Of Curry, Fevers, and Kits

“Naruto?”

Naruto felt his heart thump loudly, the voice calling to him all too familiar. He was almost afraid to turn around to face it. But slowly he did. He saw Sasuke just out of the corner of his vision, at a distance, just staring back at him. The intensity of his stare made him shiver a little. But it hadn’t been Sasuke’s voice he had heard.

“Naruto?” the voice called to him again. Naruto turned his gaze more and fell upon another pale, black haired shinobi. Only it wasn’t hard, dark eyes looking back at him, bur rather softer, slightly confused ones.

“Sai…” Naruto had to fight the urge to duck his head and look away. Enough with this submissive crap! But even so he couldn’t help but look back to where he had seen Sasuke. And of course the Uchiha was no where to be seen.

“Naruto, is something wrong?”

Sai’s voice cut the blond’s gaze back to the pale anbu. He smiled a bit sheepishly. “No, it’s nothing.”

Of course Sai knew it wasn’t nothing. He had seen Sasuke before Naruto had, and even now he knew where he had moved to, but if the Uchiha wanted to pretend like he wasn’t there, he would act like he wasn’t there as well.

Naruto sighed, “What are you doing here Sai?” It couldn’t be a coincidence, could it? He steps out of the hokage’s home and boom he spots two of the people he’s trying to avoid?

“What do you mean? I was just going to get some lunch and I happened to see you.” Which was mostly true, for the past week he had been keeping a sharp eye out for Naruto, he hadn’t actively been searching out. He got the feeling that when Naruto wanted to be seen he’d show up. And he had been right, here we was.

“Oh… well… That’s fine, I guess. I’ll see you later, Sai.” Naruto waved, wanting to get away and be on his own, or at least not be with Sai or Sasuke… or Gaara really but he was all but positive that the Kazekage was already gone.

“Naruto wait!” Sai reached out and grabbed the blond shinobi’s shoulder, turning him back around to face him. He was so lost on what he was supposed to do at a time like this. There were no etiquette books that said anything about what to do when you knocked your best friend up. Especially not ones when your best friend was male. So he had to play it all by ear

Naruto sighed heavily, giving the art nin a hard look, “What Sai? I’m really not in the mood for this right now.” He wanted to get away and now, not wanting to admit that the touch had sent a little thrill through him.

Sai floundered around for a reason to keep Naruto by his side. The blond looked so upset. He couldn’t really blame him. He’d probably be upset too if he found out he was pregnant and had no idea who the father way. “I… umm… please, join me for some ramen. I really want to talk to you about this.”

Naruto bristled, pulling away from Sai’s touch. “Sai… I… Sorry, but I’m not hungry.” His stomach chose that very moment to betray him by growling loudly. He had awoken that morning with his first bout of morning sickness, so now that his stomach seemed to be settling he was starving. He glared down at the traitorous belly.

Sai couldn’t help but smile at the obvious lie. “Come on, Naruto. It’s not like you to turn down ramen. Ichiraku ramen! My treat!”

Naruto’s lower lip stuck out adorably in a thoughtful pout, crossing is arms over his chest. How was he supposed to resist Ichiraku ramen especially when the meal would be free for him! He hesitated just a bit longer, and his stomach chose to embarrass again by growling louder. “Fine, I guess it’d be silly to turn down free ramen! But this doesn’t mean anything! I’m still mad at you.”

Sai smiled softly, nodding, “I understand.” He really didn’t, but if it helped ease Naruto’s uneasiness towards him he would accept things the way they were for now. “Shall we go?”

The sunny blond nodded and started to head towards the ramen stand. He knew the way by heart no matter what part of the village he was in when he decided to go. Sai followed beside him, smiling softly, but he was nervous, to the point that even Naruto could notice it. It made that pesky swell of guilt rise in him again. That’s right… all the details in this had to be very confusing for Sai. But… but he wouldn’t let that sway his judgment! He’d explain it to Sai if he had to, but he wouldn’t give into him just because he was confused!

Reaching Ichiraku they each ordered their meals, the owner already prepared to make seconds, third, and even fourths for Naruto. “Naruto! It’s been over a week since I last saw you! I was starting to wonder if you found a new ramen shop that you liked better!” Teuchi joked good naturedly as he set the bowls down before his customers.

“Ah, I got sick before, Teuchi-san. But I’m feeling better now and I’m ready for TEN rounds of ramen!” Naruto beamed brightly.

The ramen shop owner laughed. “I’ll get them ready!” The truth was that the entire village had received notice of Naruto’s quarantine, and he wondered what it as that had gotten the blond so sick. Even now the details were vague, or maybe the better word would be confidential. It really didn’t matter to the middle-aged ramen maker. As long as Naruto was back to normal and healthy, what he had before was of little consequence.

Naruto started to slurp up the ramen in his usual alarming rate, not having realized just how much he had missed it! He hadn’t been allowed to each ramen at Granny Tsunade’s house and he knew he’d just go nuts if it was going to be like that until… until after.. a-after he had the baby. That always sent a squeamish feeling through him. How the hell was he supposed to go through birth, anyways?! And from what he always heard labor was PAINFUL! Would he be able to take it?!

Sai could see that Naruto seemed troubled in his thoughts, the blond having paused in his continuous slurping of noodles. “Naruto?”

“Hmm..?” Naruto looked up at the pale teen, continuing with his slurping of noodles. Setting his bowl down when he was done and picking up the second that was set before him at the same time.

“I… I’m really… sorry… about what happened before,” Sai decided now was as good a time as any to start.

Naruto frowned, setting the bowl down and crossing is arms over his chest. “What are you sorry for, Sai? Do you even know?” he doubted it.

“I… umm…” Sai floundered around for something he could latch onto as a good reason to apologize, but he really just didn’t know. “I… I’m not entirely sure what I did wrong, but I am sorry that it upset you so much.” It was honest, so he hoped his answer seemed sincere enough.

Naruto sighed heavily, feeling another swell of guilt joined with irritation. He knew that Sai wouldn’t completely understand, but it was still so damn annoying having to explain such obvious things to him. “Sai… You took advantage that I was in heat to have sex with me.”

Sai frowned at that, “I didn’t realize you were in heat. I didn’t realize humans could go into heat.”

“But it was obvious that something was weird, wasn’t it?! I was acting weird!” Naruto blushed crimson.

“You were,” Sai nodded.

“Then why did you do it??”

“Because you said you needed me,” Sai tilted his head a little curiously, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Naruto actually squeaked, his face coloring crimson. He ducked his head, trying to think of how to respond. He couldn’t think of anything.

“That and the scent you were giving off made it really hard to resist.”

Naruto looked back up, “Scent…?”

“Sexual pheromones. I realize now that it’s what that scent had to be. Just smelling it made me very… horny. I think it affected the others the same.”

“O-oh…” Naruto hadn’t considered that, shifting a bit in place. “Then… why did you leave me..?” He inwardly cursed at all the emotion behind those words.

“I…” Sai started, then looked away. “I don’t know,” that was a lie. He left because he was starting to feel very sore, not to mention someone could come in at any second, Naruto had been in quarantine after all. But more importantly… because deep down he knew that Naruto wouldn’t really want him, that his heart belonged to Sasuke… or maybe now Gaara..? He knew knew that Naruto would be too annoyed with him to want a real relationship with him.

Naruto nodded mutely, staring down at his half finished bowl of ramen.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence. Neither boy could face one another, both lost in their own thoughts. Naruto started to eat his ramen again, though much more slowly this time.

Sai inwardly cursed at himself. He didn’t want things to end like this. He had told himself that if he really had a chance with Naruto he wouldn’t lose it to such an ass hole like Sasuke! Right now all three of them were in the same boat which meant that he had just as much of a chance to win the blonde’s heart as the Uchiha did. He looked at Naruto, his eyes widening a little to see such a deep expression on the usually perky blond. He had always thought Naruto was appealing… but like this, it gave his beauty a whole new light. Not better, but different, captivating in it’s own right.

“Naruto…?” he tried again.

“Nnh?” Naruto couldn’t look at him, but Sai didn’t let that bother him.

“Can I draw you?”

“E-eh?!” The blonde’s head snapped up to stare at the smiling teen anbu in shock, a bright color spreading long his cheeks.

Sai only smiled more. Now that he thought about it, all of Naruto’s expressions were worth capturing. He was just so expressive and full of live. “Can I draw you?”

“W-why..?” Naruto stammered, blushing darkly.

“Because I think you’d make a good model for some drawings. You don’t have to pose, and you don’t even have to worry about anyone else seeing them if you don’t want them to. I just really want to draw you.”

Naruto felt the blush reach the tips of his ears, “S-sai… I… Well… I guess that’s alright. Do I have to pose or wear anything specific..?”

Instantly Sai’s mind went in several indecent routes he could answer that, but in the end he just shook his head. “No, just the way you are now is fine. Just act like you usually would.”

“E-eh?! You mean right now?!”

“Why not? I have my sketch book with me,” Sai reached behind him to pull his sketch book and charcoal pencil out of his back pack, flipping the pages to a blank one. “Just… act natural. Pretend I’m not drawing you.”

“But you are drawing me! I can’t just ignore it!” Naruto sulked, still blushing brightly.

Sai just continued to smile and started to sketch, not listening to the blonde’s complaints. Acting natural, or blushing and pouting adorably. Either way it would be a wonderful picture of Naruto.

The blond sighed again and went back to eating his ramen like he normally would. He was flattered that Sai wanted to draw him. He had seen Sai’s drawings before, he was a great artist. He could draw something as well as a camera could take a picture of it, but… Well he didn’t know, he wasn’t much of an art critique, but all of Sai’s works were… just like the anbu used to be… flat, no emotion. It was as if he just drew for the sake of drawing, not because something moved him to draw. He mentally shrugged. It was Sai’s hobby, if he liked to do it, then that’s all there was to it.

Still, as he reached his 6th bowl of ramen and Sai was still sketching away, Naruto couldn’t help but start to feel more embarrassed. The way sai would stop, look at him for what seemed like a small eternity, then go back to drawing was making him nervous. Finish his 7th bowl he had enough. “What are you drawing anyways?!”

Sai gave him a strange look. “I told you, I’m drawing you.”

“Oh… well… yeah, but you look like you’re concentrating hard on it! It’s embarrassing.”

“It’s because you’re hard to draw, Naruto.” It was true, capturing Naruto’s essence in his sketch was turning out to be a lot harder than he had thought it would be.

“Oh come on! It’s not like I’m a pretty boy like you or Sasuke! What could be so hard?”

Sai smiled softly, “You’d be surprised.”

“Let me see!” the blond jumped off his stool and reached for the sketch book before Sai could pull away, turning it around to look at the sketch.

He felt his heart thump loudly in his chest.

“Ah! No, it’s not finished yet, Naruto!” Sai tried to take the sketch book back. He usually didn’t care whether or not anyone saw his unfinished works or not, but for some reason he felt embarrassed this time.

“Sai… this is… amazing…” Naruto breathed out, his cheeks tinting a warm pink. He had thought that Sai would be drawing him slurping up noodles, and in the corner of the page that’s what he was doing, but the picture that was taking up most of the page was… well him… but he was smiling softly and his eyes looked reflective even on the paper. It looked like he was saying something, like Sai had captured a moment when they had been talking. But it was the eyes that really drew his attention. There was so much expression in just the eyes. Bright, warm, smiling, but just beyond it, maybe the way the rest of his expression was, there was something deeper than just the happy expression he usually wore.

He looked up at Sai in awe. Maybe Sai could see and tell more things than he usually gave him credit for. “Sai…”

The artist anbu was blushing lightly, looking at anything but Naruto first, then braved a glance, glad that he did just to be able to see the beautiful expression of awe on the blonde’s face, willing himself to burn the image into memory so he could draw it later. “I… it’s just… how I see you, Naruto… That’s why you’re so hard to draw… It’s so hard to capture all of your essence into a single drawing. You’re just… too brilliant...”

Naruto felt his heart skip a beat, then start beating twice as fast to make up for the loss. Sai… Did he really feel that way about him? And the way he was looking at him now. A few drops of warmth spread in his stomach.

Naruto was looking at him so strangely… but… it made Sai want to lean over and kiss him. He was making Naruto look this way, he just knew it. “You’re just too…” he went on softly, leaning slowly forward, his heart skipping a beat when Naruto leaned in as well, his lips parting gently when he felt the blonde’s just a scant inch apart from his own. “You’re… every…”

He didn’t get to finish as Naruto suddenly pulled back, growing suddenly pale. “Naruto??”

The blond shook his head, looking around frantically, then ran out of the stall across the street to the dango shop… Well… that was unsettling.

“Ah… so Naruto is still feeling sick…” Teuchi shook his head gently.

Sai nearly jumped out of his skin. He had forgotten the older man was there. Had he been listening and watching everything? But more importantly, “What do you mean?”

“There’s no bathroom here,” Teuchi said, as if it explained everything. “I would have let him use the one in my apartment upstairs, but I didn’t get a chance to say anything. Poor kid really pushed himself with all that ramen after just recovering… He’s probably losing his lunch right now.”

“Ah… soka…” So Naruto had gotten sick. It wasn’t because he was running from him. That was good at least. Sai paid for the meal and excused himself, waiting for Naruto outside the ramen shop so the blond would spot him right away when he came out. He was starting to feel a bit more confident in his ability to win Naruto’s heart now.

~

Naruto groaned after he emptied his stomach of all the ramen he had eaten, rinsing out his mouth and face before stepping out of the bathroom. He was too weak to even sense someone near before he was grabbed by the shoulders and pressed hard against the walls of the narrow hallway. “Ughn..!” was the only weak reply he could come with.

He growled softly. “What do you want, Sasuke-teme?” Blue eyes glared into cold onyx.

“Here.” The Uchiha pushed a simple mint leaf into his hand.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at it. “What’s this for?”

“Chew on it, dobe. It should help a little with your nausea. And get rid of the taste from your mouth.”

Naruto didn’t look completely trusting, but if it was a way to make him feel better that wouldn’t hurt his baby then why not? He popped the leave into his mouth and started to chew on it, realizing after a few moments that it was starting to work, his pained expression fading. “Ah… thank you… S-sasuke… I-it’s really working.”

Sasuke nodding, of course it would work. He watched Naruto in silence until he was sure that the blond looked physically better. Then he claimed those soft lips with his own ravenously.

“Mmnh!” to say Naruto was surprised by the sudden kiss attack was an understatement, his whole body going rigid. But that didn’t deter Sasuke, the Uchiha deepening the kiss slowly, insistently until Naruto couldn’t help but give in, melting against the sure presence of his body, his arms wrapping loosely around his shoulder, his lips parting with a soft trilling mewl.

A sense of rightness washed over him, it was so good, so easy to just give into the other boy, to give in completely, but a small part of him bothered him about the whole ordeal. This wasn’t right. Sasuke was just… using him, just claiming him without the slightest concern for his own feelings.

He pulled back with a gasp, realzing what he was doing, panting for breath. “W-what are you doing?!” He pushed the raven haired nin away.

“I thought that was obvious, dobe. Can’t you even tell?” The raven haired boy wasn’t deterred by Naruto’s protests either, leaning in to claim those lips hard again.

Naruto turned away, denying him access. “Well stop it! Let me go!”

“No,” the amusement was gone from Sasuke’s tone. “I saw you with that cheap imitation.”

“Don’t call Sai that! He’s not a cheap imitation! And so what if I was with him?” Naruto growled, struggling to break the raven’s hold.

“So I told you before that you were mine. And he is nothing but a cheap imitation. He joined the squad to replace me, but he never could, could he?”

Blue eyes glared at black orbs like piercing ice. “I’m not yours just because you say I am, you bastard! And Sai isn’t an imitation! He might look a little like you but he’s completely different!”

“That’s what I mean. He can never be me, Naruto. You can play nice with him, with anyone, but in the end you’re still mine.”

“I’m not yours! Stop being such a jealous bastard just because Sai is nicer to me than you are! If you’re worried that I’ll start to like him more than stop being such an ass hole!” He yelped when the flat palm of Sasuke’s hand slapped loudly against the wall right by his head, red eyes now glaring at him

“We share a connection that no one else can hope to have, Naruto. When I left you went to no ends to get me back, didn’t you? And when I came back it was for you. Our destinies are intertwined. No little imitation can hope to get in my way. You’re mine.”

Naruto felt his heart thrum in his chest, beating fast as he looked up at the taller boy in shock, searching the depth of those dark eyes. He didn’t know how to respond to that, lost in the hypnotic depths of Sasuke’s sharingan eyes.

Sasuke took the opportunity to claim those lips again, ravaging his mouth with his own, pulling the slighter teen’s body flushed against his own. Rough hands caressed every inch of that body, quickly finding every pleasurable spot that had the blond shivering and arching against him He smirked against those lips when he felt the responding moan from the blond. “Can Sai make you feel like that?”

Naruto groaned weakly, panting for breath. “B-bastard…”

“Tch… maybe… when you’re ready to face the truth, Naruto, you know where you can find me. I want to see you tonight.” And with that the Uchiha was gone, leaving Naruto to slump against the wall to the floor. A few tears pricked the corners of his eyes, but he stubbornly wiped them away. That stupid bastard!

~

“Naruto!” Sai had started to get worried when so much time passed and the blond hadn’t returned, but just when he was about to enter the shop he found Naruto exiting it. “Naruto, are you alright? You look pale…”

“Huh…?” Naruto asked distractedly, then waved it away. “Oh, I’m feeling better now, Sai. It’s okay… just… morning sickness I guess… Maybe I ate too much.”

Sai nodded in understanding, but he got the feeling that Naruto wasn’t being completely honest with him. It looked like something was seriously bothering the blond. “Are you sure? We can go somewhere so you can rest?”

“I… No… I… Sai…” Naruto looked up, pain in those blue eyes. It made Sai’s heart clench painfully. “Sai… I…” whatever Naruto was about to confess to him was broken off by a familiar shouting voice.

“UZUMAKI NARUTO!!”

“Ah! Sakura-chan!”

The pink haired kunoichi marched over to the two of them, grabbing Naruto’s hand. “There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you! Tsunade-sama wants to see you for a check up now!” Sakura looked around, then frowned. “Naruto! You better not have been eating Ramen! You know you’re supposed to start eating better in your… umm… condition!” the girl blushed pink at the last part.

Naruto sighed, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry, Sakura-chan! But I just can’t give it up cold turkey! But don’t worry! There isn’t any ramen in my system!” the blond had already resigned himself to becoming a human guinea pig if he wanted to assure that his baby was growing normal and healthy. It was annoying, but it was needed.

“Well good! Oh! Hey Sai!” Sakura blushed darker to just barely be noticing the other boy now.

“Sakura-chan” the artist shinobi bowed his head in return. Well… whatever Naruto was going to say, he’d doubt he’d say it now. “Well, it was nice spending time with you, Naruto. Maybe we can do it again tomorrow?”

Naruto was still feeling confused and anxious about what Sasuke had said but he offered the other nin a small smile. “I’d like that. I’ll see you tomorrow, Sai.”

“Tomorrow, Naruto,” Sai bowed his head again, then turned and started back towards his apartment.

Sakura looked at the interaction, then smiled coyly, “Naruto… does that mean you’re picking Sai?”

“E-eh?! N-no! I… I just… Sai is still my friend, Sakura-chan! Right now we’re just trying to get back to normal!”

“Ohhh~ Well then how about Sasuke-kun?” there was no jealousy in her voice. Sakura had gotten over Sasuke a few years ago, currently she was finally dating Lee. As much of an odd couple as they made they really did seem to get along, and Sakura couldn’t ask for a more gentlemanly boyfriend.

Naruto growled, “That bastard can go straight to hell for all I care! Stupid, stuck up, prick!”

Sakura laughed softly, “Hasn’t apologized, huh? Yeah, Sasuke-kun really is too stubborn to do anything remotely sweet or apologetic… So it’s gonna be Sai, right?”

Naruto was blushing crimson, “N-NO! Sakura-chan!!”

~
To be continued

Wooo~! Worth the wait..? XD;;

In the end Sai and Sasuke tied over who would be the one calling out to Naruto. But it was very un-Sasuke-like to just call to Naruto just like that, so I decided to make it Sai, though Sasuke was still there.

I have to admit that I'm a bigger fan of Sai than I am of Sasuke lately. That doesn't mean that Sai will be the one to end up with Naruto, it just means that I like him better personally... XD

And I love Sasuke being a bastard! X3 <3 So forceful! Mm-mmm!