Irreplacable

Chapter 4:

Sasuke was shut up in his room and brooding once more. Naruto hadn’t seen him ever since he’d hurt his hand three days back. They’d both had to run around to and from work, trying to sort things out they hadn’t even had their meals together! Naruto sighed and sat down…he’d kill for a doughnut and a cappuccino right about now. Maybe Sasuke could accompany him?

He trudged up to the older man’s room and knocked hard. A muffled ‘who’s there?’ sounded through the door. Naruto rolled his eyes and pushed the door open…he smiled involuntarily. Sasuke was tangled up in his quilt, with his eyes half open, heavy with sleep. They opened just a little, teeny bit wider and a half-baked Uchiha glare was turned on. Unfortunately, Naruto had long ago become immune to it.

“What the hell do you want?”

Naruto sat down next to the quilt covered lump. “Ne, Sasuke…let’s go get a doughnut…”

Obsidian eyes opened wider in incredulity. “A doughnut?!” he glanced at the clock. “Naruto…it’s one in the morning! Are you out of your mind? You woke me up for this?”

Naruto’s face fell slightly. “Um…I only wanted some company…sorry for waking you up…” his voice was a little low. He stood and walked towards the door when he heard Sasuke ask him to stop. He turned to see the Uchiha get out of bed…he was wearing a grey t-shirt with black boxers, his hair mussed and his hand still bandaged. The man pulled on some trousers and then stood running the bandaged hand through his hair, before snatching up a comb and trying to win a losing battle by trying to tame the locks at the back….they still stuck up when he was done.

He turned to Naruto. “Drive or walk?”

“I dunno…it’s only two blocks down the road…what do you think?”

“Walk?”

“Yeah…I think that’ll do me some good…” he smiled at Sasuke. “If you don’t like doughnuts they do good bagels too…”

Sasuke nodded and they headed out. An awkward silence hung between them for one whole block, until either of them attempted conversation. Actually conversation only began when Sasuke stopped at a twenty four hour magazine stall to look at the new issue of Overdrive.

“Arashi used to read these all the time…I’ve never met anyone who was so into cars! He read these page to page…I remember I even quizzed him on a whole issue once and he got all the questions right!” he sighed and put the magazine back down. He’d never really been interested in cars; he preferred adventure sports and stuff.

“Yeah…we used to go to all the rallies held and stuff, when I was a kid.” Naruto sounded nostalgic. “I suppose he took you to them too?”

Sasuke nodded. “Twice…he used to say he wanted to show me off…but after that I stopped going with him, I wasn’t too interested in cars…I think he got that at some point and decided it was a waste of time to take me…”

“Yeah, dad was good at things like that…he always knew when to stop…I mean I stopped going when I was fourteen, you remember how we’d joined the football team together? Yeah so I had football practice and didn’t want to go…” Naruto glanced at Sasuke, who was lost in thought.

They entered the little café; Naruto ran to the counter and ordered a jam doughnut. He got a cappuccino and then looked at Sasuke who was looking at the food in the counter. “What do you wan to have, teme?”

Sasuke turned to the lady behind the counter. “I’d like an onion bagel with cream cheese please. And maybe a latte?”

They got a small round table with two stools at the window. The silence this time was slightly more bearable. The lady signalled for them to collect their food. Naruto looked at Sasuke’s calm face and smiled a little mischievously. He wanted to shock the man into showing some expression.

“So, Sasuke, who was top? My dad or you? Did you share?”

A mouthful of latte sprayed out of Sasuke’s mouth. “What?” Was the strangled reply. Sasuke wiped it up with a napkin and stared at Naruto. He sae the gleam and pursed his lips a bit. Two could play at this game. He grinned seductively at the blond.

“I always topped, dobe…you see I was so good, your father didn’t want to top me ever…” he leaned forward and gazed smokily into Naruto’s eyes. “Why…you’re curious? I could give you a demo anytime…”

Naruto went red in the face. “Uh…no. I mean…I was just wondering…I…”

Sasuke backed off and smiled a normal smile. “Idiot…that was just payback. Finish up…I need to get back to bed. I’m really tired.” Naruto frowned at him before grinning.

“Okay…”

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Kotetsu knocked on Sasuke’s door. He was feeling really awkward. He stepped in. “Uchiha-san…Mr. Rivers wants to know if he can meet you to discuss Uzuphone New York….”

“Tell him I’m busy till one. After that I’m at his service and call Rasengan Steel. Tell them I’ll be down to check the factory and meet the manager tomorrow morning first thing…” Sasuke turned back to his computer.

Kotetsu made the necessary calls and went back again. “Uchiha-san. Mr. Rivers says he’ll be down to meet you at two. And the manager at Rasengan said he’d be waiting.”

Sasuke looked up. “Thank you…” he went back to his computer. After a few minutes he realised Kotetsu was staring at him, still standing in the doorway. “What?”

“I…Sasuke…you’re hand…I mean what happened?”

“I hurt it.”

“Like duh…I mean how?”

Sasuke sighed. “Listen I’m not in a mood to talk about it. Plus I don’t think I need the whole world knowing how I hurt it. Again it’s not your business…now if you please, could I get on with this design? It’s a company logo which I have to finish!”

Kotetsu hung his head. “One more thing…” he tried not to let Sasuke’s exasperated sigh get to him. “Your brother wants to meet you. He’s waiting outside, talking to Uzumaki-san…”

Sasuke’s face turned white. “Tell him I’m busy…”

“But…Uzumaki-san told him you’d be there…”

Sasuke stood. “Fine, I’ll be out right away…” he took a deep breath and calmed himself. Then he walked out to the living room where Naruto was talking to his brother. Itachi looked impeccable as always. He was wearing a black pinstriped tailored suit with a beautiful maroon shirt and tie. His long hair was tied in a neat pony tail and his long-ish bangs were trimmed to perfection. That’s what his brother was…perfect. Peeking in the mirror to make sure his features were carefully blank he walked into the room.

Naruto looked up to greet Sasuke but stopped short. The man looked pale, though his face was calm. The dark eyes were blank of any emotion too. “Hey, Sasuke…look who’s here!”

“Itachi.” Sasuke ignored Naruto, focussing on his brother.

Itachi looked up and smiled a bit. “Sasuke…you’ve grown a lot…” Sasuke didn’t reply, just gazing at Itachi waiting for him to get to the root of the matter. “I came to give you my condolences…I know it happened a month back, but I was out of town…”

“Thank you.” Sasuke looked at the ground before looking back up with a frown. “Why are you here? There is something else isn’t there?”

Itachi looked at him and gestured for him to sit. “Maybe Naruto-kun could give us some time alone?” Naruto made to leave.

“No. he can hear whatever you want to say and then you can leave…” Sasuke glared at Naruto who sat down again feeling uneasy.

“Otouto…our parents want to meet you.”

Sasuke stared at him disbelief washing over his face. “What?”

“I said our parents want to meet you. Father is not feeling too well and mother hasn’t spoken to him since you left…” Itachi looked away. “They wanted to ask me to tell you that they want to see you. Father especially…”

“No.”

“They’re your parents…they have a right to ask this of you…”

Sasuke stood. “No. I don’t want to see them.”

“Sasuke! Just come. Meet father once…”

“Go home Itachi…or wherever. I am not coming home. The moment they disowned me they lost the right to call me son…”

“I…see…” Itachi stepped up to his brother and hugged him. “Well, all right. I never condemned you…so come to me if you need to…goodbye.”

Sasuke stood stiffly until Itachi let go and left. Then he sighed. “Ok…I’ll be heading out then. I have to meet Mr. Rivers about Uzuphone. See you for dinner maybe? If you’re getting take-out I’d like pasta…”

Naruto nodded and watched him leave. Since when had Sasuke gotten so prickly? It made him feel frustrated that no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t get Sasuke to laugh like his dad had. In all those photographs Sasuke was laughing…even in the ones he wasn’t the happiness was evident in his eyes. His dad had asked him to take care of Sasuke and make him smile…I seemed like the hardest task ever, because getting Sasuke to smile with genuine happiness seemed like a thing that could never happen!

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Things had begun to move more smoothly since the doughnut run. Now they could make conversation more easily with that touch of civility they hadn’t had before. Sometimes it scared Sasuke…he could feel Arashi’s will for them to be together…so what if they did fall in love? Sasuke did not want to fall in love with any Uzumaki again! He loved Arashi to the fullest; he did not want to love Naruto again. Sasuke hated reviving things, if it didn’t happen then it was gone…there was no point in even trying. No he and Naruto were on the way to being best friends again and this time it would stop there!

He leaned over the huge seven foot square of glass…he’d been commissioned to paint a window for someone. He’d chosen a huge nine-tailed fox, but he had no idea how to paint it. Maybe if the client had given him some information about the colours in the living room it would have been okay. He decided on making the fox red with a gold background and started pouring paint between the lead lines. Using a fine tipped brush he controlled he depth of the paint in certain places.

He worked for four hours straight. He was in his shed, the one he’d built for all his artwork. The place was huge with a bed at one end incase Sasuke wanted to work through the night with a few hours rest. Luckily there had been only two leaks, so he was almost done. He didn’t hear the door open.

“Sasuke?”

He almost dropped the can of paint. Then he looked at Naruto still panting slightly. “Don’t do that dobe…you’re supposed to knock.”

Naruto raised an eyebrow. “I did teme! It isn’t my problem if you didn’t hear me! Want any dinner?”

“Dinner?” Sasuke looked at his watch. “It’s ten already? Shit I hadn’t realised, I had these contracts to finish…” he tailed off and began packing up his paints and other utensils. He had to wash the brushes with thinner right away otherwise they’d get hard. He finished and shoved the box of paints aside. Then he bent over the wash basin to wash the brushes.

Naruto stood over the painting, letting his fingers trace the lead lines very lightly. “Wow…Sasuke this is beautiful…” Naruto couldn’t take his eyes off the fiery fox which seemed to jump from the frame. “You’re going to sell this aren’t you?”

“Duh, dobe…I was commissioned to do it. I don’t know how much I’m charging though…maybe about five thousand dollars? It is just glass painting in a way, so it isn’t too expensive.” Sasuke shoved the brushes onto the tray and made for the door.

Naruto didn’t budge though. “The lines are just so perfect…I like foxes…”

Sasuke had known that of course. He knew more about…had known more about Naruto than the dobe had known about himself. “Didn’t you want dinner Naruto?”

Naruto frowned and looked away. “Yeah. Let’s go…” but he stared at the painting on the way out.

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A month later: (so it’s been about Two and a half months since Arashi died)

Sasuke sighed and leaned against the wall. It had taken two helpers for him to lug the bloody window out of the house. The wrapped glass had been left against the wall while they caught their breath. He was just about to carry it to the car, when Naruto appeared. The blond grinned at him.

“When will you be back? I found this great restaurant we could try…you’ll be back in time for dinner?”

Sasuke considered it. All he was going to was deliver the glass, collect money and come home. It was a Saturday, so he didn’t really have anything to do. It was about six in the evening and the whole run might take an hour or so…Naruto would want to leave by eight, so yeah he could make it in time. “Yeah I will…it’s only a delivery. Tell me where it is…”

“Nah I’ll wait for you here…the moment you get back we’ll leave. Ja na.” Naruto disappeared into the house.

Sasuke nodded to his helpers who got to moving the huge piece of glass again. They finally got it into the van and drove to the client’s home. The apartment block was situated in a nice wealthy neighbourhood about twenty minutes drive from his house. Sasuke bade the others to wait in the car while he spoke to the client. He made his way to the ninth floor and knocked.

The door opened and Sasuke found himself looking into a pair of the prettiest green eyes he’d ever seen. He didn’t realise he was staring until a deep voice brought him out of his stupor. He blinked a few times. “Uh…Sabaku Gaara-san?”

“Yes…and you are Uchiha Sasuke.” It was a statement, not a question. “Come this way please…you could bring the glass up now, couldn’t you?”

Sasuke nodded and called his helpers. They brought the glass into the room Gaara pointed out to them. Sasuke then turned to the man…he had red hair, pale skin and no eyebrows. There was a red tattoo of the ‘love’ kanji on his forehead. The green eyes were looking him over a little too intensely for his liking. “Sabaku-san…would you like to unwrap it and have a look? Something came up…which is why it’s been delayed so much…”

Gaara moved to the glass and began cutting the paper off. Then he stood back and let his eyes roam appreciatively at it. It was a beautiful animal…a yellow-brown racoon on a sandy background. “It’s beautiful…what’s it called? And wasn’t it supposed to be something else?”

“Shukaku…I had thought of something else, but it didn’t seem to fit as much as this did…and now when I come to think of it, this looks much better in your living room. So could I collect the check?” Sasuke turned to Gaara.

“Five thousand dollars was it not?” Gaara fished out his check book. “Why don’t have a drink. Have more projects I’d like you to do…”

Sasuke checked his watch. It was almost seven…he had an hour, why not? He loved his art and if Gaara wanted him to do more, then he could right? He nodded. “Wine please...”

“Wine? Or would you prefer something else? I have some really good vodka or cognac…” Gaara offered.

Sasuke thought it over…no he guessed wine would suffice if he was to dine with Naruto after all. “Wine, please…” magically a butler appeared with a bottle of wine and a long stemmed glass. Sasuke accepted the glass and took a sip…it was really potent wine. “So what do you want me to do?”

Gaara smiled. There were many things he’d like the Uchiha to do, but now was no the time…not when the man was still sore from his lover’s death. “Well, there’s this wall here, I need to put up something nice. Usually I’d go buy a Van Gogh or a Michelangelo, but I thought something original and local would look good. Your art is impressive…what do you think would look good here?”

And that was enough to start Sasuke off on a dialogue about themes, art, paint and such like. Gaara kept him supplied with wine, while taking him around the house pointing the places where he’d like art. Sasuke scribbled down all the things he’d like to put where and making notes on the type of lighting and stuff. If there was anything Sasuke was obsessed about it was his art…he could talk about it for hours.

He even made a few sketches and took down the stuff Gaara liked and disliked. Finally when Gaara asked him to stay for dinner, he accepted with a nod. Then he proceeded to eat and sketch simultaneously. The wine made him open up a lot more, so conversation moved pretty easily.

Finally he let up; he was feeling a bit tipsy…well a lot tipsy. Though his capacity was high a bottle and a half of wine would do that to you. “Yeah…I think I’m done…nar’to’d be piss’d if I didn go back now…”

“Maybe you should let my chauffer give you a ride back? You helpers and the van have left remember?”

“Hn…”

“Let me lead you to my car….”

It was half past eleven when Sasuke was dropped off at his front door. He rang the bell a few times and then some more just cause he liked the sound of it. The door was yanked open by an irate Naruto.

“Where the fuck were you?”

“At Sabaku-san’s house….I didn’t fuck him…I think he wanted to fuck me though…he was really nice and asked me to do art for his whole house! I told him yes…” Sasuke giggled, giddy with the prospect of staying shut up in his shed smelling like paint. “And he gave me every nice wine too…”

Naruto sighed and slipped an am around him. “Sasuke…you’re a jerk…let’s just get you to bed…” Sasuke let himself be led upstairs.

“Are you mad t me, Arashi?”

Naruto stiffened. He turned to look at Sasuke who looked cute with his eyes all puppy-like. The raven sniffed a little.

“Don’t be mad at me Arashi…I promise I’ll make up for it if we do it…I’ll do that thing you like when I suck you off…”

Naruto’s face went red and he clapped ah and around Sasuke’s mouth. “No I’m not mad at you…just go to sleep. Look we’re at your bed!”

“You are mad at me…you didn’t call me Sasu-bunny…”

“Uh…I’m not angry, Sasu-bunny…” Naruto dropped the man into bed and began to undo his boots.

“Ok…” Sasuke watched interestedly as Naruto got his boots off. “Why do you have whisker marks like Naruto? He won’t like it, you know…he’ll think you’re imitating him…and then he’ll hate us more…and you’ll cry more…it’s all my fault…”

Naruto stopped again and glanced at Sasuke who was frowning with concern, biting his lower lip. “No Naruto won’t hate us…just go to bed.” He wanted to leave but Sasuke caught his arm and curled up with it effectively keeping Naruto by him.

Naruto waited by him until he was sure Sasuke had slipped off to sleep. He’d been so angry with the man for not turning up, he’d never expected Sasuke to turn up drunk and mistake him for his father though. He tried to slide his hand away, drawing forth a hushed murmur of ‘Arashi’ from Sasuke, but the raven sighed and went back to sleep.

Somehow the blond didn’t feel hungry anymore and he had an inkling that Sabaku-san was Gaara, a long time partner. He would call and find out why he’d gotten his friend drunk in the morning. Grabbing a slice of last night’s pizza from the refrigerator, he ate quickly before going to bed himself.

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Somewhere else, Orochimaru mused over the terms of Arashi’s will. His employee Kabuto had told him about what he’d overheard from a conversation between Arashi’s friends. Now all he had to do was make sure the two men hated each other enough to forget about Arashi’s companies or fortune. Considering the circumstances it would be easy.

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A/N: yeah we;; that’s all for now. Anya (deceptively sweet) old me that a nice chapter with them being civil would be good, or else it would drag. Don’t worry angst-lovers this story will have more, but these chapters are good for my head too. Please review…

Taka