Full Circle

Full Circle

chapter 6

Sasuke frowned pensively as he left the pool-house. He waited for Sai outside and when the other boy came out, he wasted no time voicing his thoughts.

"You came on a little too strongly. He seemed almost oblivious at first but clearly, he was disturbed at one point. You'll have to keep it more subtle for awhile. He seems to take this engagement thing seriously and he's too honorable to allow such blatant come-ons. We don't want to make him wary of you."

"Don't worry," said Sai with certainty. "I can do this."

"Can you?" Sasuke gave him a significant look.

"Definitely, and I'll enjoy it too. That boy is a complete virgin. It might as well be stamped on his forehead."

Sai smiled deviously and Sasuke tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling he got from the idea of Sai destroying someone's innocence at his own command. He didn't really want things to go that far. Doing this, he saw as a necessity, but enjoying it was just plain evil.

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Hey Neji, I made it here and I thought I'd write you because I'm feeling kind of... bewildered I guess. The family seems ok so far.

Mr. Uchiha is the quiet, solemn type. The oldest son is a lot like him I suppose, but maybe a little softer around the edges. He gave me an actual smile at least. Mrs. Uchiha was very kind and really enthusiastic about the whole thing.

The only one who was totally cold and distant was Sasuke himself. I don't know what to make of him and his friend Sai. ( I had a pretty stupid moment where I thought Sai was Sasuke.) Sai was flirting with me while Sasuke wouldn't talk to me at all. Do you see something wrong with that picture? 'Cause I sure do.

I'm used to people talking to me that way so usually I can just let it roll off me. There was one moment though when even I couldn't let it slide, and Sasuke didn't do a thing about it! He wouldn't even respond to me when I tried to talk to him to get away from Sai for a minute.

I suppose it could be that Sai is just the kind of guy who flirts with everyone and Sasuke is just too used to it to take notice. Well, I could almost make myself believe that explanation if it weren't for one thing. For supposedly 'good friends', they don't seem close in the least. I don't feel any connection between them at all.

Close friends are comfortable with each other. They connect and communicate with looks and gestures at least if not words. These two are miles apart when they're standing in the same room. You'd think they just met yesterday... and didn't particularly like each other at that.

Besides, even if Sai does usually flirt with people, Sasuke still shouldn't allow it with his own fiance. For the sake of his pride if nothing else. Sure, it's not like we're in love or anything but saying things like that to his fiance is disrespectful to him too.

There's something odd going on here. Could anyone really be that apathetic? Or maybe he just resents me. In any case, I'm feeling quite lost right now and I had to get it out before I'm forced to join them all for dinner. I know I went on a rant there. Sorry. And thanks for listening... or reading, whatever. : )

I've got to go get ready. I'll call you later.

Naruto

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When Naruto opened his door, He found his father waiting for him in the hall.

"You ready?" he asked with a cheerful grin. Naruto tried his best to return it.

"Yeah..." He cut himself off there and the two of them went out and across to the main house, where the butler met them and led them into the dining room.

"Ah, there you are," said Mikoto. "You're right on time. Please sit down. We're just waiting on Itachi and his family now."

The two blonds thanked her, giving a nod to Fugaku, and took their seats. Naruto found himself directly across from Sasuke, who stared back emotionlessly when he smiled at him. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and looked down at his plate, missing the disapproving look that Fugaku shot his son.

"Hello Grandmother! and Grandfather!" a little voice suddenly chirped. Naruto looked up to see a miniature Uchiha rush over to hug Fugaku and Mikoto, then turn to Sasuke. "Hi Uncle Sasu!"

A smile finally made an appearance on the stoic young man's face.

"Hello Chibi."

"Arashi, Naruto, this is Takara, Itachi's son. Takara dear, please take your seat. Right over there."

The little boy climbed onto the chair next to Naruto.

"Hi!" he greeted.

"Hello, I'm Naruto. It's nice to meet you Takara," said Naruto with a grin.

"Uh huh. Dad says you're going to marry Uncle Sasu. I didn't know boys could marry boys." The last part was added in a stage whisper that everyone heard anyway. Naruto easily took it in stride.

"Well I just don't really like girls that much. I like boys better." Takara nodded with an understanding expression as though this explanation was perfectly logical.

"Neither do I. Girls are icky," he said casually. "Except for Grandmother," he tacked on, giving Mikoto a smile. Naruto wondered for a second, why he hadn't included his mother in this very short list of exceptions, but the thought was cut off by the arrival of the child's parents.

"Well, you two have met Itachi," Mikoto began.

"Hello again Arashi, Naruto," said Itachi politely, while his wife seated herself beside Sasuke without acknowledging anyone. Naruto thought he saw Sasuke shoot her a dirty look but it was so quick, he couldn't be sure. "This is my wife, Akuma."

"Pleased to meet you," said Naruto, standing to execute a small bow to the lady (who aught to have been still standing herself).

"Likewise," added Arashi, doing the same. Akuma just nodded rather snootily at them.

Throughout the meal Sasuke carefully observed the blond boy, in an attempt to gather information that might possibly be useful to Sai.

His mother and brother both chatted with Naruto here and there but for the most part Sasuke's parents and brother were involved in discussion with Arashi. Naruto politely attempted to converse with Itachi's wife but was completely shot down by the bitch every time. Sasuke could have told him not to bother.

Naruto was having quite an uncomfortable time. Geez, that lady was rude! He had a feeling that he probably wouldn't be much more successful talking to his fiance than he was with Akuma, so instead he turned his attention to the small boy beside him.

Takara was likely the most interesting person at the table anyway, he mentally joked with a grin as he watched the boy stabbing viciously at his peas with a pout on his face. Clearly Takara didn't like peas. The boy also seemed to know better than to complain about it though. Naruto surreptitiously leaned down to the side, close to the boy's ear.

"Pssst..." When he knew he had the kid's attention, he continued in a whisper. "I'll eat the rest of your peas if you eat the rest of my carrots."

Takara grinned quickly before casting a look around at his parents and grandparents and attempting to school his features. He hadn't yet developed the finesse in that area that the rest of the Uchihas had mastered but he wasn't bad for a five year old.

"Deal," he whispered back.

As covertly as possible, he moved his plate closer to Naruto's and quickly transferred the peas over while the blond stared innocently off into a corner of the room. Then Naruto scooped his carrots onto Takara's plate and both grinned and winked at each other, stifling laughter before digging in.

Sasuke watched these odd proceedings with fascination. How childish... but it was also kinda cute, and Takara seemed to like the blond boy.

Having basically given up on adult conversation for the evening, Naruto spent the rest of dinner having an animated discussion with Sasuke's nephew about how Beyblade was so much better than Pokemon. Takara had developed a bit of a fixation lately.

By the time dessert was finished, all Sasuke had learned about the blond was that he was generally cheerful and social, that he watched Saturday morning cartoons, that he liked children and that he could be sort of childish himself.

Naruto said goodnight to Takara getting a big hug from the boy who then ran over to hug Sasuke too before he was whisked off home by his parents. Itachi graciously thanked his parents for the meal and said goodnight to the other guests while his wife impatiently tapped her foot by the door. Naruto shook his head in bewilderment at the woman's behaviour, wondering silently what had possessed Itachi to marry her.

A few minutes later, Sasuke found himself in a very familiar situation. He was sitting in the same parlour where he had been left with Sakura, now with his new fiance, while their parents left them alone to 'socialize' once again.

He groaned inwardly, somehow expecting things to turn out much the same as the last time. However, the silence stretched between them for several moments as Naruto did not rattle on and on about their coming wedding and subsequent life together. Sasuke was just beginning to feel slightly perplexed.

"You know, it's kind of uncomfortable in here. Could we maybe take a walk?"

Sasuke almost jumped as the silence was suddenly broken. Then realizing what the blond just said, he nodded automatically through his surprise. Naruto smiled at him and stood, prompting him to get up and lead the way.

They slowly made their way through the huge house in silence until they reached the now familiar back door that led out to the pool. Naruto took a deep breath and sighed when they stepped out into the cool evening breeze.

"Ah, that's better. I can breath now you know?" Sasuke stared at his smiling face without answering until the smile disappeared.

"Look, I can tell you're not really into this whole arrangement. I mean, it's obvious, and I want to tell you right now that I'm as nervous and uncomfortable about it as you are. I-I really don't want you to resent me, and I think that there are a few things that we should talk about so that hopefully we can both feel a little better."

"Like what?" Sasuke answered warily, hiding his surprise at this serious speech.

"Like what's expected of us and what expectations we have ourselves..." When the Uchiha just raised a brow, he continued. "I've never been in any kind of a serious relationship before and I don't really know anything about you. I'm personally not ready for... well, for a lot of things, but I had hoped that we could get to know each other and be friends."

"You want to be friends?!" Sasuke couldn't manage to keep the incredulity out of his voice now. The blond blinked at him cocking his head cutely to the side as he wondered what was so strange about that.

"Well yeah. My father thinks that marrying you would be the best thing for me and I know how much he worries about my future. He always thinks that everyone's out to take advantage of me. I want him to be happy and I made him a promise... but it would make things a lot easier for us both if we could get along."

Sasuke actually looked dumbfounded and the suddenly uncomfortable blond continued on to fill the silence.

"Obviously we aren't expected to make an heir or anything," he said with a blush. "So it would be nice if we could just take everything... slowly, right?"

Sasuke never thought that he would hear something like this in his life. He was so used to being shamelessly hit on, to being the object of desire for all the lustful social climbers, that he couldn't believe he had just been told by his own fiance that he just wanted to be friends!

This boy was gay right? Or was this some kind of a trick. He seemed sincere enough, but you couldn't be too careful. Then again, Naruto wouldn't care one way or the other about his money or his family's prestige and now he was basically claiming that he wasn't interested in getting into his pants.

Could the boy honestly just be doing this for his father's peace of mind? Unless he thought that saying he didn't want a romantic relationship would make Sasuke want to pursue him. That sounded sort of far fetched though and it certainly wasn't likely to be any person's 'plan A'.

"...Sasuke?"

A tanned hand was waving in front of his face and when Sasuke finally focussed, the hand stopped and a pair of big shimmering blue eyes were right in front of him... too close.

Without thinking, his arms thrust out pushing the other boy away and he watched in shock as Naruto stumbled backward, teetering for a second, arms flailing before he fell into the pool behind him with a huge splash. Oops... There goes that whole friendship idea huh?

Sasuke actually found himself feeling a certain regret for the loss of the option. Actual friends were not something he'd ever had in abundance. If Naruto had been serious, it might have been nice to give it a try.

He stepped up to the edge looking down into water that was lit up by pot lights from below and saw the blond boy kicking his way to the surface, slightly hampered by the added weight of his clothes. Naruto's head broke the surface and water sprayed from his mouth like a fountain, narrowly missing Sasuke who dodged just in time.

Had the blond been aiming for him? He had to be pissed. Sasuke didn't know anyone who wouldn't be pissed at being shoved into the pool, fully clothed, for no good reason. It was only a matter of how that anger would be expressed.

Would it be the huffy silent treatment, the strained attempt at self-control, or the furious screaming? Naruto seemed like he might be the loud angry type, so as the the blond gasped in several deep breaths and shook the wet hair out of his face, Sasuke prepared himself for the coming storm.

"Oh MAN that's... odd! Your pool-water tastes kinda 'minty'. What's up with that?"

Sasuke blinked at this unexpected observation. Wow, he's easily distracted! Then he remembered himself and cleared his throat.

"I don't have much of a fondness for the taste of chlorine," he responded calmly as Naruto swam for the nearest ladder and latched on.

Step by step the blond was revealed as he climbed, water running over him in rivulets, his white collared shirt sopping wet and completely see through, clinging like a second skin. Sasuke stared as if in a daze for a moment. Damn!

"Uh Y-You wouldn't happen to have a towel would you?"

Sasuke snapped out of his momentary stupor at the question and realized that Naruto was still standing there, dripping and starting to shiver.

"Oh yeah." He quickly grabbed one of the fresh towels that were regularly stocked in the oak benches to the side of the pool.

"Thanks," said Naruto as he wrapped the huge towel around himself. Sasuke cleared his throat again.

"I'm very sorry about that," he apologized formally. Naruto just smiled, his teeth chattering slightly.

"Oh no, don't worry about it. I shouldn't have startled you like that. At least not when I was standing so close to the edge," he laughed.

Sasuke deflated in confusion. His shoulders dropped and his brow very nearly furrowed before he caught himself. What the hell was this...?

"You're really not upset?"

"Of course not. It's not like you did it on purpose. So... before I go in to get dried off and changed, what do you think? Can we try to be friends?"

He looked so sincere and hopeful (and a little pathetic, huddled in a towel with his cheeks flushed and his hair all plastered down) that Sasuke was nodding his acceptance before he even knew it.

"Great!" The boy suddenly jumped forward and hugged him, enveloping him in the towel and pressing his own cold, wet body against the startled Uchiha's. "Thanks Sasuke!" He pulled back quickly and laughed at Sasuke's look of distaste at realizing how damp he was now.

"Must you?" The Uchiha ground out and Naruto just grinned and winked at him.

"That's payback for ya." He quickly made his escape to the pool-house, turning back when he reached the door.

"Goodnight Sasuke."

A moment later, the door closed behind him and a confused Uchiha was left pondering alone in the relative darkness, until he looked down at his damp front and heaved a put-upon sigh before going back into the main house.

(A/N; Okay I know what you're thinking; 'Holy Crap that took a long time!' Normally I hate it when people take too ridiculously long to update and I try to be at least 'reasonable' about that myself, but let's just say that the situation was out of my control and leave it at that. I promise I won't make you wait that long again. Scout's honor...or some junk. Oh and by the way Takara means treasure and Akuma means devil. Yeah, cause I don't like to strain my brain to hard on names for minor oc's)