The Demilitarized Zone

Disclaimer: Not mine. Bummer.
Summary: Itachi Uchiha has always had a sadistic streak when it came to his little brother. Now the perfect opportunity has presented itself and he just can’t let it go by. He does love him after all. (SasuNaru)

Author’s Note: As always thank you to everyone who reviewed. And to those of you who just read as well. It tickles me silly that you like this because I am having so much fun writing it.
In a moment of shameless self advertising, I wrote a one-shot called “Purging Your Life” and well, I am really, really proud of it. I would love it if you would see it in your hearts to go and check it out. (That is if you haven’t already. If you have…. **SNUGGLES** Thanks!)


The Demilitarized Zone
Chapter 3

Twenty-five year old Kakashi sat at his kitchen table staring out the window but not seeing anything. Naruto had been up half the night with a 104 degree temperature that turned out to be a double ear infection. The trip to the emergency room at four in the morning would go down in infamy as one of the most painful, scary experiences of his young life. No, wait… the most painful experience was getting Naruto home at six thirty and then having to leave the house at seven to make his classes.

“What are we going to do, ‘Kashi?”

The silver haired man sluggishly turned his head to the left. Iruka looked like death… pale, gooey, “oh dear GOD what is that THING” death. Kakashi could only assume that he wasn’t looking his normal radiant self either.

Receiving no response beyond the glazed look Kakashi sent him, Iruka tried again. “Tomorrow Naruto can’t go to school. We both have finals.” The tall man turned his head to stare out the window again, “Kakashi, I need you to pay attention. We have a problem. Who can we get to watch Naruto?”

Kakashi blinked and opened his mouth to respond when the gentle pitter-patter of feet drew his attention to the doorway.

“Dada!” A five year old chibi whimpered from the doorway, “Dada… please…” Huge blue eyes shined with tears as Naruto reached his wee little arms toward his father. “Please… I don’t feel good.”

Kakashi was up after the first ‘please’ and swept the small boy into his arms, “I know, sunshine. I know.”

“I don’t feel like a sunshine…” Naruto whispered into the cotton clad chest his head rested against.

Iruka walked over smiling at the two men in his life. He reached a hand up and massaged the back of Kakashi’s neck while using his other hand to rub gentle circles onto the child’s back.

“You’re going to feel better soon, Naru. We promise. The doctor gave you medicine and you’ll be back to your old self in no time at all.” Iruka felt his heart stop when Naruto snuggled into Kakashi’s chest and the silver haired man nuzzled the boy’s sweaty locks. Kakashi, the man and lover, was beautiful… Kakashi, the father, was breathtaking.

Kakashi adjusted the tired boy on his hip, “Hey, speaking of medicine, sunshine, I think it’s time for some more.” Kakashi began walking toward the boy’s bedroom, “Maybe if you ask nicely after medicine and a quick bath, Papa will read you a story.”

The golden head lifted and blue eyes darted around looking for Iruka, “Papa? Papa, will you please, pretty please with syrup and whipped cream and cherries and sprinkles and a side of ramen, please read me a story after I get medi… medi- sinned and clean?”

“Of course, chibi. I’ll be waiting.”

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Naruto was clean, medicated, read to and asleep when Kakashi and Iruka walked slowly to their room.

“How about Anko?” Kakashi asked pulling his shirt over his head.

“No, I think she is out of town.” Iruka headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

“Asuma?” Kakashi yelled over the running water.

“E’s ith Anko…” Iruka spit, “He’s with Anko, some conference.”

“Fuck, Iruka… I don’t know. I’ll just stay home with him.” Kakashi crawled into bed and face planted himself in his pillow. “I don’t want him sick and with someone else anyway.”

“Kakashi,” Iruka scolded, “These are your last finals before you graduate with your Masters. You will not miss them. I’ll stay home.” Iruka crawled into the bed nudging the taller man in the ribs to ‘remind’ him about his side of the bed.

“They are your last finals too.” Kakashi reasoned before ‘invading’ Iruka’s side and drawing the man close. They lay in silence for several minutes before Kakashi sat up on his elbow looking down into Iruka’s face. Iruka raised an eyebrow, the silver haired man looked nervous.

“I could ask Gai.” His tone of voice was pained but resigned.

Iruka sat up so fast that he accidently hit Kakashi in the nose. “Have you completely lost your mind? I know you’re running on little or no sleep, but Maito Gai!”

Kakashi rubbed his nose tenderly with his eyes squeezed shut to stop the tears from falling. Iruka placed a gentle hand on his cheek, “I’m sorry.”

Kakashi opened his eyes and smiled, “It’s okay, ‘Ru.” He placed a gentle kiss on Iruka’s adorable nose before laying back and continuing, “Everyone else we know are either taking their finals or out of town. He’ll do it. I’ll turn it into one of his damn ‘challenges’ and he’ll be Mary Freakin’ Poppins to ‘win’ if he has too.”

“I know… but what about Naruto. He’s never even met the man. I thought we decided that we never, ever wanted him to meet the man.”

“It takes the village to raise the child. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Up shit creek… Pick your cliché, but he’s all we have.”

Iruka sighed, falling back into Kakashi’s waiting arms, “Do it.”

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“Sunshine, dobe?” Sasuke whispered while forcing himself to ignore the warmth that shot up and down his spine since Naruto’s forehead had been pressed against his back.

Naruto jabbed the smirking man in the back while gritting his teeth. He hissed, “Shut up, teme.”

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Thankfully Naruto had slept more or less peacefully through the night. When he woke up in the morning his fever wasn’t gone, but was significantly lower than the day before. The little boy walked into the living room and saw his Papa and Dada sitting on the couch. With a whimper only sick children could pull off and still remain adorable, Naruto crawled onto the couch, snuggling between them.

“Good morning, sunshine. How are you feeling?” Kakashi said while placing a gentle hand against the boy’s forehead.

“‘Kay,” Naruto mumbled as sleep threatened to over take him again now that he was warm and safe between his parents.

“Naru…” Heavy eyelids lifted to reveal sleepy blue orbs that sought out Iruka, “Naruto, this morning Dada and I have to go to school. You can’t today because you aren’t feeling well.”

“I don’t think I should be alone!” Naruto said stiffening against Kakashi.

“No. No, of course not. Dada has invited a… friend… to come over and stay with you.”

“Hmmm… okay.” Naruto turned against Kakashi, fisting his father’s black t-shirt and closing his eyes again, “Who?”

Before either of the men could answer there was a series of increasingly insistent knocks on their front door.

“Go to Papa, sunshine.” Kakashi whispered into blonde locks, detaching himself from the sleepy chibi before heading toward the door.

Naruto crawled into Iruka’s lap and stared at the hallway his Dada had disappeared down. He heard voices and then wiggling so that he was facing forward listened as footprints came down the hallway.

Blue eyes widened comically… there was so much…

“KAKASHI! Is this the small boy of whom you spoke of with such springtime joy?!”

A man wearing more green than Naruto had ever seen in his life bounded toward him, swiping him from his Papa’s lap and swinging him into the air.

“Gai, Naruto isn’t feeling w…” Iruka began but stopped abruptly when Naruto puked all over the black haired man.

“Dada…” Naruto cried and found himself plucked out of the green man’s arms and held against his Dada’s chest.

“Shhh… sunshine, it’s okay. No one is upset.” Kakashi assured the shaking boy before turning a death glare toward the ‘babysitter’. “Damn it, Gai. Go to the bathroom and clean up. Iruka will find you some clothes.” Kakashi said as he took his teary eyed son toward his own bathroom.

Naruto looked over his father’s back to see the green man smiling brightly and offering him the thumbs up. Naruto closed his eyes… what were his parents thinking?

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Naruto had yet to remove his forehead from against Sasuke’s back. He thought that maybe if he didn’t see Gai, the crazy idiot didn’t see him either. ‘I should have known! I am so stupid… all the green and ‘springtime crap’… who else could it be?!’

“Oh, Sunshine! I have not seen you in such a long time. My eternal rival moved and all I have received was Christmas cards to assure me of your continued youthfulness and springtime joy!”

Naruto stepped forward, forcing a smile onto his face, “Yes, we moved to Konhona. It’s good to see you again.” Naruto offered his hand which was ignored in favor of a full body embrace.

Naruto stood stiffly in the man’s arms before awkwardly patting the green cad back.

“Dobe.”

Gai released Naruto to look at the tall, dark haired man, “Hello! I am Maito Gai, owner and operator of…”

“Yes, I know.” Sasuke held out his hand, “Sasuke Uchiha.”

“You are Fugaku’s son, yes?”

“Hn.”

Gai’s face showed confusion. Naruto came to the rescue. “He means yes, don’t you, bastard?”

Sasuke smirked down at the blonde whose face was still flushed from embarrassment.

“Well then, I am sure that we will get along just fine. Kakashi and I had the best time with both of your fathers. Now those are some welcome memories…”

Sasuke noticed Naruto’s sharp intake of breath but before he could inquire Gai continued, “But even without knowing your father, any friend of Sunshine’s is a friend of mine!”

Sasuke sent Naruto a smirk, “Of course. My ‘friend’… Sunshine.”

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Gai enter the living room to see the small family sitting together on the couch. He smiled brilliantly at the picture they made and stepped forward.

“My friends, I am clean!”

Iruka forced a smile and then looked at Kakashi, his eyebrows practically reaching his hairline in a silent communication that could only be interrupted as ‘Are you sure?!’

Kakashi kissed the small boy’s blonde head and stood, “Gai, may I talk to you in the kitchen?”

“Of course, my friend!”

Iruka and Naruto watched them leave the room and Naruto crawled into the brown haired man’s lap.

“Papa?” The little one whispered, “I don’t think that man should be here.”

“Now, chibi, Gai is a little… enthusiastic but he didn’t mean to make you sick. You’ll be fine, okay.”

Naruto looked doubtful but nodded his head. He knew that school was important to his fathers and he knew that if they could, they would stay with him. He smiled even though he could feel the tears prickling behind his eyes. He rested his head against his Papa’s warm chest and allowed himself to relax.

“It won’t be for that long, Naru.”

Naruto nodded.

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Gai found himself pressed rather violently against the refrigerator. Although he and Kakashi were the same height, he felt as though the silver haired man was looming over him. The smile on his face eased up in its intensity.

“Gai,” Kakashi smirked rather menacingly, “I appreciate you coming over and helping us today but if you make that little boy cry or worry or just ‘think’ about doing either of those things, I will rip off your balls and shove them up your ass. This is not a game. This is my son.”

Tears began to leak from round black eyes, “Kakashi, my eternal rival, I will treat the little boy as though he were my own. Your youthfulness has showed me the error of my ways and seeing you like this, my friend, makes me think of open fields in the spri…”

“I don’t care, Gai.” Kakashi released the man, “Emergency numbers are on the table. He’ll need to take his medicine in two hours, times and doses are also on the table. We will be home by dinnertime.”

Turning Kakashi walked away but stopped at the entry way. “Do not fuck this up.”

Gai nodded.

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“Mr. Gai, Uchiha and I were just headed out toward the welcoming seminar.” Naruto said in the hopes of getting away from Gai and Sasuke and his stupid, stupid life.

“Mister? No, sunshine, I couldn’t live with myself if you called me that. Just Gai, Gai-sensei… or uncle.” Naruto shivered, “I, myself, was headed in that direction. Shall I take you?”

Naruto sighed and forced another blinding smile onto his face. He missed Sasuke frown at the action. “That would be wonderful! Come on, teme.”

Sasuke followed the two men out of their room, closing the door behind him. Gai lead them down the hall talking about things that Sasuke immediately dismissed when he realize the green clad man was no longer talking about ‘sunshine’. Sasuke picked up the pace so that he could walk beside the blonde haired man. As he got closer, he heard Naruto mumbling to himself.

“… then I’ll key his car… yeah… and I’ll tell Iruka that he bought me that magazine when I was twelve… and then when the fucker is sleeping on the couch I’ll laugh and laugh. Asshole.”

“Dobe.”

Naruto started and finally noticed the dark haired man strolling beside him. “What?” Naruto snapped… He’d only outlined the first day of his revenge plan that would hopefully last the whole year.

“Who is your father?”

Naruto tripped and Sasuke told himself it was only reflex that made him shoot out his hand and grab the blonde’s elbow before he fell forward. Naruto ripped his arm away and glared at Sasuke, rubbing away the feel of the pale fingers against his skin.

“Kakashi Hatake and Iruka Umino.”

“They are your adoptive fathers.”

“Yes they are. Very good, teme.”

Sasuke fisted his hands. Something was wrong with him. There had to be. How could one stupid little blonde make him feel anger, annoyance, amusement and curiosity all at the same damn time. With anyone else he wouldn’t have asked the question in the first place and even if he did, he certainly would have glared and discontinued the discussion after that little gem of a reply. And punched him… yeah, that too.

“Dobe,” the tone of his voice suggested a warning. Naruto raised a golden eyebrow. “Who is your father?”

Naruto closed his eyes. He could hear Gai still talking about youthfulness and springtime and all different manner of crap. Why did Sasuke care? Why did Naruto not want to tell him? It didn’t matter. The man was dead. Naruto had no memories of him and only a hand full of pictures to say he had ever existed. It’s not that he didn’t love his ‘real’ parents but he didn’t know them and even after 24 years didn’t know where they fit into his life. Kakashi and Iruka had told him stories and answered all his questions about his parents but…

“His name was Minato Namikaze.”

“Namikaze? Where is the Uzumaki from?” Sasuke couldn’t believe his mouth. Was it making up for lost time?

Naruto stopped in his tracks and Sasuke had to turn around to see him. The blonde ran a tan hand over his face, “Sasuke…”

Midnight black eyes widened… no one had ever said his name like that. His name was wrapped in quiet hurt, suppressed hostile aggression and silent pleading.

“I would really rather not talk about it.” Naruto finished and then ran ahead to catch up with Gai, who had continued to talk even though neither of the young men were still following.

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“Okay, sunshine, Papa and I will be home soon. Be a good boy.”

Naruto nodded, his head bent down in an attempt to hide the tears that threatened to fall.

“Sunshine?” Kakashi said kneeling in front of the boy, “Don’t worry. We’ll be home before you know it. Gai is a funny man… you’ll like him.”

Naruto leaned forward wrapping his arms around Kakashi’s neck, whispering into the man’s ear, “He looks like a big green…”

“Beast?” Kakashi whispered.

“YES!”

Kakashi laughed and stood up. “It’s only for a few hours. We love you.”

Naruto watched the two men wave and leave the apartment. Slowly he met the eyes of his caretaker.

“Are you hungry, sunshine?”

“My name is Naruto,” The little boy huffed, sliding off the couch, “And can we have ramen?”

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“We will have a competition!” Gai hollered as he placed the steaming bowl in front of Naruto, “The one who eats fastest shall choose our next activity! And as an added incentive, if I lose I will do two hundred push-ups!”

Naruto just nodded. Iruka always told him to eat slowly or he would choke but the Green Beast wanted him to eat fast… what should he do? And what were push-ups? If he lost would he have to do them? Two hundred was like… a lot. Like a million. He picked up his chopsticks and looked across the table.

Gai nodded, gave the thumbs up and then shouted “GO!”

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Naruto watched “Fox and the Hound” while Gai did two hundred push-ups behind the couch. Naruto was glad he had won. He couldn’t count that high anyway.

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“If I lose this game of ‘Candy Land’ I shall walk on my hands for the rest of the afternoon!”

Naruto shrugged, yawning a bit before flipping the first card.

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Gai walked out of Naruto’s bedroom on his hands after tucking the boy in for his nap.

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“We will both make as many animals as we can out of clay. If I don’t make the most after ten minutes I will do thirty laps around the living room… on my hands of course.”

“Ah… Mr. Gai? You don’t have to… it’s okay. We can just play.”

“Oh, sunshine! You are your father’s son! My eternal rival is always saying that my challenges are not important but it makes us better men! We should embrace our youthfulness. And I see so much youth in you! I will not take no as an answer! Begin!” The green man ripped the lid of his Play Doh and began.

Naruto looked at the clock. He couldn’t read it, but he knew Papa always looked at it when he was waiting for something. He hoped the clock said his parents would be home soon. Small hands reached forward and pulled the clay toward him. Opening the container, Naruto slowly started assembling a blue fox.

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Naruto lay on the couch looking through his favorite book while the Green Beast made laps around the living room.

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Kakashi chased Iruka up the stairs attempting to get a hold on the man’s firm ass.

“Cut it out!” Iruka hissed slapping the ‘questing’ hand away.

“We are finally free, Iruka! Finals are over.” The silver haired man stopped his lover from unlocking the door and whispered in his ear, “I’m tempted to have Gai watch Sunshine the whole night and I will take you out to dinner and then to one of those pay-by-the-hour hotels, you know with heart shaped beds and fu…”

“Please Mr. Gai… STOP! You don’t have too! Please. You’re scaring me!!!!”

“Oh fuck!” Kakashi hissed and slammed the key into the lock before bursting into the room.

Naruto sat on the couch, his legs pulled up to his chest, his lower lip trembling. ‘Sorry’, the board game, lay in the middle of the room.

“What the hell… Gai!” Kakashi said staring at the green idiot who had hefted the love seat onto his back and was doing leg squats.

“Dada! Papa!” Naruto shrieked and jumped off the couch, “Don’t leave anymore! No more!” Naruto scolded staring up into his parents’ eyes.

“The Green Beast made me eat fast and then he made me make as many animals as I could and then he made me say my ABC’s really, really fast and he walked on his hands and we played every board game even when I didn’t want to and I’m tired and… He is SCARY!” Blue eyes flashed as a small trembling finger pointed to the culprit that provoked the outburst.

Iruka pulled the babbling boy into his arms while Kakashi helped Gai lower the loveseat without causing injury to himself or the furniture.

“Well, Gai.” Kakashi began, smiling until his eyes were closed, “Thank you for coming. Naruto seems to have had a wonderful time.” Kakashi said this while grabbing the man’s arm and pulling him ‘gently’ toward the door. “Don’t call us, we’ll call you. Thank you. Bye.”

Kakashi shut the door in the man’s face.

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Naruto had recurring nightmares about the Green Beast for two months.

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The ‘seminar’ room was actually quite lovely, Naruto thought. If one ignored the color scheme, of course. Instead of stiff chairs, the room was filled with blush couches and armchairs. Sasuke and Naruto had obviously arrived late because they were forced to share a love seat or stand. Naruto flopped into it. The bastard could do whatever he wanted.

Sasuke looked down at the dobe before kicking the man’s feet over and taking a seat. He smirked when he heard Naruto growl ‘teme’ before turning his attention to the front of the room where Gai had bounded upon entering the room.

“Welcome, My Youthful Friends…” and Sasuke ignored the rest in favor of looking at his fellow ‘youthful’ companions. He and Naruto who part of a small group of ten men, it seemed. The other eight men talked quietly with their business partners, laughing and making comments about the ‘Green Beast’. That reminded Sasuke to find out why Naruto was ‘afraid’ of the man. Shit. No, he would not find out because he didn’t care.

“Damn it, teme. I asked you a question.” Naruto hissed next to him.

“Why are you afraid of Maito Gai?” Oh fuck… so much for not asking.

“Bastard!” Naruto subtly kicked the man’s shin, “I am not afraid of him…” Naruto turned his head, mumbling, “It’s more like deeply traumatized.”

“I see.” The two words oozed amused sarcasm.

“You know you’re an ass, right?” Naruto turned looking directly into midnight black pools.

“You’re the only one who has said so and I find you to be a less than a reliable source.” Sasuke said staring right back, shoving the blonde man’s leg with his foot.

“Oh, don’t underestimate yourself. So many other people believe it… I’m just the only one who says it to your face, teme.” Naruto smiled, stomping on the shiny black toe of Sasuke’s shoe.

“Hn. Perhaps,” Sasuke began and removed his abused foot from under Naruto’s only to kick Naruto’s calf hard enough to cause a Charlie-horse. Naruto reached down to rub the leg while hissing in pain, “But everyone knows that you are just some mediocre moron tagging onto the Uchiha brother’s coat tails.”

Naruto eyes grew wide and without thinking of where he was or how it would look he shoved Sasuke off the couch and jumped down until he was straddling the dark haired man, “Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you.” Naruto screamed while fisting the man’s shirt, banging his head into the floor after each exclamation.

Naruto felt himself being pulled off the man, but he was still seeing red. “I hate you!” Naruto spat before yanking himself away from Sasuke’s ‘rescuer’ and marching back to his room.

Sasuke shook his head and stared after the retreating blonde.

Gai stood behind the dark haired man and smiled, “We have a lot of work ahead of us, my youthful friends.” Sasuke ignored the whispers around him and stood up to follow the dobe. ‘Who in their right mind would ever call Naruto ‘sunshine’?’ Sasuke thought as he gently touched the back of his head.

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To: My Soon to be Disowned Father
From: Your Soon to be Former Son
Subject: You are dead to me!

Mr. Hatake,

This email is to inform you of Naruto Uzumaki’s decision to disown your perverted ass for having allowed your only son (aka ‘sunshine’) to walk blindly into the arms of the “Green Beast”.

What kind of father doesn’t protect their son from horrible green jumpsuit wearing psychos? You know that Mr. Uzumaki suffered greatly at the hands of one Maito Gai in his early childhood years. You were also informed that Mr. Uzumaki would be attending this retreat hell with one Mr. Sasuke Uchiha who, in a move that just proves that he is the biggest fucking bastard in the world, has taken to calling Mr. Uzumaki ‘sunshine’.

How dare you!

Naruto Uzumaki
Former Son
I’m Telling Papa about the magazine!

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Sasuke entered the room to find Naruto in bed, apparently asleep. He kicked off his shoes and lay down on top of his comforter. He chose to ignore the red splatters. He supposed they were his fault anyway.

Naruto shifted under the blankets and Sasuke turned his dark head to watch the young man. Naruto was curled up against the headboard, pillows stuffed around him and the comforter was tucked soundly right under his chin.

The earlier day’s rain had turned into an all out storm and the rain beat against the window. Sasuke’s eyes widen when lightning flashed and thunder seemed to echo throughout the room. Naruto shifted again and Sasuke saw the frown that crossed the once peaceful face.

The dobe had never answered his earlier question about the rain. Obviously something had happened to the man that involved rain. Sasuke realized that he didn’t know much about his co-worker. He had assumed that he would learn as they worked together, but that hadn’t exactly played out in a way conducive to open communication. He hesitantly shifted his head, feeling the painful bump the dobe had left him this afternoon. He knew that his curiosity had been peaked and he’d never be able to let it go.

Sitting up, Sasuke grabbed his room key and with one last glance at the sleeping man, headed toward the media center. He needed to find out all he could about the dobe before his curiosity and his stupid mouth got the better of him.

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To: Neji Hyuugu
From: Sasuke Uchiha
Subject: Information

Neji,

I need you to find everything you can on Naruto Uzumaki. I want to know about his biological parents, his adoptive parents (Kakashi Hatake and Iruka something) and how my father might know him. There is something about rain too.

I can envision your face while you are reading this. Neji… I need to know. Don’t think too much into it. Just do it.

Sasuke Uchiha
Personal Account

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“That’s promising.”

“Isn’t it though?”

“Hmmm… come here.”

The email floated discarded toward the floor and soft moans filled the bedroom.

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“Kakashi! How could you!” Iruka said slamming the front door.

“What are you referring to, love of my life.” Kakashi said, removing his glasses and setting his ‘literature’ aside.

“Don’t try and sweet talk me, you asshole. You sent Naruto into Gai’s clutches with no warning! Again I ask, how could you?!”

“Now, really, both of you are over reacting, I think. Didn’t you even look at the flyer? It said Maito Gai’s Youthful Springtime Joy of… something, right on the front cover.”

“Did it? I must have missed that.” Iruka sighed, “Still, Naruto doesn’t even remember the man’s name… he just remembers the ‘Green Beast’. It really was mean not to mention it.”

“Mean? Maybe… but come on Iruka! Imagine what their first meeting must have been like!”

Iruka glared but as he thought about it the corners of his mouth kept threatening to curve upwards.

Iruka cleared his throat and finally allowed the smile to grace his face, “Regardless, I promised Naruto that I would make you sleep on the couch. He really is upset.”

“I see.” Kakashi said resignation heavy in his purring voice, “I guess I deserve that.” Smoldering dark eyes met amused brown, “Will you be joining me?”

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When Naruto awoke he was alone in the room. He unwrapped himself from the comforter and grimaced at the cottony feel in his mouth. Pushing himself out of the bed he entered the adjoined bathroom and brushed his teeth. He sighed looking at himself in the mirror. Sadly, his blonde head didn’t look any different than it did when he had laid down. Was that a blessing or a curse, he wondered. He took two aspirin to ward off the post-afternoon nap headache and walked back into the room.

The clock told him he had been asleep for several hours and that dinnertime was right around the corner. Good… his stomach gave a rumble of agreement. Slipping on his shoes, the blonde headed toward the door.

As he reached out to grasp the handle, the door pushed inward knocking him in the face and sending him to the floor.

“Oh shit… that hurt.” Naruto mumbled from the floor. Rubbing his forehead to ease the pain he looked up to see Sasuke staring down at him.

“Dobe.”

“Teme.” Naruto snapped back but then started when a pale hand extended in front of his face.

He reached forward and felt his wrist clasped by a strong hand as he was pulled onto his feet.

“Are you okay?” The dark haired man asked not making eye contact with the shorter man.

“Yeah. I guess.”

“Hn.” Sasuke turned and started to head out the door. “Come on. I was sent to wake you up. It’s dinner time and we get to participate in our first teamwork exercise.” If Sasuke had sounded any less excited he would have been dead.

“Huh.” Naruto followed behind the taller man. “Do you know what it is?”

Sasuke shrugged. “Hn.”

Naruto rolled his eyes, “Sounds fun.”

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Gai stood at the front of the room. Naruto was talking with several of the other men and Sasuke stood staring out the window into the darkness. He was… uncomfortable… being in the woods at night. He was used to hearing the noises of the city and seeing the rising concrete slabs. The quiet and the green were… disconcerting. He glanced around the room. Wait… the green was on the inside.

“Tonight my youthful comrades, we will be participating in an activity that will allow you to not only learn about each other, but get a much deeper understanding of your fellow co-worker. Each of you filled out a questionnaire this afternoon. The questionnaire contained ten questions. Each of you are being handed a sheet that has the answer to one of those questions for each of the men present. Your mission is to answer all the questions about your co-worker. You will need to talk to every person present to get every answer.” Gai’s smile sparkled and he gave the room a thumbs up. Naruto shivered and stepped back from the man.

“You may begin.”

Naruto immediately turned to the man on his right, “Hey, I’m Naruto Uzumaki. I’m one of the VP’s at Uchiha Inc.”

“You’re kidding me.” The brown haired man said looking down at the bright blonde in front of him.

“Nope, sorry. I’m here with my fellow VP Sasuke Uchiha.” Naruto pointed toward the stoic man who was glaring at some poor sap who needed an answer to question three.

“You attacked Sasuke UCHIHA?!” The man stuttered in disbelief staring wide eyed at the younger man.

“Yes, but only because he’s a bastard. So, what answer do you have?”

The man shook his head and checked his list.

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“So tell me, what did you learn about your fellow co-worker?” Gai asked sometime later. Once again the ten men sat throughout the room. Sasuke and Naruto had each snagged a single chair this time much to their internal delight.

“Anyone?” When no one answered, Gai turned to the blonde haired man that refused to make eye contact with him. “Sunshine! Tell me, what did you learn?”

Naruto fisted the paper he held in his hands before glaring at the damn green monstrosity.

“Truthfully, I didn’t learn a damn thing. I thought he was a cold bastard before and that hasn’t changed.”

Eight men inhaled loudly while Naruto stared blankly at the front of the room.

“Dobe.” Sasuke growled.

“What, teme?” Naruto said finally making eye contact with the dark haired man, emotion making blue eyes crackle, “Are you surprised? The question was ‘What is your favorite childhood memory?’ and you answered ‘Growing up’!”

“Now,” Gai said walking slowly toward the two volatile men, “Not all of us embrace our childhood youthfulness.”

“To ‘what is your favorite animal’ the teme said ‘filet mignon, medium well’.”

“Dobe,” Sasuke stared impassively at the fuming blonde. He stood up and watched as Naruto mirrored his movement, “Let’s see what you wrote, shall we? Hmmm… ‘I remember my father carrying me on his back like a monkey before tucking me in bed each night.’” Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned his cool glare to the other men in the room, “By a show of hands, who else said something along these lines,” Sasuke voice became sugar sweet, “I remember picnics in the park… When mommy kissed my booboos… Running in the rain…” Sasuke crumbled the sheet in his hand and when he spoke again his voice was hard as steel, “Do any of you actually remember this shit or did you just pick your favorite ‘Beaver’ moment?”

Naruto stared at the man in shock. He looked at the men around the room and knew that most of them had probably done exactly what the bastard accused. He stepped closer to Sasuke and ran a tan hand through his hair before allowing it to drop limply at his side.

“Well, Mr. Uchiha, I believe you have made your point.” Sasuke eyes widen a bit and Gai tensed ready to break up what was sure to be a dazzling show of youthfulness.

Naruto turned, looking at the others in the room, “I feel bad for you.” His eyes came back to lock with midnight black, “All of you. It must be sad not to have your own memories. I’m not saying that all my childhood years were glorious, of course they weren’t, but my memory is real and it happened and it made me who I am today. I might not remember each moment, but I know I laughed more than I cried. I know that when I feel like shit I have a place that I can go to where they offer love, acceptance and alcohol when appropriate.”

Naruto heaved a heavy sigh, bowing his head so that blonde locks concealed his turbulent blue eyes from everyone in the room. No one dared to make a sound. Suddenly the young man chuckled and forced his hands into his pockets, looking at the green man beside him. “Well, Gai-sensei… excellent exercise. I believe I’ve learned a little bit about everyone in this room.”

Without a backward glance Naruto turned around and left the room.

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That night Sasuke lay in the darkness staring up at the ceiling. No matter what he tried, he couldn’t force himself to fall asleep. The dobe… damn the fucking dobe. Sasuke had felt like an immature child back in that room. After Naruto left Gai mumbled something about the session being over and he left the room.

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Sasuke stood in his spot while the eight other men shuffled nervously.

“What?” Sasuke finally said.

A dark haired man looked up and locked eyes with the Uchiha. “Is he always like that? So alive… and may god strike me down… youthful?”

“If by ‘youthful’ you mean naïve and emotional, then yes.” Sasuke said.

A strawberry blonde stepped forward, “Why the hell would the Uchihas hire someone like that?”

Sasuke bristled, “Because he’s the best.”

Sasuke turned and walked out of the room.

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Sasuke ran a pale hand over his face. Why had he said that? The fact was that he didn’t know why his father had hired the blonde. He wondered if Itachi knew. Sasuke shifted, the sheets rustling around him. Did Sasuke really believe Naruto was the ‘best’? He sighed.

Yes. He did. That was a fact also. Naruto had never dropped the ball. He was unlike the Uchihas in so many different ways, but that just helped him bring new ideas, clients and contracts to the table that would have been disregarded otherwise. Ideas that ultimately made the company greater, stronger and more powerful, increasing the ‘bottom line’ that Sasuke’s father was so fucking fond of.

“Teme.”

Sasuke’s head snapped to the side, his eyes squinting in an effort to make out the blonde man.

“Hn.”

“God you are such a… Are you okay?” Naruto bit out.

“Yes, dobe, I am fine.”

“I only ask because you have been over there sighing for about two hours now and I need my beauty sleep. This handsome mug doesn’t happen all on its own.”

Sasuke snorted and shifted to his side, leaning his head against his hand, “Handsome?”

Naruto chuckled into the darkness, “Fine, ass, this cute face…”

“Can you really play the cello?” Sasuke asked and immediately closed his eyes… what the hell was wrong with his mouth?!

Naruto was silent for such a long time that Sasuke thought maybe he’d fallen back asleep or that he had no intention of answering him.

“I don’t know… it might be something I got from watching the Cleaver’s so religiously.”

“Hn.” Well there was his answer and he deserved it. Naruto didn’t have to tell him anything and if he were in the young man’s shoes he probably wouldn’t either.

“Oh wait, that was me. Yes, bastard. I play the cello.” Naruto tone was light. Sasuke wished he could see the man’s face… his eyes… to see if he really felt as light as he sounded.

“Are you any good?” Sasuke bit his tongue… he was going to have to see a doctor about this.

“I have been doing it since I was six.”

“Well, presumably you have been walking since you were one and yet I had to catch you before you feel on your ass twice today.”

The dark radiated silence again before a soft laugh was heard, “Teme.”

“Dobe.”

“I have been asked to play in Kohona’s Symphony Orchestra on occasion.”

“Hn.”

They lay in silence for several minutes before Sasuke heard Naruto’s covers shift like he was cocooning himself.

“Think you can sleep now, bastard?”

“Dobe.”

“Goodnight, teme.”

“Goodnight… Sunshine.” A quiet huff was the only response.

Sasuke didn’t know it, but as he finally drifted into sleep his lips curled up into what could only be considered a content smile.

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