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: I did it. I used possibly the most cliché, overused, mind numbingly lame Sasuke line in creation. I am ashamed. (Do you know what it is? Can you guess?) By the by… in case you missed the disclaimer five lines up… I didn’t think of it. It’s not mine.

Also, if you would like to be alerted of posts to this and other stories, leave your email… I’m going to give it a try. Of course… then your payment will be reviews… right? Do we have a deal?

The Demilitarized Zone
Chapter 5

To: Itachi Uchiha
BCC: Gaara, Shikamaru, Hinata and Kiba
From: Naruto Uzumaki
Subject: Request for Transfer

Mr. Uchiha,

This email is to formally request that I be transferred to the Uchiha Inc. offices in Suna, effective immediately. Circumstances have made continuing to stay at the Main branch, in Konoha, no longer a viable option.

I understand that I will not be guaranteed a job description similar to my current situation and that I will not be able to retain my title of Vice President. I understand and accept these terms.

I respectfully request that my team be allowed to stay on in their current positions. They are all more than qualified to run the division without the aid of an executive supervisor. If one is needed, VP Sasuke Uchiha is certainly capable of overseeing both aspects of the fourteenth floor.

Sincerely,
Naruto Uzumaki
Vice President, Uchiha Inc.
Main Branch, Konoha, Leaf

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To: My Foolish Little Brother
From: Your Goddamn Boss
Subject: Forward: Request for Transfer

What the fuck have you done?
You will fix this.

(Forwarded Message Attached)

Itachi Uchiha
President, Uchiha Inc.
Main Branch, Konoha, Leaf

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That night Naruto listened while Sasuke got out of bed and presumably went into the bathroom to clean up Naruto’s ‘life’. Bastard. Soon the sighing man came out again and Naruto knew that Sasuke stood over his bed for some time before finally crawling into his own and eventually falling asleep.

After Sasuke’s breath evened out, Naruto threw off the covers and stared at the ceiling. This wasn’t going to work. Furthermore, Naruto didn’t want it to work. It had to end. He would survive the last three days because he said he would and he wasn’t a quitter but then… then something was going to have to change.

Naruto set up. He needed his Dad. Not the mystical father that he resembled, that made people stop him in the streets because they thought he was a ghost. No, the father that took him in and loved him. The father that held him when he cried and when he laughed. The father that made Naruto who he was today. He needed his Dad.

Standing up, Naruto spared a glance at the sleeping Uchiha. His chest hurt to a point that made breathing difficult and Naruto knew it was disappointment squeezing it, choking it until tears prickled behind his eyes.

This had to stop.

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“Sunshine! Why are you out so late, my youthful friend?”

Naruto stopped, turning around slowly to find Maito Gai behind him. Something in his face must have clued Gai into Naruto’s feelings because he voice dropped to dead seriousness.

“Naruto, is something wrong?”

Naruto attempted a sad smile, “I was wondering if I could call my Dad? I’m willing to call it an emergency if need be.”

“Of course. You can use the one in my office.”

Naruto nodded and absently thought that maybe green wasn’t such a horrible color after all.

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Brrrrrrrriiiiiiiiinnnnnnngggggg! Brrrrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnnnngggggg!

“Fuck. Shit. Hell. And damn.” Kakashi mumbled into his pillow. “Who the hell calls at…” His dark eyes blinked… curvy number… two circles. “At two in the morning!”

“You won’t know if you don’t answer it,” Iruka groaned pillow held tightly atop his head.

Kakashi yanked the phone to his ear and growled, “Is someone bleeding?!”

Naruto didn’t answer immediately but heard Iruka muffled in the background, “You’d feel really bad if someone was.”

“Who the fuck is this?!”

“Dad.” Naruto cringed at how little his voice sounded.

Kakashi sat up straight in bed, gripping the receiver until his fingers turned white. Naruto almost smiled when he heard, “Oh shit, someone is bleeding. I told you, you ass! Who is it?”

“Dad, I need to talk. I know you have school tomorrow but I really need you.”

Kakashi reached a hand over and squeezed Iruka’s, mouthing ‘Naruto’.

“Hey, sunshine, what’s up?” Naruto always thought it was funny when Kakashi used his ‘daddy’ voice on him.

“My life is shit.” Naruto pulled his legs up until one arm wrapped around them and he rested a scarred cheek against his knee.

“Are you okay? You’re not bleeding are you?!” Iruka yelled in the background.

“No, I am not bleeding and being ‘okay’ is a matter of definition I think. If by okay he means ‘happy’, then no. If by okay he means ‘struggling by still optimistic’, then no. If by okay he means ‘shit, shit, shit and more bloody fucking shit’, then yes. I am okay.”

Kakashi relayed the message, “Not bleeding. Not okay.”

“Fuck, I’m getting the other phone.”

Naruto chuckled, “Language…”

“Naruto.” Kakashi said, “What happened?” They both heard the faint click of the other phone connecting but Iruka said nothing so Naruto closed his eyes and began.

“When we got here yesterday we got in a fight. Shocker… I know. And then twenty minutes after that, we got into another. Then later that night we had a disagreement because the bastard is a cold hearted jerk and so I went to our room. Later, he came in and we talked and it was probably the first time we ever just talked. It was good. Yeah, good.” Naruto sighed. “Today Gai tied us together at the wrists first thing.”

“I’m sure that went over well.” Kakashi muttered.

“Actually, we didn’t fight at all… at least not physically. And towards the end of the day I thought we had done a really good job. Sometimes I can see Sasuke. Like really see…”

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut even tighter, “Earlier today he asked me about my father. I told him I had two, Kakashi Hatake and Iruka Umino.”

Kakashi smiled, “But he wasn’t talking about us, was he?”

“No,” Naruto snapped, “He was referring to Minato. Apparently Gai knew you and you knew Minato and Minato knew Sasuke’s dad and… Hey, how did you all know each other?”

“Fugaku was Gai’s student mentor in college. Minato was a fellow mentor. Gai and I met through them.”

“Huh… so Mr. Uchiha knew my father?”

“Yes, Naruto, very well.”

Naruto was quiet for some time. That was interesting. Is that why he was handpicked from college by the biggest company in Leaf Country?

“Naru,” Iruka said gently, “What happened then? I can’t see what you’ve told us so far being enough for you to call at two in the morning.”

Naruto moaned, “I’m sorry, Papa. I just needed to…”

“Hey, sunshine. Stop. Papa isn’t upset and neither am I. We just want to help. Tell us what happened.” Kakashi interrupted.

“If it makes you feel better, Naru, we will take tomorrow off. You are now and always will be the most important thing in our lives.”

Iruka set heavily next to Kakashi on the bed when they heard Naruto sniff into the phone.

“I love you guys. You know that, right?” Naruto paused as his Dad and Papa made noises of agreement and then continued, “After we had completed the ‘rope exercise’ we went back to our room. Sasuke had received an envelope from work. He said it was something Hyuga had sent him that needed his immediate attention. He had left it on his suitcase in the bathroom. I saw it when I was brushing my teeth.”

“Naruto.” Iruka warned but knew it was already too late.

“Yes, I did! I’m sorry, Papa. It was just lying there and plus, if it was work related I would hear about it sometime anyway, so I looked.” Naruto paused and although his parents couldn’t see it, they could only assume the thuds they heard were Naruto hitting himself in the head with the phone. “But, Papa, I wish I hadn’t! I fucking wish I had just spit out the damn toothpaste and got into bed.”

Kakashi sighed. Obviously the littlest Uchiha hadn’t been entirely truthful about what was in the envelope. “What was it, sunshine?”

“It was information on me, Dad. But not just me… me and everything and everyone involved with me. You, Papa, Minato, my mother. Health records, school records. Newspaper articles.”

“That little fucker.” Kakashi hissed.

“Kakashi!” Iruka snapped, “Naru… what did you do?”

The next sound the two older men heard was unmistakable and broke their hearts. Naruto sobbed, “I just sat there. There were pictures of us from past Christmases and playing in the park. But there was one… one I had never seen before. Where did he get it?!”

“Naruto,” Kakashi said in a voice reserved for hysterical teenagers realizing their math teacher was failing them, “What was the picture of?”

Naruto drew on the authority in his father’s voice and wiped at his eyes, “It was Minato and Kushina holding a newborn baby… me. They were so happy. I know that we have other pictures of them with me… a whole two weeks’ worth, but how did that asshole get his hands on a picture that even I have never seen!”

“I don’t know, sunshine. Maybe one of your parents’ friends had…”

“You are my parents!” Naruto yelled while standing up and pacing the office.

“Naruto that is enough.” Kakashi said, “They are your parents and they loved you. They didn’t want to leave you.”

“But they did! They did and you found me and you and Papa raised me… loved me. Why can’t that be enough? I don’t remember anything about them. I appreciate that they brought me into this world. I appreciate that they were good people. But I love them only because they gave me to YOU!”

Kakashi felt his heart break for his son, for his mentor and his wife and oddly for the littlest Uchiha. Naruto wasn’t angry at him. Naruto was angry at something much bigger and more painful than a foolish invasion of privacy but the blonde needed someone close… alive… to take the blame and the little idiot had walked right into it.

“Naruto,” Kakashi began running a hand across his face, “What are you going to do now?”

Naruto flinched like he had been slapped and sat cross legged on the floor. Turns out he would rather Kakashi call him ‘sunshine’ than his given name in that tone of voice. Closing his eyes, he wished on everything in the world that the floor would open up and swallow him whole. He shouldn’t have said that. He hadn’t lied. That was how he felt and how he had felt for some time. But Kakashi and Iruka had worked hard to make sure that his ‘bios’ had been a presence in his life and now he had thrown that back into their faces… at two o’clock in the morning… on a school night.

“Dad… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that, I…”

“Don’t lie, Naruto.”

Naruto swallowed thickly and whispered, “Are you mad?”

Kakashi sighed but smiled when he felt Iruka lean against his shoulder, “No, sunshine. You are our son and it makes me so happy that you consider your Papa and me your parents. In fact, I don’t think you will ever understand what we are feeling right now until you have your own children who are willing to yell their love and slightly possessive nature at you in the wee morning hours.”

Naruto chuckled, “Thank you.”

“Naruto, that said, someday we all need to sit down and talk about your feelings toward Minato and Kushina, okay?” Iruka said.

“Yeah, okay, Papa.” Naruto said quietly and he meant it. This ‘episode’ with Sasuke had raised several new questions for Naruto.

“So, sunshine.” Kakashi said laying back into bed and pulling Iruka down with him, “What happens now?”

“Fuck.” Naruto groaned as he considered what his next step would be.

“I suppose but I’d have to insist that you hang up before Iruka and I got started.”

“Kakashi!”
“DAD!”

“Oh, that wasn’t a suggestion? My bad.” Kakashi grinned, squirming away from Iruka’s hostile advances.

“I can’t work with him.”

Iruka stopped moving and held his breath. Kakashi sighed. “So, what options does that leave you?”

“I’m putting in for a transfer to Suna.” Naruto leaned back against the desk and waited for his parents to process what he had said.

“To Suna.” Iruka repeated.

“Is this what you want? Do you understand what you will be leaving behind?” Kakashi asked and willed his heart to keep beating even as he considered Naruto moving away from them.

“Yes, Dad. I know.” Naruto took a breath, “And I know that I am making more of this Sasuke thing than it really is. I know he didn’t do it to hurt me, but it did. I can’t see him. It hurts.”

“Why?” Kakashi asked sitting up again. Maybe there was a chance…

“I look at him and I think…”

“What?”

“I think that we could have…”

Iruka sat up as well, “Could have what, Naru.”

“Nothing. Never mind. Listen, I know you guys are tired and I have some emails to send, so I’ll say goodnight now.”

“Naruto…”

“I love you both. I always will. I am lucky to have you, so thank you. Goodnight.”

Kakashi opened his mouth to speak but heard the dial tone.

“Goddamn it!” Kakashi said throwing the beeping phone in his anger.

The Hatake-Umino-Uzumaki household was now down to one phone.

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On his way back to the room Naruto tucked a green throw over Gai, who he found asleep on a couch in the waiting room, and headed toward the media room. He was awake so he might as well get things started.

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Shikamaru re-read Naruto’s request for transfer. “Troublesome.” Something bad must have happened. The Uchiha did something. But what? What could cause Naruto to leave all of his friends and his parents? His thoughts were interrupted by Kiba’s response to the email.

“What the fuck!” The sound of something hitting the floor echoed from the shaggy haired man’s office. “Did everyone else fucking get this?! There’s no way in hell Naruto is leaving us. Hell no!”

Shikamaru closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. It didn’t happen very often, but Shikamaru was going to have to agree with Kiba on this one.

“Fucking troublesome.”

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When Sasuke awoke the next morning it was to an empty room.

“Shit.”

Throwing the comforter and sheets aside, Sasuke pushed himself out of bed and swung his legs over the side. Leaning his elbows against his knees and his head in his hands, Sasuke looked over at the perfectly made bed. A moment of fear gripped him and he searched the room for signs of his roommate. He wouldn’t have left, right? Seeing Naruto’s orange sleep pants sticking out of a drawer he allowed himself to relax.

Kinda. Insensitive, antisocial bastards who don’t know how to pull their heads out of their ass typically don’t get to relax… not really.

How was he going to make this better? He stood and ran a hand through his hair, winching when his fingers snagged on a glue clump. He walked slowly toward the bathroom and wondered how to go about mending a relationship that hadn’t been more than fleeting at best. Uzumaki had been angry. He would have noticed that even if he were blind. But the dobe had been hurt too. Sasuke never wanted to see that face again. Ever. Naruto had been furious at finding the file, but it was the disappointment the swirled in steel blue eyes that made Sasuke stand over the dobe’s bed last night trying to come up with anything to make it up to the sleeping man.

He hadn’t come up with anything last night and this morning wasn’t looking promising. He sighed and turned on the shower.

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Sasuke saw Naruto at breakfast but the man didn’t even look at him. The blonde sat next… no between… several of the other gentlemen and immersed himself in idle conversation. Sasuke watched him smile and laugh, but the Naruto from last night still lingered in the brilliant blue eyes… why couldn’t the other dumbasses see that Naruto would rather be anywhere else. Well, anywhere else but with him, of course.

“Good morning, broody one.”

Sasuke turned to find Gai sitting next to him nursing a cup of coffee. “Hn.” Sasuke looked back at his untouched breakfast.

“Naruto claimed an emergency last night and called his father.” Gai said conversationally, “Would you know anything about that?”

Sasuke squeezed the napkin in his lap. “I would.”

“I see. Well, perhaps you should talk to your fellow springtime companion. He seems down this morning,” Naruto’s forced laugh rang through the room, “Don’t you think?”

“Hn.”

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Sasuke sat in front of the computer and read the subject boxes of his emails before deciding which to read first. Upon seeing his brother’s, his eyes widen and he forced himself to click on the message.

“Oh fuck.”

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The DMZ was once again a ghost town but this time only Naruto’s team knew why. They stood along their side, stoic, silent and with a dark animosity never seen in the normally lively group.

Sasuke’s team arrived and Kiba jumped across the ‘divide’ and slammed Neji into the wall of the nearest cubicle. “What did your ‘boy’ do?!” He spit out.

Neji’s lip turned up into a snarl and he wrenched the angry brunette’s hands off his jacket.

“Don’t ever touch me again.”

Sakura came up from behind and pointed a perfectly manicured nail at the shaggy haired man, “Have you been drinking, Inuzuka?”

Kiba growled but stopped when a firm hand clapped onto his shoulder. “Kiba. Enough.”

Kiba nodded and stepped behind Gaara. The red head looked intensely at Neji before stepping into the man’s space. Both teams held their breath as Gaara reached up to tightened Neji’s tie as if it was something he had done every day.

“Hyugu.” Gaara said blandly, not looking into the man’s eyes but still tightening the black material.

“Sabaku.” Neji said his whole body tense as the tie continued to tighten.

“This morning Naruto Uzumaki submitted his transfer request to Itachi.” Green eyes met light violet. Silence filled the DMZ. “Would you know anything about that?”

“No.” Gaara nodded curtly, released the tie and stepped back.

“Why would he do that?” Lee asked stepping forward until he stood near Neji who refused to loosen the tie around his neck but instead stared at the red head in front of him.

“None of us know, Lee.” Hinata said. “He requested that we all be allowed stay on and that Sasuke Uchiha take over the entire floor.”

“It would have to be something bad. Naruto loves this job. Even if he has to work with that asshole.”

Four sets of eyes glared at the brown haired man. “What? He is. Everyone thinks he is. The end.”

Shino shrugged. The annoying loud man was right.

“Whatever the cause, it could have nothing to do with Uchiha. Have you even talked to Uzumaki?” Shino asked.

“No, but we will.” Hinata said with an undertone of malice. Both groups looked at her with wide eyes.

“Then perhaps you can annoy us with your little conspiracy theories when you have a foot to stand on.” Neji said turning away. The rest of his group followed him.

“Can we please cause an ‘emergency’ now?” Kiba said to Gaara and Shikamaru.

Gaara sighed. “Not yet.”

“Troublesome.”

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Sasuke stalked down the hallway to find the blonde idiot. What the hell was the dobe thinking? You don’t just leave your job… a job where you held the second highest position is Uchiha Inc., over some damn pictures! Okay, so Sasuke had acted like a jerk… so what? He and Naruto had been rubbing each other wrong from day one…

Sasuke’s strides shortened as he slowed down. Well, maybe not from day one…

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“Little brother, you can’t just stand in the corner. This party is for you after all.”

“Hn.”

“Oh dear… six years of higher education and you still speak perfect Uchiha. I have never been so proud.”

“Shouldn’t you be off doing your Presidential duties?” Sasuke sneered bringing the shallow glass to his lips and feeling the burn as the liquid slid down his throat.

“Ah, you forget, I am the President. I do what I want.”

“Hn. Have you met the ‘other’?” Sasuke asked scanning the crowd of well dressed guests.

“Uzumaki?”

Sasuke just stared ahead.

“Yes. I have.”

Sasuke turned dark eyes toward his brother and almost winced at the amused look the older man gave him.

“You are a sadistic ass.” Sasuke downed the rest of the amber colored drink and then turned to his brother, “Dear older brother, will you please tell me about the young man who I will be sharing the position of Vice President with.”

“Ah… I will be going to sleep happy tonight.”

“Fucker.”

“Naruto Uzumaki is your exact opposite in every way. Blonde, short, light eyed. Happy, carefree, loud. The only thing you have in common is that you were both top of your class. Brilliant beyond exception or expectation.”

“Hn.”

Suddenly the brothers looked up when a laugh rang throughout the ballroom. The crowd cleared to show a red faced woman standing with an empty wine glass in her hand. The reason became apparent when Sasuke saw a blonde haired man in a formerly white tuxedo reach out to pat the woman consolingly on the shoulder. Sasuke didn’t even realize he had started to walk forward until he was steps away from the pair and could hear what they were saying.

“No, really, it was my fault for wearing white. It was like asking for something like this to happen. Murphy’s Law… it’s a bitch.” A tan hand ran through golden spikes and blue eyes twinkled in humor at the man’s own expense.

The mousy woman still looked a moment from bursting into tears. The blonde smiled at her, highlighting thin, pale scars on both cheeks, and snagged another glass of red wine from a waiter that walked by before handing it to the apologetic lady.

The blonde leaned toward the woman, his blue eyes gleaming like sapphires in their mischief, “And now I have a reason to go home. I’d hug you, but as you can see,” The man pointed to the red stain that streaked from the jacket down the tailored pants, “I’m a little wet… and red. I could be the mascot for the Uchiha’s like this, don’t you think?” At that, the woman gave a gentle smile. The man returned the gesture tenfold. “Now, miss, please enjoy the rest of your evening.”

The blonde man walked toward a tall silver haired man with a laugh and Sasuke started when his brother brushed against his side. “That, little brother, was Naruto Uzumaki.”

Sasuke didn’t say a word.

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For a man that ‘suggested’ Sasuke talk to his springtime companion, Gai sure was making that difficult. Apparently today was lecture day and Naruto had snagged a single seat in the front of the room. Sasuke sat three chairs away from him and fumed.

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“… important that you praise your employees. Let them know that their work is appreciated.”

“See…” Naruto started and then stopped. ‘See, teme!’ But Naruto wasn’t talking to that man anymore.

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“… important to have a rapport with your employees, but remember this is not preschool and work is not playtime. It is your job as an executive to guide them, keep them on track…”

“Did you catch…” Sasuke clenched his teeth together so harshly they clicked. ‘Did you catch that, dobe?’ But the blonde looked straight ahead. Face devoid of emotion. It was unnatural… and it was his fault.

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“For today’s last activity each team will be climbing a different section of the rock wall in front of you. As you are climbing remember planning, communication and flexible compromise are the essentials in implementing and achieving successful outcomes in business and in more personal pursuits. Now, my youthful companions, please see one of the springtime directors to suit up and you may begin.”

Naruto shut his eyes and tried the mantra ‘there’s no place like home… there’s no place like home.’

“Whatever you’re trying, it’s not working. Come on.”

Blues eyes opened into dark pools of black. Naruto gave a curt nod of the head and walked away.

“Damn it, Uzumaki,” Sasuke said catching up to the silent blonde, “I was a jerk. I admit that. I could have asked… SHOULD have asked, but if you knew anything about Uchihas then…”

“Mr. Uchiha, I don’t care and I don’t want to know. Don’t talk to me.” Naruto pushed passed the taller man and walked up to a green clad director.

“Dobe.” Sasuke growled but before he could continue a blushing girl attached a harness around his middle and between his legs.

Naruto watched as Sasuke’s director tried to control a massive nosebleed and the bastard attempted to ignore her completely. Teasing comments bubble in his mind and he almost smiled, but shook his head instead and concentrated on what his director was telling him about wall climbing, safety and helpful hints.

“Okay, you are both ready. Remember, if you fall the wire will catch you but you will swing back into the wall so brace yourself. Have fun! Remember your springtime essentials and go for it!”

Both Sasuke and Naruto rolled their eyes before walking up to the wall, side by side and taking the first hold.

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Gai watched from below as the groups scored the walls. As predicted, Sasuke and Sunshine were doing the best. So far they hadn’t said a single thing to each other. They hadn’t needed to. Sasuke would make the first move upwards and then stop. Naruto would follow and once he had caught up would make the next upward move. Then Sasuke would follow. And so it went, neither man was the leader or the follower. Sometimes, when the two youthful men weren’t trying to relocate each other’s faces, Gai wondered why Itachi would have sent these two men… their teamwork was flawless. They didn’t need communication. They read each other on a level different than most. If Gai were made to describe it, he would say a ‘deeper level’. Sasuke read the emotion in Naruto’s eyes with the precision of a scientist and Naruto read Sasuke’s nonverbal communication like a “Sasuke For Dummies” manual.

Gai sighed. Everyone else saw it. They were meant to be friends, companions and maybe… just maybe, something more. Why were they both fighting the inevitable with such tenacity?

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They had been climbing in silence for fifteen minutes before Sasuke decided enough was enough.

“Itachi forwarded your little letter, dobe.”

“…”

“What the hell do you think you are doing?”

“…”

“He won’t let you go.” Sasuke pulled up even with the silent blonde, “I won’t let him.”

Blue eyes met his and he nearly winched at the unconcealed anger in their depths. However, he was an Uchiha and he just shrugged, “Furthermore, I never would have guessed you were a quitter.” He stretched to the next handhold, moving his left leg up and to the side to accommodate the distance, “But then, I always knew you were a loser.”

Sasuke made to move his right foot but found that his ankle was being held. Looking down, he saw Naruto’s tan hand latched around it.

“I told you not to talk to me, teme!”

Sasuke nodded, face relaxed to that of an elementary school teacher trying to console an irrational child, “Of course you did, dumbass. How’s that working out for you?”

“You bastard!” Naruto hissed, “Why are you standing against this? You’ll have everything! You can’t tell me that you weren’t upset when I was brought on. The VP position was yours from birth and just as you were about to assume the role, you were forced to share it with an unknown. Tell me… look me in the eyes and tell me that didn’t piss you off, teme.”

“Dobe, I’m not going to discuss my feelings with you when yours are so obviously causing you to make the dumbest fucking decision of your useless life!”

“You are such an ASSHOLE!” Naruto screamed, the last word echoing through the climbing gym. Naruto pushed himself upwards to pass Sasuke, to end this impromptu ‘sharing’ session, when his left foot slipped off the small ledge. Naruto tried to release his hold on Sasuke’s ankle but somehow his hand got wrapped in the leg of the teme’s workout pants.

Sasuke watch in horror as the emotions sped across Naruto’s face… anger, the ever present disappointment, then shock, fear and finally panic.

“Naruto!”

But Naruto was already swinging away from the wall, pulling Sasuke along with him.

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For a moment, Sasuke enjoyed the feeling of falling. Why were they both so upset? They were both harnessed, it’s not like this was a real mountain. They would swing out and then swing back. He turned toward the blonde to tell him to stop being a baby, but one look at the dobe made fear grip his heart.

Naruto was clutching his wrist to his chest, his eyes squeezed shut. Sasuke felt the wires reach as far as they could in the outwards momentum and now they would be swinging like a giant pendulum back toward the rock wall. Reaching out, Sasuke gripped the front of Naruto’s faded orange t-shirt and yanked the man towards his chest. He heard the pained groan when Naruto’s wrist was caught between both of their chests. Sasuke twisted his body at the last second so that his body would be between the wall and Naruto and prepared himself for the hit.

They both cried out as they hit, Naruto because his wrist was pinned between their bodies and Sasuke because his back and head hit the wall with a resounding crack.

Naruto opened his eyes to see Sasuke’s face merely an inch in front of his. He saw pain swirling in the midnight depths and Naruto struggled to take in their situation.

“Why?” Naruto asked as Sasuke’s eyes began to cloud over, unconsciousness pulling him under.

“… body… just moved… on its own.”

Naruto held Sasuke, the best he could, as the man’s dark head fell forward onto his shoulder and yelled for help.

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Neji sat in the massive conference room with Sakura and Shino. They were there after hours waiting on Lee. Glancing at the clock, Neji leaned back into his chair.

“Lee should be back soon with more information.” He said, idly tracing a long finger over the wood grain pattern of the table.

“Do you think we should include the other team? They obviously have as much invested in this as we do.” Sakura asked as she turned her chair to look out the large glass windows. She smiled, “Did you see them today?”

Shino nodded, not that Sakura could see and Neji gave a ‘hmmm’ in agreement. They sat in silence for a moment before Neji stood up. “Yes, we need to bring them in.”

Sakura laughed quietly in her chair. Neji’s eyebrow rose and he watched her chair swing back around so that he was now watching her laugh at him.

“Is something funny, Haruno?”

Sakura stood gracefully and walked toward the tall and imposing man. “Hmm, yes, something is. It doesn’t surprise me at all that you want to include Naruto’s team.”

“I still don’t understand the humor,” was Neji’s dark reply.

Sakura lifted a hand and pulled a vibrant red hair off of Neji’s shoulder, “Tell me, Neji. When did you get a pet?”

Neji stared at the hair. Shino snorted, “And will your ‘pet’ make you sleep on the couch if he isn’t involved in this?”

Sakura nodded, humor and mischief causing her green eyes to sparkle, “You might want to get a spray bottle, Neji. This morning’s little act of aggression shouldn’t be tolerated in a well trained pet.”

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“Mr. Uchiha is fine. He has a minor concussion and we will keep him here overnight to wake him up periodically, but other than that and some bruising, he’ll be perfectly fine in the morning.”

Naruto sighed, turning from the window. His wrist was sprained and now held against his body in a light blue sling. Naruto nodded to the doctor on staff, who notably did not wear green, and smiled. “Would it be okay if I stayed awhile?”

“Of course.”

Naruto walked toward the bed and looked down at the sleeping man. “You are the idiot, you know that? I could have taken the hit… I would have seen the wall coming.”

Naruto pulled a chair over closer to the bed and sat down tiredly, rubbing his uninjured right hand through his disheveled locks. “Look at you… I guess it’s my turn to say ‘what were you thinking?’” Naruto looked the man over. He had dark circles under his eyes from the head trauma and probably from lack of sleep the doctor had said. His skin was pale and flawless and almost glowed when contrasted to his dark as night hair.

Naruto lifted his hand to push the dark locks away from the sleeping man’s face. They were softer than Naruto had thought they would be and he let his hand linger on the dark spikes.

“Wake up, teme. I want to kick your ass now.” Naruto whispered and jumped back when pale lids opened to reveal intense black orbs.

“Did you hit your head too, dobe?” Sasuke whispered out, blinking his eyes in an effort to clear them, “Because you kicking my ass isn’t going to happen in this lifetime.”

Naruto stared wide eyed for a moment and then smiled, “Says the man confined to bed rest.”

Sasuke’s eyes ran up and down the blonde assessing him for injury before stopping to again look into sky blue eyes, “Says the man with one arm.”

“If I’ve learned anything at this retreat it’s how to operate with only one arm.”

“Hn. But only when you have me as your other one, dobe.”

The silence after that statement almost drowned them as both men looked anywhere but each other.

Sasuke sighed, “Listen, I am sorry… Naruto.”

Naruto looked up and smiled, “Hey, its fine. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. You didn’t know. I understand that, I guess. Uchihas are odd beings, you know.”

Sasuke smirked, “More than you’ll ever know. You should have someone run a search on me.”

“Teme, I’d rather just ask you.”

“That works too.” Sasuke’s eye lids started to droop and he turned his aching head slowly toward the bright headed man and reached out pale fingers to gentle touch the tan hand lying beside him on the sheets, “You’re not leaving right?”

Naruto’s eyes widened, but before he could answer Sasuke’s gentle rhythmic breathing filled the infirmary.

Did Sasuke mean the company or his bedside?

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It was nine o’clock at night and both teams sat around the wooden table looking at each other. Finally, Sakura rolled her eyes and addressed the room, “We are here to talk about Sasuke and Uzumaki.”

“Naruto.” Kiba said, “If the teme gets to be ‘Sasuke’ then we will use Naruto’s real name as well.”

“Fine, dog boy… Sasuke and Naruto.” Sakura relented with a flippant wave of her slender hand.

Hinata’s hand grasping his rather harshly was the only thing that kept Kiba in his seat.

“What is there to talk about?” Shikamaru asked while staring at the ceiling, “Or rather, what do you have that you are willing to share?”

Neji nodded toward Lee and the black haired man stood, “Maito Gai is my uncle. He is also the owner and operator of the establishment where Naruto and Sasuke are staying. This evening he called me to tell me how our bosses are doing.”

All eyes were on the speaker, who nodded and continued, “He said they started out rocky. Two brawls before they had even been there one hour.”

“I never would have guess that…” Kiba rolled his eyes.

“The next morning they seemed in better spirits and then they were tied together.”

“What?” Neji asked.

“Yes, an excellent exercise that allows the team to learn to work as one. Apparently Sasuke and Naruto were the only team to pass. Uncle thought they had made amazing process. Then, this morning, Naruto woke up and refused to speak to Sasuke. Uncle was unable to pinpoint why, but Sasuke did admit to knowing what was wrong with Uzumaki.”

Neji’s eyes shifted back and forth… no other part of his body moved and his breathing stayed exactly the same, but it was enough for Gaara. “What do you know, Hyugu?”

Pale eyes met bright green and Sakura stifled a snicker behind a cough, “I have a theory about what may have happened.”

Green eyes narrowed, “Do share.”

“Sasuke asked me to collect all the information I could an Uzumaki, specifically about his birth parents, his adoptive parents and how they might know his father.”

The room just stared and Neji continued, “I had the information delivered last night.”

Shikamaru groaned, “Naruto found it. He wouldn’t be able to resist. Uchiha probably played it off as something from work, since it came from you and Naruto figured he had just as much a right to see it.”

“What things did you find?” Kiba said in a cold, calm voice.

“There were pictures of his parents and Hatake and Umino. Newspaper articles surrounding the accident and the media circus that surrounded the legal proceedings…”

Gaara’s face become hard as rock and Kiba cursed quietly under his breath. Hinata shook her head and Shikamaru looked back at the ceiling not even bothering to point out how ‘troublesome’ the whole thing was.

“That would have made Naruto… upset.” Gaara finally said.

“Yes, according to Uncle, he called his father last night at two in the morning and didn’t return to his room that night. He didn’t talk to Sasuke all day and avoided him whenever possible. Finally, the last exercise of the day was rock wall climbing. Sasuke must have finally said something to Naruto because before the accident Naruto screamed that Sasuke was an asshole.”

“Amen!” Kiba said.

“What ‘accident’?” Hinata and Sakura said at the same time.

Lee nodded toward the two ladies and continued, “Naruto lost his footing and somehow his hand was caught in Sasuke’s pant leg so when he fell, he took them both down. They were harnessed, but when they hit the wall, somehow Sasuke took the brunt of the force. Sasuke lost consciousness and is spending the night in the infirmary with a slight concussion. Naruto has a sprained wrist. The last uncle checked Naruto was asleep by Sasuke’s bed.”

Eight pairs of eyes looked at one another and processed the information Lee had presented.

“Do you think he still wants to leave?” Hinata asked.

Sasuke’s team turned to look at the girl who was addressing Gaara, Kiba and Shikamaru.

“I don’t know.” Kiba said.

“We need more information.” Gaara said.

“We need an ‘emergency’.” Shikamaru said. Hinata and Kiba smiled at the suggestion and Gaara nodded straight faced. Sasuke’s team looked on in confusion.

Kiba slapped the table with his open hand bringing their attention toward himself, “We’re going to need help.”

“Perhaps I can assist you with that.”

All eyes turned to the doorway.

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To: My Sad Disillusioned Minion
From: The Prince of Darkness
Subject: Your Previous Attempt at Spam Mail

My silly little minion,

Your request has been denied.
Don’t bother me with your insecurities again.

Itachi Uchiha
Lord of the Underworld aka Uchiha Inc.
Main Branch, Kohona, Leaf

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Sasuke wasn’t sure what time it was the next time he woke up and with the throbbing in his head, he didn’t even try to find out. The room was dark but for the hazy white light that streamed through the room’s only window.

“Mr. Uchiha.”

Sasuke’s head turned sharply toward the voice and he couldn’t stifle the pained moan the movement caused. He saw a man standing near his bed. He was dressed in a white coat and Sasuke assumed he must be the doctor.

“I was just coming to wake you. I have something that will help your head.” The doctor handed Sasuke two tablets and helped him sit up. Sasuke cringed when the doctor pushed on his back.

“I’m sorry,” the doctor whispered, “I forgot about the bruising. It’s not going to be pretty for awhile.”

Sasuke nodded and taking the offered glass of water swallowed the pain pills. Handing the glass back, Sasuke addressed the quiet man, “How is my dob… my business partner?”

The man smiled and shrugged, “Well, he sprained his wrist and I would imagine he is going to have quite a terrible crick in his neck tomorrow morning.” The man pointed to the other side of Sasuke’s bed.

Black eyes widened comically. Naruto sat in a chair pushed right up against his bed and the blonde head lay nestled against Sasuke’s hip. “Oh.”

The doctor nodded. “Sleep well, sir. I won’t be waking you again.”

Sasuke didn’t look away from the blonde mop, “Yes. Thank you.”

Hearing the quiet click of the door Sasuke cautiously lay his hand on the dobe’s blonde spikes. He’d touched them before, of course. One doesn’t get into knockdown, drag out fights with someone without touching… yanking… the other’s hair but this was different. Slow, tender… special.

“Dobe.” Sasuke whispered.

Naruto’s nose wrinkled and he shifted, but his eyes didn’t open.

“Dobe, go to your own bed, idiot.”

A tan hand reached up and gently took Sasuke’s pale fingers, “I can’t. I promised.”

Sasuke sat still for a moment, “What? What did you promise?”

“That I would stay. Now… shhhh….” Again soft snores filled the room and Sasuke was certain the man wouldn’t remember a word he had said.

“Goodnight… Naruto.” Sasuke squeezed the tan fingers in his and allowed sleep to sweep him away.

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