying Naruto altogether. “What’s so funny!? If you’re not going to change then leave!”

“Is that a way to talk your captain Uzumaki?” Sai’s dark brown eyes narrowed with its fake glare, before they turned into happy arc again as he laughed at Naruto’s nervous reaction towards that reply earlier. “My… our ace swimmer is getting all embarrassed of his captain. How cute.”

“I’m not cute!”

“Yes you are.” Sai insisted. “The people have already seen you nearly naked plenty of times and yet you still blush. The fact that you feel like that towards me, it makes me glad.”

“What?”

“It means that you find my existence interesting enough that I can get a reaction like that from you.”

Interesting? More like disturbing. Urk.

“Whatever. Could you please step aside? I need to get changed.” The raven haired teen just smiled, lifting his hand to offer the considerable space between Sai and the locker opposite him.

“Please. Be my guest.” The malicious gleam in Sai’s eyes were a look of challenge to Naruto’s courage, as if asking in Naruto’s view, ‘what, you scared?’

“Don’t worry. I won’t eat you.” Yet. Sai wanted to add that up, but it seemed like he didn’t need to since Naruto already marched towards his direction. Standing in front of his locker room, Naruto hastily unlocked it, trying to ignore the nagging his internal voice had been sputtering inside the back of his mind ever since he turned his back on Sai.

Youidiotyouidiotyouidiotyouidiotyouidiot!

Naruto’s conscience repeated over and over again as he quietly pulled a pair of shirts and cargo pants along with his undergarment inside the locker, his other hand firmly placed on the knot tying the towel around his hips.

Sai quietly observed every inch of skin displayed in perfect view in front of him, his semi-broad shoulders, the sharp shoulder blades and the smooth looking nape. “You know, they say the shoulder blades are the vestige of wings.”

Naruto stiffened as he felt the back of Sai’s nails scrape his right shoulder blade ever so lightly it was almost teasing, from his mind’s eye he could see Sai’s outstretched hand, his long arms making up for the distance between them. “The strength of the wings, depends on how strong and sharp the base are, since it’s where it’s planted.”

The teasing touch disappeared and Naruto took that as an opportunity to slip into his underpants with utmost cautiousness, he bent down, giving Sai full view of his rear jutting out of his hips, and Sai felt himself smirk. No wonder the bastard’s so taken in with him. He’s simply the living walking male version of Aphrodite, Aphrodite because Sai just refused for the title of Apollo’s human counterpart to be taken from him. And wouldn’t they make quite a beautiful pair?

But he shook his head out of the illicit fantasy, if Gaara knew what he was thinking now his ‘happiness’ would be ripped into shreds before he can think of a reasonable excuse which he knew his redhead boyfriend wouldn’t accept anyway. Hell, if Gaara wasn’t studying in that exclusive all boys’ school at the top of the hill in their town he’d be attracted to Naruto too, and he found himself frowning. Hn, Gaara can fantasize about those fucking students in that school for all he cared, but one touch and they’d be wishing they’ve never met Gaara, because apparently even if they didn’t know about Sai, they will soon if they didn’t keep their hands and dicks to themselves.

Gaara though he didn’t look like it trusted Sai like he would his sister and brother and the fact that Sai was in very good terms with the redhead’s siblings pretty much secures the redhead’s heart and ass from being stolen away from Sai. One call and he’d know what his stoic sweetheart’s activities were from Temari and Kankuro.

Enough about that and now back to his current mission, to stop the annoyance he would feel every time he’d see the bastard’s frustrated face.

Naruto was slipping on his white collared button down shirt over his baby pink tee now, the towel remaining wrapped around his hips even when he’s already worn his briefs. “Aww how cute… would you look at that it’s bikini style.” Naruto blushed a deep scarlet at the mocking tone.

What the fuck, you have x-ray vision or something!? Oh right, he saw while I was wearing it. Fuck. Naruto internally slapped his forehead.

Sai leaned his elbow on his knee, legs still crossed he rested his chin on his palm and he watched with pure amusement, Naruto’s demise. “I really like it when you’re in dilemma Naru-chan, you just look adorable when you’re embarrassed. Just CUTE.”

That was the last straw, if Naruto ever heard another fucking ‘cute’ he wouldn’t be able to tell if they’d be able to make it to the nationals with a still breathing captain.

Naruto whipped his body to face the cool Sai with the strings of control barely holding his wrath down.

“Will you just fucking stop it! I’m not a girl for you to flirt with! And totally not a gay guy for you to waste your fucking time with! So keep your flowery smooth talking mouth to your freakin’ se-ehhhhh!” Sai never let him finish his words. Sai’s hand reaching out to his arm, he tugged him forward, turning the blonde around as he did so and the blonde’s ass landing safely on the man’s crotch, his crossed legs in between Naruto’s parted thighs and long limbs wrapped on the blonde’s waist.

“What the-let go you pervert! I’m gonna call the police! Sexual harassment! Grope king! Homo pervert! Libido addict! Se-sex fiend! Sasuke!”

The poor towel lay ignored on the damp floor, no more than a rag as Naruto kept on squirming free of the taller man’s grasp, he was really having a difficulty telling the difference from one long limb to another.

Sai arched a brow in question, out of all the names he could call for help he wondered why it didn’t surprise him that Naruto would call for Sasuke’s name. “Come on, it’s not like you’re going to lose anything.”

“I don’t want to have hemorrhoids!” Naruto nearly screamed, trying but failing to pry the man’s long fingers from slipping under his shirt, fondling his chest, his nipples lovingly… wait since when had he thought that a man’s fingers feel good!? That’s just absurd!

“Oh? I’m surprised you’re not as innocent as I thought. I’m glad you’ve already resigned yourself to being the bottom. But it’s not like I won’t let you top. Provided that you’re well educated by the time I let you.”

“I didn’t have to learn it! You nearly half way friggin’ did it to me last time! You’re crazy!”

As Naruto’s line of curses and protests went on, the growing sound of footsteps didn’t fail to be heard by the raven haired teen and his scheming eyes rolled to the side, the direction of the door he left ajar on purpose. His hands went further than just plain groping, advancing from that stage to teasing then fondling those little nubs he felt himself grow unconsciously hard. Fuck he really needed to see Gaara later. And he was surprised when the protests went fainter to just a light groan, a very… seductive groan.

“Sa-Sai I said stop. I’m a f-fucking g-gu-fuck… ah st...” Naruto flung his head back to rest on Sai’s shoulder, nails scraping hard at the back of Sai’s hand as his thighs tensed and his stomach tensed, feeling himself grow warm with the touch. He panted lightly, bright blue half-lidded eyes taking notice of Sai’s cheek length bangs splaying on his shoulder as Sai began to nuzzle his nose up the side of his neck.

“Hey… I’m getting the feeling this guy here’s not being very honest…”

“Ah! Stop…” Naruto stared with fright and blushing cheeks down his growing erection under Sai’s palm, his hand already weak from pulling earlier, now faintly prying the man’s equally pale hand comparable to Sasuke’s own.

Sasuke. He’d never bothered to think about it before, but when he first saw Sai, he thought the view of his back reminded him of Itachi, since they were the same height when he last remembered the deceased man. And then when he turned around, the jet black hair almost similar to Sasuke’s reminded him of the man…

Sasuke’s hand…

“Sto-nnnngghh…. It’s gross…” Pert nipples stuck out under the lifted shirt displaying his plane stomach.

“What’s that? Your mouth up there and your mouth down HERE are telling things differently.” Sai ground his semi-erection in between the clenching and unclenching cheeks of the blonde’s buttocks, the thin underwear and the twitching movements proving a good friction between them.

Anytime now. Sai fought the urge to smirk as the door creaked fully open.

“What the fuck!?”

“Sasuke!?” Naruto snapped his head to Sasuke’s direction with a gasp, a mortified look on his face as if he’d just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“Oh… I’m sorry Naru-chan, it seems like we forgot to lock the door properly.”

“Le-let go of me you pervert!” Sai let go coolly of Naruto who nearly stumbled as he got off the man, hand quickly snatching the short in the locker hanging like a cloth stuck in the dryer and covering the obvious bulge between his legs he unconsciously pressed himself on the corner, not knowing where to look.

“Sa-Sasuke…” Naruto gulped nervously, not liking the promise of slow and agonizing death written all over his childhood best friend’s face and when he saw Sasuke throw the first of the many following punches towards Sai along with a litany of expletives he thought, since I’m almost always called an idiot, why not be one right now?

And after slipping his shorts hastily, he gulped a second time, taking in a huge amount of air he charged forward. He was definitely going to pay for this later.

“Ow! Fuck.” Sasuke cursed for the-he couldn’t remember how many had already left his bruised lips-as he winced from the stinging sensation that throbbed in his cut lip as Naruto purposely rubbed the disinfectant dipped cotton on the wound with a scowl on his face.

Sasuke glared with homicidal intensity towards the man mirroring his sitting position on the infirmary bed opposite him, Sai just rolled his eyes before they squinted, resisting the urge to recoil at the school nurse’s rough touch.

“Way to end the summer. Christ I can’t believe this… I’m the health representative and I was the one who got treated instead.” Naruto grumbled under his breath, trying not to remember the reason for their fight as he broke the silence.

“Uzumaki. Head’s office. Now. And you two, follow after you’re finished getting treated.” And the blonde sighed yet again, standing from the stool and throwing the blood stained cotton in the trash can he walked towards the frowning teacher by the door. He was going to be reminded of it even if he didn’t want to. Now what was that excuse he used for that fight between Kiba and Sasuke again?

Naruto was thankful he didn’t get as much bruises as he did whenever Sasuke would get into a fight and he’d come rushing in between to stop him since their coach heard the raucous inside the now unrecognizable locker room before he was hit seriously. Although he was feeling a little warmer than usual. He just wished that the reason for the fight was as simple as the ones when they were still in elementary, then the excuses would be as simple too. Now he’s not sure how to start explaining.

“He-”

“One word and you won’t be able to walk out this room alive Baikan.” Sasuke growled low in a deep feral voice the moment the nurse left to inform the principal that they had to stay for recovery since they’re nursing a fever. Even in his hazy fevered mind the intent to crush the man lying on the bed across his was still clear.

“You won’t be able to do that now, and by the time that you are able to, I’m well enough to escape so I’m talking anyway.” Sai shot back, deadpanned eyes staring at the stark white ceiling.

“That was quite a show you pulled there. Whoever could have thought that anyone could get a rise out the cold Uchiha huh? Well… I guess when it comes to Naru-chan, you can’t pretend not to care. Or rather, you only care when it comes to Naru-chan.”

“What the fuck are you getting at Baikan?”

“Hn? Ah… well, you see I’m a person who hates troublesome things. And whenever I see you two together it gets very troublesome for me, in fact it’s so troublesome I just couldn’t ignore it.”

“Naruto doesn’t like anyone else, especially you.”

“That’s your problem, not mine.” Deep black orbs widened, confusion settling in.

“You know, I’ve been interested in Naruto ever since I first saw him. So naturally I’m always watching him from time to time, and that means that I can also see and observe what the people around him are like. You for example.”

“What about it?”

“Psh, you still haven’t realized it yet? Or are you just feigning ignorance? Dude, you like him don’t you?”

“That’s not-”

“Although the pure him may not see, I’m well versed enough in these things to know. You’re always together, to other people it may look like Naruto’s like a lovesick puppy always following his master, but to me it’s the other way ‘round. You’re afraid to lose him, so you use your friendship as a hold to get him to follow you instead and you actually feel good about it, you keep him away from other people, you notice the slightest change in his voice, in his appearance or the way he chooses his clothes. When you snapped earlier…”

Sasuke felt the air in his lungs leave. “I saw how the fear of losing him and the jealousy of him belonging to another crossed your face.” The finality in that cornering tone and words hit Sasuke into realization full force.

“You’re possessive. Monopolistic. Selfish. Childish. Impulsive. Jealous. AND reckless.”

The brooding man who was so intent in killing Sai earlier was now afraid to look him in the eye, his body going stiff as he tried to deny those words in his brain no matter how it all made sense with every sentence.

“How did you… ah… so stupid of me… of course, you like him too right?” In a cynical voice Sasuke tried to cover the panic he was feeling with the sarcasm masking his face.

“Well I wouldn’t go that far since I have a boyfriend already. I told you didn’t I? It’s troublesome, every time I see you having that –no I’m not gay, no I’m his best friend and no it’s the hormones’ fault- face it pisses me off.”

“For a guy who always spends his free time groping women for cover you’re pretty confident about your thoughts about me.”

“Of course. Since we’re the same.” Suddenly Sai’s voice took on a very different tone, deep and feral. “After all… *a snake knows the routes of the serpents well.” Sai added in a sing sang voice before turning to face the wall to sleep.

*Means something like, it takes one to know one.

Sasuke took the opportunity to use the given silence to ponder on Sai’s words, still in denial but already giving up he slept with those thoughts plaguing his mind before sleep had consumed him. When he woke up it was already past six, and the raven haired asshole that was supposedly lying on the bed beside his own was now replaced with a feverish blonde under the covers. Sai had left earlier than them, the principal had sent Naruto back to the infirmary when he collapsed even before he could say a word or two about what had happened and ended up sharing a bed with Sai, the nurse that said that who was giggling that time had never fled the infirmary so fast with the look Sasuke had given her.

Sasuke called his mother up in advance to prepare their bed and medicine when they got home, while his fever had already subsided, Naruto’s own shot up at thirty-nine point five degrees in the thermometer so Sasuke walked home carrying more than what he had intended to carry, two bags and a snoozing Naruto on his back.

While walking the street back to their new home after the fire, he took a quick glance to the side where Naruto’s head was resting on his shoulder, a black coat of some sort covering his back before he put his eyes back on the dark road, stripped of his black starched collared uniform and wearing only a thin white shirt against the biting cold of the summer wind he didn’t mind. As long as Naruto’s body was kept warm he wouldn’t hesitate even stripping off his shirt had the blonde needed it too.

Yep. The asshole’s right.

*Are you following the timeline of the story? Ahn… for those of you who got a little confused… Ch. 1 is in the present, they’re already freshmen in college. Ch2 was in January to February, last months before they get to their second year high school. And mostly flashbacks about Sasuke and Naruto’s childhood together. Ch3 was in spring time the first month of their second year, I think it’s April then, Sasuke’s already rooming with Naruto. Kakashi’s their guardian-slash-perverted benefactor then, but I can’t tell if the Icha Icha (Come, come) guy would make an appearance or not. They have flashbacks when they were in their third year of middle school and Naruto’s already living with Sasuke’s family. Ah yes, I’m not quite familiar with the Japanese education so correct me if I’m wrong here. Six years of elementary, three years of middle school and three years of high school. Elementary and middle school are compulsory but high school and university aren’t that’s why in their third year of middle school, and their third year of high school the teachers make up a three way conference consisting of the teacher, the student and the parent so that they could talk about the student’s plan in his life if he wants to continue high school or work already or if he wants to either continue university, work part-time or inherit the family business. I really like it when the teachers make it a point to concern themselves with their student’s future. Although if I was the student I’d either think of it as bothersome if my life was already set for me to inherit the family business, or helpful if I’m indecisive of what I should do afterwards, maybe find myself a rich sugar daddy so I can goof around in Hawaii or some island for the rest of my life. Hehe.

Crap, I made this longer than what I had in mind… I originally intended for this to be a three part one shot. But this is still a short series… promise I won’t get past chapter ten. Hey, this is the longest chapter in the story ne? Please review!