Parthenogenesis

A/N: Anyone else think that it’s funnily ironic how every story in the male/male section has a yaoi warning? A bit redundant, ne?

Chapter 4: Jealousy and Denial

Sand. Lots and lots of little bitty pieces of course, grainy, annoying sand getting into everything. That pretty much described the Village Hidden in the Sand. Two steps past the village gates and the short-tempered, sleep-deprived Sasuke Uchiha had already had enough sand to last him more than one life time.

Sasuke noticed that Naruto didn’t seem to mind the sand as much. His eyes were shut in that wide, goofy smile of his as he walked down the streets of Suna as if he owned the place. The blond boy called out hellos to several different people as they made their way down the cobbled road. Sasuke soon realized that all the people Naruto greeted had only one thing in common: they owned Ramen stands. Typical Naruto.

“Dobe, do you have the ramen restaurants memorized everywhere?” asked Sasuke, finally breaking the long silence that had fallen between the two since their short fight earlier in their journey.

If possible, Naruto’s smile broadened even more. He pointed his finger up as if were reciting some important rule. “A good shinobi must always know where he can recuperate his stamina after a long mission.”

“Ramen is bad for you,” said Sasuke shortly, already having a premonition that this “conversation” would only end in blows.

Almost as if to prove his suspicions true, he was practically tackled by the blond boy who was trying to put his hand over the Uchiha’s mouth. “Shhh! Don’t speak such blasphemy! The Ramen Gods might hear you and then destroy all of the ramen in the world!”

Sasuke shrugged off the blond boy, putting more distance between them before responding, “If that would be the only consequence, maybe I’ll yell it down the streets.”

“NO YOU WON’T!” yelled Naruto, actually tackling Sasuke this time. The two wrestled in the sand covered floor like two little kids fresh out of the academy. Naruto was trying to hold his hand over Sasuke’s mouth while Sasuke tried to free himself from Naruto’s grasp so that he could put the official no-un-asexual-thoughts distance between himself and the kitsune boy.

They paused in their struggles when an emotionless voice cut through the air. “Uzumaki Naruto. Uchiha Sasuke.”

That was all it took for the two to separate as they stood before the Kazekage, Gaara.

Naruto scratched the back of his head looking sheepish. “Ah, Gaara, we were just…aha…” Fighting over Ramen Gods would sound lame, so Naruto was wise enough to just trail off into silence…for once.
Gaara just looked the two boys over, well, boys didn’t quite suit them. They were practically young men now. The green eyes landed on Sasuke and seemed to size him up before turning a fraction colder. Sasuke wondered at this, but didn’t have the chance to speculate further as the Kazekage engaged Naruto in conversation.

Sasuke felt like he was an intruder upon two good friends. There was an air of familiarity that not even he, the dobe’s best friend, had with Naruto. Something inside Sasuke clinched. He was tempted to call it jealousy, but then he remembered that Uchihas do not feel jealousy…well…not over guys talking to other guys at least.

Their brief conversation concluded with Gaara saying, “Then back to village business. I assume you have a scroll for me from the Hokage?” Naruto nodded his head happily. “Follow me, then.”

Naruto began to follow after Gaara but stopped when he noticed Sasuke was not moving. He jumped backwards, landing at the raven-haired youth’s side. “Something wrong, teme?”

“Dobe, why are you being so friendly with the kazekage?” asked Sasuke, his eyes narrowed.

Naruto seemed taken aback. That certainly wasn’t a question he would expect from the rooster-headed boy. “Well, we are friends, and I’m allowed to be friendly with my friend, aren’t I?”

Sasuke glared at him, and Naruto suddenly had the urge to gulp. “Have you forgotten he tried to kill all of Konoha?”

Naruto simply stared at the Uchiha in silence. His mouth seemed to try to form several words, his expression angry, but no sound came out. Finally, Naruto sighed and simply said, “So did you,” before jumping off to walk beside the distant kazekage, effectively ending the conversation.

With three words, Sasuke was left with more to think about than a whole speech made by the hokage could have given him.

O0o.o0O

The official meeting with the Kazekage in his office was quite stressful. Nothing much was said. Gaara just sat behind his desk, Naruto pulled out the scroll they were to deliver him, and the kazekage read it silently while the two leaf nins waited for the response. Sasuke kept shooting glances at Naruto trying to decipher what the blond had been referring to earlier, while Naruto would return those glances as soon as Sasuke looked away. The two kept missing each other’s glances, however the third party in the room did not. Gaara was secretly watching the pair interact with curiosity as he pretended to be engrossed in the scroll the Hokage sent him. It really didn’t need much attention as it was just an invitation to a surprise birthday party for Naruto. That hokage sure had some nerve sending the letter by the very person it was about. He importantly pulled out a new piece of paper and began to pretend to write a lengthy response to the Hokage’s scroll. In reality, all he wrote was, “I will attend.” However, he sealed up the response like any other important document and handed it back to the blond kitsune boy. “Be sure that gets back safely,” he told Naruto.

“You are both free to use the hotel set aside for diplomatic visitors. Naruto will show you the way. Dismissed.” The two turned to leave but Gaara had not finished speaking yet. “Actually, Uchiha, if you will stay. There is something I need to speak with you about privately.”

Naruto sent Sasuke and Gaara a quizzical look before disappearing outside the office.

Gaara shuffled some papers around on his desk in silence until he heard the Uchiha clear his throat intentionally.

“Uchiha.”

“Kazekage.”

Gaara left a few moments of silence to sharpen the tension in the room. As if he needed to do that, thought the Uchiha.

Gaara finally asked, “What is your connection to Naruto Uzumaki?”

Suddenly, Sasuke had the distinct impression that he was being cornered, forced into a tight spot, shoved between a rock and a hard place, and…yeah…it was tense. He took the easy way out: “Naruto is my comrade. We were traveling on a mission together to ensure that the scroll got to its proper place, which it did. What more do you need to know?”

“It took two of leaf’s finest to bring a scroll to Suna?”

Sasuke answered tersely, “It must have been a valuable scroll.”

Gaara shook his head. “You are hiding something from me Uchiha. Read the scroll for yourself and tell me the true reason you are traveling with Naruto.” The kazekage threw the scroll to Sasuke who caught it quickly.

He wasted no time unfurling it and his black eyes quickly zipped through the scroll.
He said, “This is…an invitation.”

“To Naruto’s surprise birthday party,” finished the kazekage. “Important, yes, but hardly worth two outstanding ninja messengers. Is there something I should be aware of? Why are you protecting Naruto on this mission? Is there something threatening him?”
Sasuke put his emotionless mask on and answered, “There is nothing that concerns the Sand.”

“That is not what I asked, Uchiha. I asked if there was something I should be aware of? A threat? An enemy? Something I could help with?”

“The Leaf has everything under control. No need for you to get involved,” Sasuke gritted through his clenched teeth.

Gaara surveyed him through those hypnotic green eyes. “Very well,” he said after a while. “I see I will get no answers from you. However, I will ask you once more, ‘What is you connection with Naruto Uzumaki?’ A comrade? A friend? Something more?”

Sasuke began making his way to the door. Halfway there, he paused as Gaara spoke again. “A genius they call you. Denial does not suit you, Uchiha.”

Great, thought Sasuke, How do I respond to that? If I say I’m not in denial, then I’m in denial about something. I see no way I could win.

He took an alternate route. “There is nothing for me to be in denial about,” he said walking the rest of the way to the door, almost ready to open it.

Gaara nodded his head, a motion Sasuke noticed, even with his back turned to the man. “Good,” Gaara said, “I wanted to ask Naruto to dinner tonight and I wanted to make sure there were no other pursuers.” The door handle Sasuke had in his hand about to open gave a noticeable rattle as Sasuke’s body tensed at the announcement.

Gaara seemed happy, “Hmmm…so I see perhaps the Uchiha wasn’t honest. I can tell by your tenseness that maybe there is a little denial after all. I will not pursue Naruto this visit, but the next time he comes, I promise that will make my intentions known to him unless he is taken by another. I suggest you sort out your emotions by then.”

Sasuke, “Tched” before opening the door and walking out of the building. Once again the mantra “I am asexual” was going through the Uchiha’s head. He could not afford to be gay- he had a clan to repopulate.

He found Naruto outside the building. “Hey, teme! I’ve been waiting for you! What took you so long?”

Sasuke couldn’t quite meet the blond’s eyes “Nothing, just talking about a new jutsu,” he lied.

Naruto seemed to consider it for a while. Finally he said, “That’s good, now let’s go get some ramen! I’m starved!”

He raced through the streets to the nearest stand. Sasuke followed at a slower pace. He had a lot to think about: first there was Naruto’s comment from earlier, and now the kazekage’s sudden interest in Naruto. Both things were pushed out of his mind when he sat down beside the dobe at the ramen bar. A bowl of ramen was placed under his nose and he had to stifle a groan. 'I hate ramen!'

O0o.end of chapter.o0O

a/n: Do you have a review in your pocket for TRG perhaps? I know I always carry an extra (just in case), but that's just me.