Disclaimer: I don't own the Naruto characters and I make no profit either.
AN: Again with the warning of explicit sexual content...twice. They are marked beginning and end.
Chapter Eight
**Day Fourteen**
Naruto exited the car, staring at the house before him with a mixture of sadness and repulsion. He really didn’t want to be there without Jiraiya, alone-if not in body, but in spirit. It seemed unfathomable that Jiraiya was gone and never to return.
Sasuke’s first reaction to seeing the dobe’s house was utter astonishment. It was an old Victorian era home, with the wrap-around porch on the first and second levels, over-sized sash windows, painted in muted yellow and accented by muted teal around the windows and gables, and it boasted slate roofing. It was truly a home befitting one of Konohagakure’s Senators and put the Uchiha mansion to shame.
Sasuke walked around from the driver’s side, gripping Naruto’s elbow gently. Blue eyes turned to see onyx in the waning light of the day, casting a gray tint on his shining eyes. “If there is another place that you would be more comfortable...” but Naruto didn’t let him finish.
“There is nowhere else for me to go. This is all I have.”
“Are you sure it is ok for me to be here with you?” Sasuke whispered near his ear, tilting his head slightly to the side in askance.
“The old man didn’t want me to be here alone and since you’re on medical leave...what choice did I have?” Naruto laughed, dancing away from Sasuke’s grasp.
“Dobe...” He growled, his features turning dark.
“Teme?” Naruto laughed again and raced up the steps as Sasuke tried to pounce on him and failed. With each step he felt the jarring twinge from the wound on his shoulder, but he was content to ignore it for the time being in favor of being happy.
“Dobe, I’m serious!” Sasuke growled as soon as he reached him, trapping the blonde between his arms against the door.
“It’s fine, teme. I have no problem having you here, you would know if I did.”
“And you trust me to be here with you?” Sasuke asked, stepping forward and grabbing his shirt in his grasp, preventing escape.
“Why, teme, what could you possibly do to me that would cause me to distrust you in my home, in my room; in…my…bed?” Naruto asked huskily.
“
Our bed, dobe. You’re not getting off that easily.”
“I wasn’t expecting too.” Naruto replied breathlessly. Sasuke smirked as he brought his lips to Naruto’s, savoring the feeling as they wrestled for dominance playfully, Naruto slyly coming out the victor before retreating to be claimed by Sasuke.
“Why did you do that?” Sasuke asked, pulling apart and panting softly.
“Because this is a partnership and I don’t want something completely one-sided, where our roles are defined by some archaic meaning.”
Sasuke took a slight step back, looking a Naruto with something akin to respect; and maybe just a hint of confusion. “I can agree to that.” He consented, lips clashing together once again.
~*BEGIN LIME*~
Naruto was backed up against the front door as Sasuke’s leg found purchase between his heated thighs, his lips latching onto bronze neck. “Hmm, teme, not here.” Naruto moaned breathlessly, trying to push him away.
“Why not?” Sasuke purred as he licked up that bronze column and nipped at his ear.
“Because the neighbors can see us.” Naruto’s breath hitched as Sasuke bit into flesh and sucked, leaving a fresh red mark for the entire world to see.
“Let them watch, dobe. Maybe we could teach them something new.” Sasuke reached down and hoisted Naruto up, smirking when the dobe’s legs wrapped around him instinctively.
“We shouldn’t be doing this.” He huffed even as he leaned his head back to allow Sasuke more access.
“But we are.”
“Teme...” He moaned. “Please...?”
Caving, Sasuke lowered him to his feet. Naruto took a moment to catch his breath and search for his keys, patting his pockets dazedly. Finding them in his coat pocket he pulled them out and inserted the key with shaky fingers. No sooner were they inside and the door shut when Sasuke was on him again.
“Teme...up...upstairs...” He stuttered.
“Too far.” Sasuke growled, pulling off Naruto’s coat and grabbing for the button to his jeans.
“Living room...left...” Naruto directed. Sasuke pushed him down as soon as the couch was in sight and tugged at his jeans, pulling them free from the tanned body. He took a moment to savor the sight, Naruto breathing heavily and erect in his grasp, blue eyes tinted with lust. With a smirk he freed the dobe from the confines of his boxers and squeezed the engorged length. Naruto hissed in pleasure, leaning against the back of the couch as his hips bucked forward in eager want.
“Sasuke...” He moaned lustily.
Sasuke smirked as he kissed a trail from his knee, along his inner thigh, before lapping at the length in his hands. Naruto bit at his balled fist, trying to hold back a groan. “Don’t you dare dobe? I want to hear every devious sound you make.” He emphasized his words with a harsh tug, relishing the satisfied groan Naruto let out.
“That’s better dobe.”
“Shut up teme!”
Sasuke laughed as he swirled his tongue around the tip before taking him in his mouth again and sucking at it like it was a lollipop. Naruto moaned as his fingers thread through Sasuke’s silky hair, his hips bucking forward in pleasure.
“Hmm...” Sasuke hummed around the cock in his mouth, his eyes seeking out blue orbs as he licked and sucked the dobe to completion. With a pop, he released his lips, wiping at the corner of his mouth. Naruto leaned in and licked his thumb, tasting himself on Sasukes fingers. He hummed appreciatively, pulling Sasuke to sit next to him. Reaching over he began to stroke the bulge in Sasuke’s jeans in earnest.
“Dobe...you don’t have too...”
“I want too.” Naruto murmured, leaning in to kiss his neck, licking right under his earlobe. The Uchiha purred at the treatment his face flushing. He was putty in Naruto’s hand and he was reveling in every minute of it, groaning as he released in Naruto’s expert hand.
~*END LIME*~
“Damn dobe...but are you amazing!”
“You’re the first one ever to tell me that.” Naruto muttered sleepily, leaning into Sasuke’s warmth. Sasuke reached out for his head, threading fingers in sunshine locks, and kissed his forehead.
“Really?”
“Hmm…” Naruto hummed a smile on his face.
“No one?”
“Just you.” He sighed, his eyes closed as he snuggled into Sasuke’s side and touch. Sasuke sat there in mild wonderment unable to comprehend how no one bothered to tell the dobe that. “Don’t think too much on it teme…it’s not worth it.” Naruto yawned.
“Not even Nara?” Sasuke asked. Naruto peeked an eye open before moving away from Sasuke and staring at him.
“You are very inquisitive, are you sure you want to go down that road?” Sasuke sat in silence mulling it over. Did he really want to know or was he content to remain blissfully unaware? Then again, it was said that Naruto had multiple partners…how many could he possibly have had? Did he really want to know the answer? Without a doubt, Sasuke wanted to know that answer. He wanted to know everything about the dobe and that included his sordid past.
“I want to know?” He admitted and was dazzled by the smile that lit Naruto’s face. He was spell-bound for a moment before Naruto moved to get more comfortable, curling up on the couch and facing him straight on.
“Where would you like me to start?” That was an easy enough question to answer; Sasuke knew exactly where to start.
“How did you and Nara meet?”
“That is very easy… in kindergarten. We became friends immediately and have been friends ever since.”
“You also met Sakura then and professed your love to her?”
Naruto stilled for a second his head tilting to the side, searching. “Sakura told you that?” Sasuke nodded. A smile lit his face. “I did…I had a schoolboy crush on her…”
“That lasted until Jr. High?”
“Longer…” Naruto admitted. “It was the summer before entering High School that I finally gave up on her and shifted my attention to someone else.”
“I’m not going to like this am I?” Sasuke sighed and crossed his arms. He leaned against the back of the sofa as Naruto laughed softly. “It was Shikamaru?”
“Yes. I spent the entire summer at his house. I had a falling out of sorts with Jiraiya and Shikamaru was the one to be there for me. My friendship towards him evolved into something more and right before the new school year was to begin we…umm, connected.”
“But it didn’t last?” Sasuke asked.
“No. Remember when I said everyone leaves me? Shikamaru was no different. The next morning I woke up to an empty room. I don’t blame him; his father was in an accident the night before and was in the hospital. He didn’t get the message until that morning and when he found out he wasn’t in his right mind…”
“I can’t fault him for that, but you’ve been with him since? And he still left you?”
“Yes,” Naruto admitted. “He was the first person I gave myself to and he refuses to forgive himself for that. He thinks that he took advantage of me, but I think it was more the other way around. I knew how he felt and how I felt for him, something that Shika wasn’t aware of. I just didn’t resist him…”
“So Nara feels guilty and every time you ‘connect’ he leaves you because of that guilt…for a genius he really is stupid.” Sasuke sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to understand why someone would do that.
“I think he realized that because we haven’t ‘connected’” Naruto laughed at the emphasis placed on that word “For a while now.”
“Why do they think that you are…?”
“A whore?” Naruto questioned. Sasuke frowned at the harshness of the word, but didn’t contest its use.
“Nara said you had no filter.”
“That was being generous of him.” Naruto chuckled. “I had anger issues when I was younger and most of it misplaced towards Jiraiya. The only thing that stopped my anger in its tracks was releasing it in another way; or so I found out with Shikamaru. Ever since then when I felt my anger getting the better of me I went looking.”
“And when they left you you’d go looking for them?”
“Hmm, it’s not normal. I just wanted someone to take that chance on me…even if I had to persuade them.” Naruto blushed, aware that he wasn’t being very smart in the way that he acted.
“That seems like a lot of effort.”
“You have to work at these kinds of things.” Naruto shrugged his shoulders, but the hint of hurt shone through like a beacon to Sasuke. His dobe just wanted someone to be by his side.
“Are you trying to persuade me now?” Sasuke asked leaning towards Naruto. He had a smirk on his face that had Naruto smiling and biting his lip. He leaned in closer to Sasuke.
“Do you want me to persuade you, teme?” His breath fanned over Sasukes lips whose tongue darted out to lick them in anticipation.
“You already have dobe.” His lips brushed Naruto’s softly in a gentle kiss. He wanted to take his time and savior the taste.
“Hmm…” Naruto hummed with a pleasant smile on his face. He pulled away and slid in next to Sasuke, getting comfortable, before allowing silence to drift between them. It was only now that Sasuke got a chance to look around the house and what a marvel it was.
The living room boasted high ceilings with three tall, draped windows that almost reached the ceiling and almost touched the floors, with a settee resting off to the left and a book shelf filled to bursting nearby. It was quite the cozy little reading nook. There was an intricate fireplace right in front of the sofa, with an antique grate and a mirror mounted above the mantel. The floors were covered by a luxuriant Victorian rug and there was even a chandelier that hung in the center of the room. Everything exclaimed luxuriance and yet had a lived in look to it.
“Your house is amazing, dobe.” Sasuke remarked, awestruck by all the intricate carved details of the crown molding and the fireplace mantel.
“It is...” Naruto breathed out, rousing from his stupor enough to answer Sasuke, before nodding off again.
“And it is yours?”
“Hmm...?”
“This is all yours dobe?”
“Hmm... ...”
“Dobe...” Sasuke turned to look at him, a smile creeping on his face at the sight that met him. Naruto looked like a beautiful sleeping angel, moist lips parted slightly. Sasuke sighed settling in next to the dobe and drifting off to sleep moments later.
~CALM~
“Who would have thought this would be so damn difficult?!” Genma cried, slumping against his desk in weariness. His toothpick slipped out of his slack mouth to roll over the surface of the desk. He couldn’t be bothered to stop its impetus as it neared the edge. It slipped off the desk but never made it to the ground as Raido extended his hand out and caught it mid-fall.
“It’s only difficult because there are so many variables. If we could reduce some of those...” Raido sighed and deposited the piece of wood into the nearest waste bin.
“Would it help to search for what Sasuke’s father was working on last before he was murdered?” Sakura asked.
“I don’t see how that can be helpful?” Genma started, lifting his head just enough to get her in his sights.
“We don’t have anything else to look for!” She snapped, growling as she sat down at her desk. Genma sighed and let his head fall to the desk with an almighty thump!
“Have you tried back at the pawn shops?” Raido asked staring at the necklace’s insurance claim taped beneath Jiraiya’s photo.
“There is still nothing. If whoever took it wants to pawn it they are lying low, but I don’t think that was their intent. If it was some common street thug they wouldn’t hold on to it for long, it would be burning a hole in their pocket. No, whoever has it is keeping it as a trophy...”
“Unless they really are waiting to pawn it? It doesn’t have to be a common street thug who murdered the Senator.” Shikamaru drawled, staring intently at the board, or more specifically at Naruto. No matter what he did to distract himself from his partner his picture had a way of drawing his gaze to it. He was having a hard time letting go.
“That’s not letting go.” Neji whispered for his ears only.
“Everything is infinitely more difficult when you add Naruto to the mix. You can’t help but love him when you meet him.”
“I know.” Neji smirked, having fallen for what Shikamaru termed the Naruto Effect too. He loved Sasuke more though.
“Gah!! This makes no sense!!” Genma screeched, grabbing at his bandanna and munching frenziedly on a new toothpick. “How can Naruto get himself caught up in the most...?”
“Hair-brained...” Raido supplied.
“That was not the word I was going for!” He snapped lifting himself from his stupor.
“I’ll admit Naruto does have a knack for getting himself into sticky situations.” Raido stated as smile tugging at his lips. Yes, Naruto did seem to attract the worst at times.
“Is Naruto really that much of a trouble maker?” Ino whispered to Kiba, but her voice carried through the silent room.
“Naruto is the number one troublemaker.” Chief Sarutobi laughed. “He used to be unruly as a child and he did have that rebellious phase in his teens, but overall he has always been a decent young man.”
“Then it is hard to believe that he could have enemies.”
“That’s not entirely true. Having enemies just proves he has stood up for what he believes in and Naruto does have a voice and a very convincing one at that.”
“And what does he believe in?”
“My dear, to answer that, you will have to ask him.” Chief Sarutobi laughed.
~CALM~
**Day Fifteen**
Sasuke woke to the sound of birds chirping outside the living room windows. He stretched leisurely, rolling his ankles to get the blood flowing. He was cold, colder than he should have been. Forcing an eye open, he took notice that he was alone in the grand room. What he couldn’t see last night was now bathed in glorious sunlight; the curtains thrown open to greet the day.
Standing up, Sasuke took further notice of the hard wood floors stained a deep mahogany that matched the intricate mantle of the fireplace, the walls painted in a faint yellow color. He allowed his onyx eyes to drink in the sight landing on the black grand piano showcased in the corner. He stepped towards it, running his fingers along the ivory and savoring the sound it made. He couldn’t stop the content smile and he really didn’t want to. There was just something about a piano that made him inexplicably happy; it was just a shame that he couldn’t play.
“It belonged to my mother who would play every night right before I went to bed.” Naruto muttered softly. He walked into the room and sat down on the bench ushering Sasuke to follow suit. “When most kids my age read bedtime stories my mother was serenading me with her beautiful talent. She would tell me to close my eyes and imagine the story coming to life as she played.”
Sasuke smiled softly, his fingers twining with Naruto’s. “Every night was a different song and every night I would fall asleep in her lap as she continued to play for my Dad. It’s one of the few memories that I have of them, and the only ones that I have of us all together.”
“They were taken from you when you were really young...”
“I was just three when they disappeared without a trace, but somehow I clung to these memories...I didn’t even know if they were real or something that I came up with to chase away the loneliness. That was before Jiraiya found me and showed me the home videos.”
Sasuke gently ran his knuckle along Naruto’s jaw, causing blue eyes to snap to him, pinning him in place. He swallowed thickly; uncommonly nervous beneath that intense gaze.
“I spent an entire year in an orphanage before Jiraiya took me to live with him. He had been away, sequestered by his own doing and had been unaware of their disappearance and my living predicament. I was happy the day he showed up, taking me with him, but I could tell that he was in pain. He never truly forgave himself for not being here when he was needed the most. I never blamed him though...”
“Naruto...?”
“I miss them all so much!” Naruto cried. “I’m all alone again!”
“You have me, Naruto. You have me and I am not going anywhere.” Sasuke muttered, pulling him into his embrace as Naruto cried in his chest.
“I can’t do it. I can’t do...it.”
“Do what, dobe?” Sasuke asked, running his fingers through his hair, trying to comfort him like his own mother used to do when he was overly emotional.
“I can’t...I’m not ready...I’m not ready, teme.” He gasped.
“Dobe…?”
“What if I screw everything up? So many people are counting on me. What if I fail?!”
Sensing what Naruto was getting at Sasuke hugged him tighter. “You will be amazing, wonderful even. Don’t you dare doubt yourself because I have all the faith in you? And besides, I will be right there with you, supporting you every step of the way.”
“I can’t ask you to do that!” Naruto muttered and tried to pull away.
“Don’t ask, I’m offering.” Sasuke growled and pulled him back towards him.
“What about your dreams?” Naruto sniffled, his face hiding in the folds of Sasuke’s chest.
“I still have them.”
“But what if my dreams prevent you from reaching yours?”
Sasuke stopped to mull that over, his hand coming up to rub at his chin. “What is your dream, dobe?” He asked softly.
Naruto froze against Sasuke, suddenly apprehensive. He bit his lip, giving Sasuke the urge to lean in and kiss him. “Umm, I want to be a Senator worthy of my Mom and Dad’s approval; worthy of Jiraiya’s approval.”
“Dobe, if you wanted to be a Senator then why...?” Why did he become a detective?
“I wanted to find my Mom and Dad. It was a promise I made to myself that I wouldn’t become a Senator until I found them, but now that Jiraiya is gone I can no longer put it off. I must abandon my search.” Sasuke nodded, rubbing circles into Naruto’s shoulder. It made complete sense to him that he was ashamed of himself for not figuring it out. He was Uchiha damn it.
“You’re not a Senator yet.” He spoke suddenly a thought hitting him just then.
“What?” Naruto asked.
Sasuke shook himself and turned a small smile on the blonde. “We have to recuperate right?”
“Yeah?” He asked uncertainly.
“And Dr. Sabaku said that it would take a year at the least for you to recover fully*.”
“Yeah, but teme I don’t have a year before I become a Senator.” Naruto muttered, figuring where this was heading.
“True, but you do have at least six months allotted to you, correct?”
“Yeah, that is the longest amount of time I can be away before they petition for a permanent replacement...”
“Then we have six months to try to find your parents.”
“I’ve had seven years to search and have uncovered nothing. They just disappeared without a trace when I was three.”
“You have me here to help now.”
“And you will make all the difference!” Naruto laughed, pulling away from Sasuke’s chest.
“I’m serious dobe!” Sasuke pulled Naruto back towards him, laughing too. “Did you let anyone help you before?” He asked in a more serious tone.
“Not really, no.” Naruto admitted, fisting Sasuke’s shirt as he snuggled into his shoulder, mindful of his own injured shoulder nestled between their two bodies.
“Then with me helping you we should be able to find something and if we don’t accomplish it before you take office, than I will continue to search.”
“You’ll have to fight Shikamaru for that.” Naruto laughed again. It wasn’t a light laugh, but one tinged with sadness.
“I’m sure Nara will let me help him.” Sasuke frowned. Truth-be-told he was reluctant to put himself together with Shikamaru, considering he was with Naruto now, and they really didn’t get along that well. But if it was to help Naruto he was willing to walk through fire just to give his dobe what he wanted.
“Yeah, because you two worked in peaceful harmony together before.” Naruto murmured, kissing Sasuke on the cheek. “Thanks for the offer, but...”
“Not but’s! I am helping you whether you agree or not!”
Naruto stiffened, his eyes widening considerably. He bowed his head and leaned into Sasuke’s torso growing quiet. He was silent for so long that Sasuke began to worry that he had offended the dobe; and the tears against his chest didn’t help to soothe him of that thought.
“Dobe...?”
“Thank you, Sasuke! Thank you!” Naruto cried, kissing him passionately. It was a wonderful gift that Sasuke was giving him. He was so afraid to ask anyone for help especially after Jiraiya failed and gave up. He didn’t want to offend his grandfather so he kept his promise to himself quiet, only entrusting to a few the secret of his deepest want. To find his parents and bring them home.
~*LEMON*~
“You’re welcome...” Sasuke replied breathlessly before descending on those luscious lips again. He lowered them gently to the floor, peeling back Naruto’s shirt to attack his budding nipples. He licked and sucked at one as his fingers slid beneath the cotton fabric to tweak at the other, causing the dobe’s back to arch in pleasure.
“Ahh...hah.” Naruto puffed.
“You’re really sensitive here aren’t you, dobe?” Sasuke smirked, biting the bud between his lips.
“Shut...Shut up!” Naruto growled, but it sounded more like a whine as he was bit again.
“I’ll shut up if you promise to scream my name for all the neighbor’s to hear?” Sasuke chuckled, kissing down his chest and dipping his tongue into a tan navel.
“You’re such a pervert!” Naruto screeched, his cock being rubbed vigorously through the confines of his jeans. Sasuke continued to smirk devilishly, relishing in the feel of Naruto submitting to his pleasure inducing touches. And never before did he have someone who he truly wanted to give all the pleasure he could too. His dobe kept wanting more and he was willing to give it to him.
“I don’t hear any complaining from you." He replied, licking along the tent in Naruto’s jeans.
“Fuck Sasuke! Take them off!” He demanded, groaning in pleasure.
“Is that how you ask nice?” A devious grin worked its way onto his face. He just loved having Naruto beneath him and squirming with need.
“I didn’t think you wanted nice?” Naruto panted out, his eyes glazing over with lust and his hips bucking forward.
“You’re right, I don’t.” He growled and tore at the button on the confining jeans. He paid no mind as it went flying only focusing on removing the jeans and revealing the caramelized skin hidden beneath. Sasuke grabbed up the dobe’s left leg and starting with the ankle kissed his way up the toned calf gently, nipping at the strong thigh, before flicking his tongue out to lick at the tip of a very eager erection.
Naruto blushed heavily from the special treatment, tears clinging to the corner of his eyes as his heart melted at the exquisite treatment. Sasuke took notice of his emotional state and smiled softly before closing his eyes as he took Naruto completely into his mouth. Naruto’s head was thrown back in pleasure, groaning out Sasuke’s name to the heavens.
“Ahh, Sasuke!”
The raven pumped at the turgid flesh as he sucked at the tip, tasting Naruto’s eagerness on his lips. It made his cock twitch painfully in his own jeans and he pulled away from the dobe, earning an unsatisfied whimper. He peeled the denim away from his porcelain skin and released his raging hard on. Sasuke reached out and pulled Naruto up by his good arm, directing him towards his own cock.
Naruto took it eagerly in his mouth, humming his pleasure as he coated the dripping cock with his own saliva, licking from base to tip. Sasuke tangled his fingers in blonde locks, keeping him in place. Just when he was about to release he pulled the dobe back, earning another unsatisfied whine. Sasuke smirked and whispered softly in Naruto’s ear, rubbing his thumb over the glistening lower lip. “That is not where I want to be.”
He gave Naruto a chaste kiss before laying him down on the hardwood floors and placing a tan hand around his tan cock. “Give me a show and I will give you one in return?”
Naruto groaned but gripped his cock firmly anyway, pumping at the flesh as he panted heavily, his blue eyes focusing on the pale fingers that slid between rosy lips to suck seductively. Sasuke hummed against his fingers watching Naruto give a particularly vigorous tug. Heat was coiling in his abdomen, but he ignored as he was Sasuke grinning at him. He was grinning at the abusive treatment Naruto was putting himself through. A red tongue flicked out and ran along his middle finger, pearly teeth nipping at the tip.
With a saddened groan Naruto released into his hand and over his stomach. Feeling completely embarrassed Naruto made to cover up, but was stalled by the pale hand wrapped around his wrist. Using the fingers coated in saliva, Sasuke ran his fingers over the splattered chest before reaching down and rubbing at the puckered hole. Naruto gasped and made to push him away; only giving up when Sasuke pushed in two fingers.
Naruto hissed in pleasure, reveling in the sting of being stretched even as a third finger entered him and began working at the tight ring of muscles. He was lost to the feeling, his eyes fluttering closed as the fingers worked inside him, massaging him with a mixture of pain and pleasure. He whimpered at the loss of the feeling before his blue eyes widened, focusing on onyx as something larger than a few fingers pushed inside him. Tears clung to the corner of his eyes as Sasuke finally seated himself inside, rolling his hips gently before pulling out and pushing back in.
Naruto melted into the burning feeling groaning and gasping as it slowly slid into a more heated pleasure. He brought his good arm up to grip Sasuke’s upper arm, squeezing as he thrust his body towards Sasuke, resulting in a more pleasurable friction. Naruto felt himself hardening again under Sasuke’s humping onslaught and grabbed at his own engorged flesh, pumping again. Sasuke batted his hand away and palmed the rapidly stiffening flesh, tugging harsher than Naruto was used too. Bodies rocked together as the heat grew unbearably between them, groans escaping from both sets of lips until they finally exploded in unison.
~*END LEMON*~
Sasuke panted harshly as he rested his sweaty brow against an equally sweaty brow, Naruto panting just as harshly. “Damn but are you amazing dobe! Fuck exercise, I get a work out just beating into you.”
“Hmm...” Naruto hummed appreciatively, running his fingers along Sasuke’s jaw. He didn’t think that he would tire of hearing that praise anytime soon. Reaching up he laid a gentle kiss on the pale chin, wincing as he lowered himself back to the ground.
“Did I push you too hard?” Sasuke asked in sudden worry, but Naruto shook his head.
“I just stretched my shoulder a bit I’m fine...more than fine, actually.” He sighed contentedly.
“I love you, Naruto.”
“Hmm... I love you too, Sasuke.” Naruto murmured, knowing completely and utterly that he was in love. He had never felt like this before with anyone; only Sasuke. ‘
Sasuke…
’ He sighed to himself.
Smiling with contentment Sasuke pulled out of the dobe gently and lowered himself next to the spent blonde who immediately curled in to his side. “I don’t think you were loud enough for the neighbors, dobe?” Sasuke smirked, earning a jab to his rib. They lied there in bliss, staring up at the ceiling as their muscles relaxed into a dull ache.
Naruto sighed rubbing his fingers along Sasukes arm. As much as he wanted to be content at the moment, he couldn’t. Now that he was coming down from his high, all he could think about was him Mom and Dad and the urge to get up and search. He was sure that his muscles would protest that action at that very moment, but the urge was stronger.
“What’s bothering you?” Sasuke asked, kissing at his temple.
“What do you mean?” Naruto lied.
“You know what I mean, dobe. You were relaxed a minute ago until your shoulders tensed up. What’s bothering you?”
“My Mom and Dad…” Naruto admitted. Sasuke nodded against his temple urging him to continue. “I don’t know much about their disappearance except that I was found running the streets when I was three and covered in blood. It was all my blood though...I was bleeding from the scars on my cheeks. I don’t know how I got them and I was really too young to remember anyway.” Naruto whispered, aware that he was shattering their peaceful silence with something so heart breaking, but he didn’t want to put it off for a minute longer now that he had help.
“Where do you want to start looking?” Sasuke murmured, rubbing his thumb along Naruto’s bare arm imitating Naruto’s gentle caress.
“My father’s office is on the third floor. It hasn’t been disturbed since his disappearance, except for the day Jiraiya entered it when he brought me to live here again with him. I know he hasn’t been in there since.”
“How do you know?”
“Jiraiya had bars fitted to the one window and padlocked the room.”
“Isn’t that a little extreme?” Sasuke asked as his brow crunched in confusion.
“Maybe…but Jiraiya had his reasons for doing things. He can take simple actions to the extreme.”
“I see…maybe? Do you think you are ready to go in there then?”
“The only reason I stayed away so long was because of Jiraiya. I would see him sometimes, in the morning when he was sure that I was asleep in bed, just staring up the stairs at the closed-door. There was always a pained expression on his face when he looked at it.”
“He must have grieved heavily for his lost son?” Sasuke murmured.
“There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t think about them. I never go a day without thinking about them too.” Naruto whispered, tears gathering in his eyes again.
“I know that feeling too well, Naruto.” Sasuke sighed, wiping at his flowing tears.
“Your parents?” Naruto questioned. Sasuke gave a quick nod. “Maybe they’ll be able to solve it for you so at least one of us has a sense of closure.” He muttered, his chest constricting guiltily. What made his parents more important than Sasuke’s?
“That would be a pleasant feeling, but let’s not dwell on that and let’s focus on your parents instead. Let’s eat breakfast first, shower, and then we can confront the room?”
“That sounds like a plan.” Naruto smiled, sitting up on the hard ground. Sasuke reached down and hauled Naruto to his feet taking in his mostly nude form in broad daylight. He was a tempting sight to behold in just a button-up shirt, but Sasuke restrained himself as his stomach gurgled in hunger.
Naruto let out a soft chuckle as his own stomach replied, protesting the need for food. Leading them to the kitchen, Naruto sat Sasuke down in the nearest chair and opened his fridge. His smile faltered when he took in the almost empty shelves. He forgot about throwing away all his food when he left the house for Konoha, unsure of how long they would be gone.
“Uhh...I actually only have water and mustard.” Naruto twittered nervously. “I threw everything out when I left.”
Sasuke burst out laughing. “Then let’s get our showers and go grocery shopping instead.” Naruto nodded in agreement and dragged Sasuke from the chair, leading him up to the second floor, passing by old paintings of former Senators; Naruto’s paternal lineage.
Once ensconced in the dobe’s room, which was a marvel in itself, Sasuke reached out and laid his fingers lightly on the sling Naruto’s arm was in. He unclipped the metal snap and pulled the blue fabric gently away, laying it on the bed for safe keeping. Pale fingers ran along the bandage gingerly before running over his shoulders and tugging the shirt away to fall to the floor. He realized just how close he came to losing his dobe as the white cloth stood out against his tanned body.
“We’ll change that after the shower. In the meantime, do you have something that we can use as a temporary sling?”
“In my top drawer, I have numerous white tank tops that will do for now.” Sasuke nodded and grabbed the article of clothing in question, expertly slinging his arm back up before pulling them both towards the bathroom and turning on the hot water.
~CALM~
Four hours later and the young lovers were finishing putting away all the groceries they had just bought. What should have been a simple two-hour ordeal turned into a four-hour struggle? Everywhere Naruto went he was stopped by concerned citizens who were anxious to make their concern known. Sasuke believed that they were being rudely nosey, but Naruto smiled enduringly, greeting people left and right. He apologized profusely to Sasuke when he was surrounded by a gaggle of elderly woman and left the raven alone to finish all the shopping. Sasuke knew one thing for sure: his dobe was popular. His Uchiha didn’t like that!
“Is that a common occurrence?” Sasuke asked, catching his breath as he loaded the last perishable into the fridge and closed the door.
“It’s only because my arm was in the sling. Don’t worry, none of them know that I am a Namikaze; Jiraiya made sure of that.”
“He really loved you.”
“Yes, very much so.” Naruto smiled sadly. “I love him too.”
“Hmm...” Sasuke murmured. He didn’t want to say it to himself, but he was envious. He was envious of Jiraiya and how much Naruto adored and idolized him. If only he could be as much if not more to the dobe. He didn’t want to take Jiraiya’s place, but he knew he wanted to be right there next to him on Naruto’s pedestal.
“Are we ready?” Naruto asked softly, biting at his lower lip.
“Are you ready?” Sasuke asked with an air of seriousness surrounding him. Naruto felt bolstered by the feeling and smiled, nodding agreement. “Lead the way.”
~CALM~
“Asuma made contact, Genma. He visited all the pawn shops and put pressure on them again, but nothing. Jiraiya’s necklace hasn’t been pawned.” Raido stated as he closed the door to Chief Tsunade’s office. He had just finished a meeting with the two chiefs who had new information to share. He was glad to be away from Tsunade, who had a savage aura around her. No need to tell him that she was pissed with the news.
“Whoever murdered him had to know of its intrinsic value than.”
“So it isn’t their intent to pawn it for money...”
“Unless they sold it to a private collector?” Kiba mumbled tiredly, yawning loudly and showing pointed canines. Akamaru lifted his head to survey his master before settling back to his lying position, exhaling against the cool floor.
“A private collector, you say?” Raido murmured, rubbing his chin at the thought. Was that possible? Could they have looked at this backwards?
“Well, yeah, if the person took it not for a trophy, but to sell it...”
“Then there would really be no way of finding it. A private collector would know of the value and make it a point to keep it safe and hidden.” He sighed. It looked like another dead end…once again. He hoped that wasn’t the case, but it seemed to be leaning more towards that direction.
“So we should abandon the necklace for now. What did we find out about Uchiha’s final cases**?” Genma asked.
“Asuma looked into that as well, it seems that his very last case is missing from the records room. They do know that it wasn’t picked up by another detective and that it had been a cold case.” Raido supplied.
“Do they know what it involved?”
Raido shook his head, sitting down in his chair and swiveling to look at the board. “It is a complete mystery to everyone.”
“Could they have gone missing in transport from here to Konohagakure?”
“Not possible. The missing file was noted before they were transported to Konohagakure and reconfirmed upon arrival. After that it is a complete mystery to what happened to them, Genma.”
“This is quite perplexing. Files don’t just disappear!”
“I think we need a bit of Naruto’s luck right about now.” Raido murmured focusing on their colleagues’ photo as the lunch hour raged on. “Asuma is launching an investigation into the disappearance of those records and if anyone can find them it will be him. Also, Chief Tsunade had no clue that the files had disappeared. She is livid that something like that could go missing and that the former Chief, Hanzo, didn’t inform her that some of the records had been removed before she took charge here. Chief Sarutobi is not happy either. It seems that if we had not gone looking we never would have known the files were gone.”
~CALM~
Naruto stood at the bottom of the stairs, mimicking Jiraiya as he stared up at the third story landing. With a deep breath he climbed the small set of stairs and pushed the key in the padlock. He pulled off the lock and pushed the door open, revealing a small rectangular room. There was a wall full of law books and a wooden desk that stood opposite, the one window that Naruto had mentioned; complete with bars, behind it.
Sasuke stepped inside behind Naruto, staring around the small room in bewilderment. Naruto stood in silence looking at the still room, his stomach fluttering like mad. Something seemed wrong to him. He knew it instantly. He made his way to his father’s desk and began opening the drawers in earnest; taking in what he saw when he opened the last drawer.
Tan fingers brought out a small rectangular box and placed in on the desk. He pulled off the lid and pulled out the first picture, from the day he was born. His dad was holding him close as his mom stared on in happiness.
“Pictures...?” He asked confusedly. “Why would Jiraiya hide them in here?”
Sasuke moved to stand next to him, his hand coming to rest on his shoulder. “Dobe?”
Naruto shrugged his hand away and stood up. He made a beeline for the filing cabinets and pulled them open, taking in their barren state. His stomach fluttering was back and he was beginning to feel nauseous. “This can’t be all there is to see; it can’t. It can’t just be pictures of my family?”
“I don’t know what to say, Naruto.” Sasuke tried to soothe, but he had to admit to himself that he was a little let down by what the room had to offer. He thought, as did Naruto, that there would be more here.
Naruto stopped dead in the middle of the room, his palm to his forehead and his breathing picking up. “I have a really bad feeling about this, teme.”
“This is a minor setback.” Sasuke whispered. “We will keep looking though, don’t get discouraged, dobe.” Naruto nodded his agreement before turning back to the box on the desk. Sasuke watched him grab the box before sitting himself on the floor and pulling them out one-by-one. He stared on as his thoughts swirled…this time he wasn’t going to forget what Naruto said; not after last time.
~CALM~
A man sat in his car, staring at the old Victorian house on a quiet street lined with tall oak trees dappled with autumn colors. He had watched the house since the young Senator arrived the night before and as of yet, had barely moved about the house. He couldn’t help the disgusted snort as Sasuke had followed Naruto inside, their hands full of groceries.
The man settled down, almost nodding off with how still the house was. It wasn’t until the sun started to set that something happened that gave him pause. He pulled his phone out hurriedly, dialing.
‘Yes?’ The voice answered.
“They’ve made their way to the third floor.”
‘Hmm, this could prove problematic. I may have to interfere yet...’ The voice crackled over the line.
“What do you want me to do?”
‘Keep an eye on them until I get there.’ “I understand.” The man snapped his phone shut and stared at the dark outline of the detective in the window. Why couldn’t they leave well enough alone?! Now he was on his way here!
