Freely Given

A/N: In updating one of my stories, I noticed that this story had weird signs within the text, so I just fixed it. I didn't check for grammatical errors yet, so there will probably be many. :)
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Freely Given

By: lady_rouge

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“Uueee! Sasuke! I told you not to touch me like that in public!” Naruto glared with narrowed eyes to the dark-haired man, but he deflected it away with a small chuckle.


“I will do what I wish, usuratonkachi” was the calm reply.


“Sasuke, you pervert!” Naruto wailed as the pale, slender hand snaked out to tightly grasp his rear once more. “Just because you promised to tutor me this semester in math—”


“And you agreed that you would do whatever I asked of you if I helped you, did you not?” Sasuke continued with an arch of his elegant left eyebrow.


“I . . . yeah . . .” was the defeated mumble from the blond as he bent his head down. But then the blond head shot up quickly as a thought hit him. “But only for one more month! We only agreed on one semester!” The blond let out a delighted whoop and the dark-haired man’s smirk slipped away into a frown as he watched the exuberant blond dance gleefully.


“Am I really that bad to kiss?” Sasuke asked with a dark frown and before the blond could respond, the dark-haired had pushed him roughly against the wall of a nearby alley and had settled his lips onto those of the blond’s.
Naruto let out a surprised ‘eep’ as Sasuke’s mouth moved over his and with a grunt, Sasuke slipped his tongue slickly into the hot cavern of Naruto’s warm mouth. His tongue moved over his glossy teeth as he explored the smooth mouth and with both hands resting alongside Naruto’s head on the brick building behind the blond, Sasuke pressed his body forward to the blond hungrily.


When Sasuke finally broke away, it was to smirk softly at the dazed blond whose heavy-lidded eyes blinked slowly in attempts to regain awareness once more of his surroundings. When his eyes finally cleared and awareness had once more returned to the blond, everyone within five miles cringed at the loud voice that swept the town:


“Sasuke, you meanie!”

-

The weekend passed quickly and come Monday, found Naruto once more at Konoha High. The day had only started, but Naruto found himself feeling his head drooping towards his desk as he sat in third period of Hatake Kakashi’s class consisting of math. He couldn’t help it, but math was just so damn boring! Maybe that was why he was failing math . . . but thanks to Sasuke, that smart jerk (and not to mention perverted as well), he was somehow passing and even beginning to understand math, but that didn’t mean that he had begun to appreciate it.


Despite his valiant efforts not to fall asleep, Naruto somehow fell asleep and it was only to the loud bang of the door did Naruto jump up in surprise.


“Ah yes, thank you Naruto for volunteering to show Neji around the school during lunch,” Tsunade said—Tsunade?! Naruto’s eyes widened in bewilderment and he looked to where she was standing. Alongside her stood a tall guy with long dark hair held back by a thick band. His pale eyes were looking coolly—almost indifferently into his—but Naruto brushed it aside and nodded.


As soon as Naruto agreed, choruses of feminine voices rose in protest to the blonde, busty principal, but she only shook her head. “Naruto will show Neji and that’s final.” There were groans of disappointment, but no bouts of fighting ensued and Naruto sighed in relief.


“How come Naruto always gets to show the hot guys around,” a blonde girl named Ino pouted, but grinned good naturedly at Naruto.


All Naruto could do was laugh at that identical sentence that Ino had said two years ago when Sasuke had transferred into Konoha High during sophomore year. The girls had gone ballistic when Tsunade had chosen Naruto to show Sasuke around and had even almost turned rabid towards him and each other, but with a quick pound of her fist onto Kakashi’s desk—spewing his papers everywhere—everyone quieted instantly. She wasn’t known for her crazy strength for nothing and Naruto was sure each individual had envisioned themselves in their mind’s eye being at the end of her deceitfully small fist and had gulped.


“Since there’s only five minutes left of class, why don’t you leave now and save yourselves five minutes of pushing and shoving,” Tsunade’s laugh twinkled merrily and with a small wave, she left the room with a push of the door. At her approval, Naruto grinned widely and quickly threw his books and utensils into his book bag. This didn’t happen often and Naruto loved leaving class early. With a swing of his book bag behind his left shoulder, Naruto walked up to the pale-eyed man and they left the room.


“So you’re Neji, eh?” Naruto smiled happily at him. “I’m Naruto,” he said with a jerk of his thumb to his chest.
The pale-eyed man nodded, but did not make a move to say anything else. “So, what did ya’ want to see first, Neji?” Naruto asked enthusiastically after a moment’s silence from the pale-eyed man and clapped a hand good-naturedly on the pale-eyed man’s back.”


The pale-eyed man suddenly froze in mid-step and turned to look at the blond with a quizzical look; his composed look momentarily forgotten. “You . . . hit me,” he stated to Naruto and Naruto’s eyes widened.
“Oh now, I was just giving you a friendly pat—” Naruto laughed sheepishly as he rubbed his hand behind his head in child-like fashion. “I give it to all my friends—”


“Your . . . friend?” Neji looked confusedly at him before his eyes narrowed in concentration to stare into Naruto’s cerulean eyes. “No one . . . has ever touched me like that before . . . much less my . . . friends as you like to call them. But you,” the pale eyes looked straight into his as if trying to read his mind—maybe even his motives. “You don’t treat me the same as everyone . . . they’re too afraid of harming the son of the sponsor for Konoha High.”


“I . . . uh, sorry about that,” Naruto continued ruefully. “If you don’t’ like touching, I’ll try to refrain from it,” he said with a sheepish smile.


“No . . . I rather . . . like being treated this way, friend,” the pale-eyed man said with a thoughtful look and with the first smile that Naruto had ever seen on pale-eyed man’s face that day, Neji turned towards Naruto with more enthusiasm. “Why don’t you show me the way to the auditorium first?”

-

After showing Neji around the school grounds, the rest of the day passed rather quickly for Naruto now that math was out of the way and before he knew it, it was time to go to his tutor session with Sasuke in the library.


Sasuke!


Naruto had forgotten about eating lunch with the Uchiha outside like he had been doing since they had first met. He hoped that Sasuke was not mad because a mad Sasuke usually didn’t bode too well for the blond.


Running to grab his math books from his locker, Naruto made a mad dash to the library and with a thrust of the door handles of the front doors leading to the library, Naruto hurried to their usual secluded table by an old cracked window that let in a thin gust of cool air every now and then and upon seeing the straight back of the dark-haired man, Naruto slowed down to a crawl.


Despite his attempt to be quiet, the dark-haired man turned around and with a growl demanded where he was at lunch.
“I . . . uh . . . hehe, Sasuke,” Naruto laughed nervously with a scratch of his nose. “You see, old hag Tsunade assigned me to show this new transfer student around during lunch and so—”


“You decided to skip out on me?” the dark-haired man growled and with a pull of the blond boy, the blond fell gracelessly onto the dark-haired man’s lap.


“I’m sorry, Sasuke!” Naruto protested weakly as the dark-haired man turned the blond boy to face him on his lap straddle-wise.


“This is your punishment,” the Uchiha said sternly to the blond boy and before the blond boy could protest, smooth warm hands gripped his backside roughly and lifted him to grind ruthlessly against a hard object in Sasuke’s front pants.


“Uueee! Sasuke, you pervert! I told you not to do these weird things to me!” The blond protested to the dark-haired man, but he paid him no heed. With a swoop of the pale face, their lips were locked in a kiss and Naruto could only scrunch his face in an attempt to hold back the moan incited by the dark-haired man as he deepened the kiss with another squeeze of Naruto’s rear.


Feeling the weird tingling feelings rushing through him, Naruto meowed a small protest, but soon found his hands slowly weaving their way up the tall dark-haired man’s back, past his shoulders and coming to a rest in a tangled heap of the silky raven hair. Kissing Sasuke always brought these strange tingly feelings and Naruto didn’t know what to make of them. He only knew that Sasuke was being a pervert again.


“Sasuke, you bastard!” Naruto said indignantly after pushing the dark-haired man away. The said man could only breathe short pants as Naruto was doing and chuckle at the glaring look of the blond.


“You deserved it,” he said with a calm air and with a reluctant release on Naruto’s butt, Naruto got up and stomped to the seat across from the raven-haired man.


“You owe me ramen for molesting me,” Naruto said with a pout and with a small smirk from the dark-haired man, he nodded.


“But only if you kiss me properly when we get to your apartment later.”

“Sasuke-teme!”

-

“Can I sit here?”


Naruto jerked out of his fuming thoughts of a certain dark-haired man in surprise to see Neji standing there to the right of his desk. Looking to the empty desk in question, Naruto nodded eagerly. “Hey Neji, nice to see ya! I almost didn’t think you’d make it today. I was worried!”


Neji smiled lightly and his usual stern features softened. “Why would I miss a chance to talk to you, Naruto?” He said and almost broke out into a grin at the wide beam of sunshine that emitted from the blond’s wide smile.


“Really?” He asked in an innocently joyful voice and Neji nodded and intended to sit down, but before he could say a word, he was embraced in a delighted hug.


“Naruto likes to talk to Neji too,” he said after stepping away with his wide smile that pushed his whiskered cheeks up cutely.
Once more frozen in shock, Neji could only stare at him in shock before a light blush dusted his cheeks and he sat down in wonder. This boy . . . was different. All throughout class, Neji pondered on what had just happened. No one . . . had ever touched him like that before . . .


“Neji, are you gonna sit there all day daydreaming or are you gonna go grab lunch?” The blond asked with a smile and Neji looked dazedly around to see that the class was indeed emptying out.
Snapping himself to immediate attention, Neji stood up stiffly—mortified. He had never been caught off guard or for the matter—had always prided himself on being above the act of daydreaming. “Aah.”


“Well, I’ll see you later Neji!” The blond waved cheerfully before turning to go.


“Wait!” Neji called and the blond paused. “Do you . . . want to eat lunch with me?”


The blond began to nod, but stopped in mid-motion. “Oh, I forgot I’m meeting someone. Maybe next time?” Neji could only nod in disappointment before the blond disappeared.

-

They had only returned from once more eating at Naruto’s favorite restaurant and had just gotten inside Naruto’s apartment when Sasuke launched himself at Naruto and begin to trail kisses on the blond’s neck before sucking the tender junction of Naruto’s neck.


“Uuwahh . . . Sasuke,” the blond wailed as he realized the dark-haired man’s intent, but Sasuke paid him no heed before going on to unbutton the buttons of Naruto’s shirt and upon freeing them, bent down and begin to suckle on his nipples. “Sasuke, you meanie,” Naruto gasped as they hardened and tingled with fiery sensations that shot down to his belly. His legs began to feel rubbery under the ministrations of Sasuke’s mouth and Naruto meowed a protest that rose in pitch when a pale hand smoothly slid down to cup his private and caress it roughly; making it sensitive to the rough fabric of his pants. “S-Stop, Sasuke,” Naruto said weakly as his legs gave out with a hard pinch on the Uchiha’s part to his private.


All he could hear was the chuckle of the dark-haired man before he was lifted into strong arms and with a couple of steps, they were inside Naruto’s bedroom and suddenly, Naruto found himself bouncing on his bed as he was thrown lightly down. A moment later, the dark-haired man joined him and Naruto was once going to issue a protest, but the hand of the pale man deftly unzipped the zipper on his pants and with a tug of his boxers, unleashed his private into the cold air and Naruto found his protests turning into a loud gasp. Another shriller gasp escaped his mouth when his private suddenly became engulfed in the warm, hot mouth of Sasuke. “Uuueeee,” he meowed softly in protest as the dark-haired man’s slick tongue began to swirl around Naruto’s private before the tongue stopped their movements and soon, the mouth and lips began to move up and down his private; the grazing of Sasuke’s pearly teeth against his private made Naruto want to die with the fiery sensations building up. They felt so strange yet so delicious and Naruto didn’t know how to handle it.


“Sa . . . suke . . .” he could only say weakly before the mouth began to move at a faster pace and Naruto felt a coiled tenseness inside him. The mouth suddenly stopped before Sasuke’s mouth began to suckle roughly on the head of his private and Naruto began to see stars. When the mouth stopped, Naruto cried—in what, he didn’t know—and with a small lick to the tip, the pace once again started, but quickly ascended to fast and rough and that along with the pinch to his tender nipples sent Naruto’s reeling over the edge and with a cry, Naruto tensed and with a shudder, his vision burst into white sparkling stars before he collapsed his head tiredly to his bed while his breathing slowed down.


“Sasuke, you . . . you bastard,” Naruto said weakly before raising a fist to punch the pale shoulder, but it dropped down in tiredness before reaching the pale man. “I’ll . . . get you tomorrow,” the blond man said with drooping eyes and the pale man could only smirk before the blond was fast asleep.


Getting off the bed, Sasuke tucked the covers on the blond and giving a last look on the sleeping blond, Sasuke bent down to peck a tender kiss on the tanned forehead before walking out, his hard-on still throbbing painfully for attention, but he ignored it. He had only gotten outside when he stopped in his tracks as the memory of the peck came back to him.



He would pretend that he had not done that.


-


Naruto cursed Sasuke when he walked into third period the next day when he realized that he had forgotten to review for the math test that day on chapter 5. “Sasuke bastard,” Naruto murmured softly to himself as he walked to his desk. “If he hadn’t done those weird things to me last night, I wouldn’t have fallen asleep and I would have gotten the chance to study . . . although Sasuke did help me a bit yesterday when he tutored me . . .”


“Naruto, are you calling me a bastard?” a voice broke into his thoughts and Naruto looked quickly to see Neji next to his desk with an amused look on his face and Naruto laughed. “No, someone else,” he said with a sour look to the pale-eyed man.
“What did he do?”


“Oh, lots of things!” Naruto threw his hands in the air. “Because of him, I’m going to fail the test today, that’s why!”


“One test wouldn’t hurt your grade, would it?” the pale-eyed man contemplated.


“It wouldn’t if you actually understand the material well in class,” Naruto moaned before burying his head in his palms. “I’m ruined and I’m going to fail this year which means I won’t be able to graduate.”


“I could tutor you,” the pale-eyed man offered.


“Thanks, but I already have a tutor,” the blond smiled beamingly at the pale-eyed man and the man narrowed his eyes.


“Is he good? I mean, if you do not understand the stuff, then he’s obviously not good enough for you.”


The blond laughed at that. “If he heard you say that, he would be irritated because he’s number one in the school.”


The pale eyes widened. “Well, he has a rival then, because I’m number one in the school as well. What’s his . . . name?”


“Uchiha Sasuke,” Naruto chuckled after his eyes had widened at Neji’s statement. “He’s a good teacher, but he’s a big meanie by making me agree to do whatever he wants me to do in return for his math help,” Naruto huffed and pouted. “That’s why I didn’t get to study last night,” he added in an afterthought.


The pale eyes narrowed at the newly given information and he turned angrily to Naruto. “And you let him boss you around like that for his help?”


Naruto laughed sheepishly before answering. “It’s not that bad, actually,” Naruto said before he blushed lightly as he thought of what Sasuke had done to him last night.


“Who does he think he is . . . ?” Neji said in a deadly soft tone before turning to Naruto once more. “End your deal with that man and I promise you that I’ll teach you for free, no strings attached,” he promised to the blond. “Unlike him, I don’t need anything in return.”


“I can’t, Neji. Besides, the deal was only for the first semester and it’s gonna be over by next week anyways,” Naruto offered.
“You’re . . . not going to ask for his help next semester too, are you?” came the low voice of Neji and Naruto nodded slowly.


“Actually, I was because the next semester’s going to be harder.”


“I’ll teach you.” Neji’s voice held finality and Naruto could only do nothing but nod weakly for he saw how angry Neji was.
Class passed agonizingly slow for Naruto as he struggled through the test, although he did pleasantly find that it wasn’t as hard as he had imagined it to be. By the time the bell rang, Naruto ran a hand through his blond locks wearily and hearing a small laugh behind the blond, Naruto looked up to see Neji looking amusedly at him. “How about I treat you out to eat tonight for your hard work?” Neji said and Naruto let out an excited whoop.


“How about Ramen?” Neji was in the midst of nodding when Naruto shook his head regretfully. “Oh wait, I forgot that I’m meeting Sasuke for tutoring tonight.”


“We have no homework since there was the test today, remember?” Neji pointed out to him. “So tell Sasuke you don’t need his help tonight.” Neji thought he had solved the problem, but Naruto once again shook his head regretfully once more.
“Sasuke will probably want to go out for dinner,” he said.


“Tell him that you’re busy. He has no right to control you like that.” Neji said with a barely concealed tone of anger at the man named Uchiha Sasuke.


“I . . . can’t . . . he’ll be mad . . . besides,” the blond looked down for a while before looking up at the pale-eyed man, “he’ll be alone.”


“Just this once, Naruto,” Neji said to him and Naruto cast desperate looks around the room as if searching for an answer. “Besides, I asked my family if I could bring you to visit them and they have already agreed.”


The blond looked up in surprise and a smile spread on his face. “Your family?” He said in wonder and from the looks of the blond, Neji decided that he was not embarrassed that that piece of information had slipped out. His face turned back to being indecisive, so the pale-eyed man turned towards the door.


“Where is Sasuke? I’ll go speak to him then,” he said with a fierce determination and Naruto grabbed his arm in panic.


“No! I’ll go speak to him—”


“Better yet, we won’t speak to him at all!” And with that, Neji pulled the blond after him towards the doors.


“Where are we going?” the blond squeaked and the pale-eyed man calmly answered.


“We’re leaving right now. I’m forcing you to leave so you will have an excuse to tell the Uchiha.”


“I . . . really shouldn’t,” the blond boy said in a worried tone as his blue orbs darted continually to the courtyard where many people ate lunch in groups, but they were too far to see any individual forms and pulling the blond into the passenger seat, Neji started the engine and they were gone.

-

It was late when Neji drove Naruto home to his apartment and with a small wave at Neji, Naruto slipped out of the car and walked to the doors of his apartment when the form of a figure startled him and he jumped in surprise.
“Sasuke! You scared me!” Naruto scolded with a small glare and said man returned it with a fierce one.


“Where were you, Naruto?” Sasuke lowered his tone before looking intently at him.


“I . . . uh,” fumbling with the door, Naruto successfully opened it on the fourth try and they both entered it before Sasuke closed it. “I was . . .”


“I was worrying about what had happened to your idiotic self and so I wait here for you for hours and it turns out that you were out having fun when your first priority was me! Don’t you remember the deal, you moron! You’re supposed to do whatever I say, so what happened tonight!?”


About to apologize, Naruto became angry at Sasuke’s words and turned to push at him furiously. “I don’t care, Sasuke! You only have control over me for one week then that’s it!”


“You’ll need my help next semester too,” Sasuke said with a triumphant smirk, but it died when Naruto shook his head.


“Neji insisted on being my tutor next semester.”


“Is that who you were with tonight?” the question came out harshly; tinged with a thick lining of jealousy. Naruto, in his anger failed to recognize it and nodded victoriously.


“Yeah, he wanted to take me out to dinner and to go meet his family,” Naruto shrugged. “I couldn’t say no.” Naruto only caught a glimpse of the narrowed obsidian eyes before he was pressed against the sofa in the living room and a wet mouth was on him—running desperate wet trails of kisses down his face, his neck, stomach and—and Naruto gasped as the mouth swirled around the base of his private with vigorous motions; leaving him arching towards the mouth. “Sa . . . suke!” When Naruto thought he would die from the sensations, the mouth suddenly disappeared and Naruto was left feeling unsatisfied. Sasuke’s mouth continued to torture him—kiss and suck him, touch and caress his body and then suddenly leave him at the point when he would feel the tension begin to release—and Naruto could only move his head from side to side in agony as the Uchiha continued to torture him. “Uuee . . . Sasu . . . ke,” the blond panted in protest.


“Say it,” the dark-haired man commanded sternly to the blond and the blond opened his eyes in surprise. “Say it, Naruto. Say you’re sorry for disobeying me.”


“No,” the blond murmured shakily as he tried to get up, but the dark-haired man pushed him back down and once more continued his tortuous ministrations over Naruto’s body—touching, caressing, pinching, but never licking or sucking. “Uuwaa . . . Sasuke,” Naruto moaned. “. . . you win, you bastard . . . I’m . . . sorry,” he panted and even upon closing his eyes in agony, he could still feel those obsidian eyes on him in contemplation before he was once more engulfed in Sasuke’s mouth and the feel of those teeth grazing his overly sensitized skin made Naruto cry once more as his vision turned white and shudders racked his body as the mouth of the dark-haired man continued to suckle him harshly.


As Naruto’s breathing calmed down and his heart beat slowed down to normal, Naruto could feel his eyes begin to close tiredly, but before they did, the moon filtered in weakly through the only window in his room—hitting Sasuke—and Naruto felt himself startle at the pained look of the Uchiha as he gazed at him and then everything went blank.

-

Naruto had only seated himself into third hour when Neji leaned over from the desk to his right and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. “Hey Naruto, yesterday was fun. We should do it more often.”


Naruto blinked in his direction and nodded. “We should, so long as Sasuke lets me.”


Neji’s face darkened in concentration, but he didn’t make a comment. His eyebrows furrowed in thought before he turned back to the blond. “Naruto . . . my family’s hosting a private party at the hotel in downtown and I was wondering if you wanted to be my guest? My parents only let me bring one person and I want you to be the one.”


“I—what?” Naruto blinked in surprise. “You . . . want me to come?” When Neji nodded, Naruto let out a whoop. “I sure would! I really like your family by the way and the food should be great,” he paused and continued. “But maybe I should ask Sasuke first if he has any plans . . .”


At the mention of the dark-haired man, Neji’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think that’s necessary, Naruto.”


The blond fidgeted and his eyes snuck up to look at Neji. “Sasuke was mad at me for going with you yesterday, so I don’t think he’d let me go to your party. Sorry . . .” was the apologetic reply.


“The party’s five days from today. Will the . . . deal be over by then?” Neji hoped with all his heart that it was.


Naruto’s face scrunched up in concentration. The end of the semester is this Friday, right?” Neji nodded and a spark of hope hit his chest. “Today’s Wednesday and we only have three days left of this semester . . .” Naruto mumbled as he tried to calculate everything.


“So that means Uchiha won’t have any more control over you after Friday,” Neji stated triumphantly. “That means you’ll be there, right?” Neji questioned the blond and the blond thought about it a while, but he once again shook his head.


“Sorry Neji, but I think I’m just going to ask him anyways.” His mouth curved up in a chuckle. “An upset Sasuke is not someone I want to deal with. Just to be on the safe side,” he added.


Neji tried to persuade Naruto, but he could not change his mind so with a grim line of his lips, Neji decided that it was time to talk to the Uchiha one-on-one. Because . . .


The dark-haired man still had a hold of the blonde even outside the deal.

-

“Damn it!” Naruto grumbled as he shot his fifteenth dart at the board and missed the small orange balloon that he was aiming for. They were at the local festival and Naruto had been trying to get the green stuffed frog, but had been successfully missing for the past hour. “Can I get one more?” Naruto said to the game attendant and ignored the scoff and snide remarks of the dark-haired man. The attendant handed him one and Naruto grabbed his wallet to exchange it for some money, but to his surprise, it was empty. Blushing, Naruto declined the dart and turned to Sasuke. “Teme, I have to go to the restroom. Wait here for a sec.” And with that, Naruto was gone in flash; leaving Sasuke grumbling to himself.


When Naruto came back and they had finished using their tickets, they were walking to Sasuke’s car when suddenly something was thrusted into his hands. “Wha—”


“Here, dobe.” Was the only clue and looking down at the soft thing in his hands, Naruto was pleasantly surprised to see the green stuffed frog that he had been trying to get all afternoon.


“Sasuke!” Naruto exclaimed and feeling tears starting to fill his blue eyes, Naruto quickly threw his arms around the dark-haired man. He had wanted the green stuffed frog so much and now he had it! No one . . . had ever done something that touched him as much as this . . . “Thanks Sasuke. I guess you’re not that big of a bastard, after all,” Naruto sniffled and cheerfully exclaimed as he kept one arm around the dark-haired man and the other lovingly around the green stuffed frog as they walked to the car. Hearing the chuckle rumbling from the dark-haired man made Naruto snuggle his head closer to the man and sigh with satisfaction as he sniffled once more—using his hand that held the frog to wipe away the stray tears.


“Don’t tell me you’re crying, crybaby.” Came the teasing voice of the dark-haired man and Naruto sniffled defiantly; trying to deny the truth.


“Am not!” he argued fiercely to the dark-haired man’s teasing laugh.


Sasuke was a big meanie and pervert to him, and Naruto always protested and argued against him, but somehow . . . somehow . . .


Somehow being with the dark-haired man always made him feel content.

-

Naruto was fuming and he had a right to be. He had just come from lunch with a perverted Sasuke who had chuckled throatily at Naruto’s glare as he had fondled Naruto roughly against the tree with his hands and had suckled the sensitive area of his neck with so much intensity and force that he, Naruto, now had a hickey on his neck. Still muttering curses against Sasuke,
Naruto failed to notice Neji until he bumped into him. “Hey Neji!” Naruto exclaimed.


Neji nodded in an indication before venturing forward. “So, did Uchiha say anything?” At his words, Naruto’s face turned confused before his face cleared.


“I’m going to ask him that tonight, Neji. I’ll get back to you tomorrow in math.” Naruto explained to the pale-eyed man before running to his next class in worry. Throughout the rest of the day, Naruto pondered with worry as he sought the best way to approach Sasuke. When school ended all too soon, Naruto trudged his way to the library. The rest of the afternoon passed with their casual baits and banters and after finishing dinner, they came to Naruto’s house and it was then that Naruto decided to approach Sasuke.


“Ne, Sasuke,” he started cautiously. At the said man’s nod, Naruto continued. “Neji invited me to his family’s party this Sunday and I’m planning to accept,” he stated with a quick glance to the suddenly still man.


“No,” was the cold reply from Sasuke before the man disappeared into the kitchen. Surprised and stung at the immediate answer, Naruto followed after him.


“But why? I like him, Sasuke.” When the man continued to look unyielding, Naruto stomped up to him and poked a finger into his chest angrily. “Give me one good reason, Sasuke!” Naruto shouted as he glared angrily at him.


“I said no, so it’s final,” Sasuke returned. “Don’t you remember about the deal!? You agreed to do whatever I say! You belong to ME!”

Naruto erupted then.


“As I remember it, the deal ends tomorrow night so you have no more say in my life after that day! I don’t belong to you after tomorrow so you can’t control me anymore, you bastard!” Naruto ignored the dark, hurt look that passed over the dark-haired man’s face and with a swift turn of his heels, Naruto turned and began to leave the man, but a swift jerk of his arm sent him tumbling into Sasuke’s arms while lips showered desperate kisses in an urgent fashion against his temple, his eyes, his nose, his mouth and neck and then it was all gone.


When he finally opened his eyes dizzily, it was to reveal an empty kitchen and an open front door

-

Naruto walked into third period feeling terrible. He didn’t remember a night that he had slept as bad as last night’s. After Sasuke had left, Naruto had buried himself in bed, but instead of falling into the blissful sleep that he so desired, he had tossed and turned all night—trying to think of what to do.


“Naruto,” came the low voice of Neji and Naruto blanched. He wasn’t ready to give an answer, but he had promised the pale-eyed man an answer today.


“Neji,” he returned weakly.


“You don’t look too well. Too much homework?” Neji asked in a concerned tone to the blond.


Naruto smiled faintly. “Nah. I just had an argument with Sasuke yesterday and after thinking about it last night, I’m sorry to tell you that I probably can’t make it to your party after all.”


“I see,” was the reply of the pale-eyed man before he turned his attention to the teacher and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief
at the lack of vocal argument that he had been expecting Neji to give.


Feeling his heart become much lighter, Naruto turned his attention to the teacher as well.

-

Sasuke was just getting out of his third period when a voice stopped him in his place. “Are you Uchiha Sasuke?” a low voice asked and Sasuke turned to face a long-haired man with pale eyes that stared chillingly at him.


“. . . Yes . . .”


“Great,” was the only reply that Sasuke heard before he felt his vision explode in sparks as his head was punched back. Jerking his head back into its former position, Sasuke growled at the man and launched himself at the pale-eyed man.


“Why the fuck did you hit me for?” Sasuke stated in a deadly tone to the pale-eyed man and the answer that the pale-eyed man gave him froze his hand in motion.


“For hurting Naruto.”


At the mention of Naruto’s name, Sasuke’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “I don’t see how he is your business,” the dark-haired man said stiffly.


“He’s my friend,” the pale-eyed man coolly said. “And nobody hurts my friends.”

“I don’t hurt him,” Sasuke’s anger came back and he grabbed a hold of the pale-eyed man’s neatly ironed shirt into a fistful.


“You do,” the pale-eyed man said knowingly; not bothering to fight back. “You control him, you act like he belongs to you, you won’t let him do things with me—”


“You’re Neji,” Sasuke’s obsidian eyes gleamed coldly as his eyes accessed the pale-eyed man and in a moment’s flash, his hand snuck out to land a sound punch on the pale-eyed man’s face. The man winced as a trail of blood trickled down his mouth, but only continued to stand there with a cool unaffected look. “What the fuck do you want to do to me?” Sasuke taunted bitterly. “Beat me until I agree to let Naruto go to your stupid party?”


“No, better,” the pale-eyed man smiled. “I’m kicking you out.”


Sasuke only released his hold on the man and began to walk away. “You’re not worth my time if all I have to listen to is your lies.”


“I’m not,” the pale-eyed man scowled in anger. “I already talked to my father—the sponsor of this school, if you must know—about this and he’s already started the process. Come next semester, your name won’t be listed in this school anymore,” Neji finished with a smug reply and in the next instant, Neji found himself pressed up angrily against a locker as a fist hit him once more in the face.


“Who the fuck do you think you are!” Sasuke hissed angrily to the pale-eyed man and with a shove of the smug pale-eyed man, they were both on the floor fighting fist to fist.


“Sasuke! Neji!”


Sasuke paid no heed to the voice and continued to punch at the pale-eyed man until he was pulled forcefully away.


“Stop it, Sasuke!” Sasuke turned blazing eyes to see Naruto and shoving the blond aside, he launched himself once more on the pale-eyed man who had caused all of this. Feeling the satisfying crunch of his fist against the pale-eyed man once more, Sasuke raised his fist to punch the man again, but in the corner of his eye he saw Naruto jump in the way and not being able to stop the momentum of his arm, he could only watch in sick horror as his fist flung through the air in slow motion and connect soundly with the blond’s cheek. The blond’s head flew back and when he regained his footing, he turned to give Sasuke an angry look.


“Why are you hitting Neji, Sasuke?! Was it because of yesterday?!” The blond was furious with Sasuke and it showed on his face. “You have no right to hit Neji!” the blond shouted and in a furious fit, the blond pushed the Uchiha against the lockers. “Not when I already refused to go to his party!” It was then that the blond punched the dark-haired man’s cheek before bursting into tears and turning to help Neji up.


“Are you okay, Neji?” Sasuke could hear Naruto say to Neji. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what got into him today.” His cheek ached from the punch that Naruto had delivered on him, but it didn’t hurt nearly as much as the fact that Naruto had sided almost immediately with Neji.


Looking at the scene before him, Sasuke felt his former anger die as quickly as it had come. Maybe Neji was right . . . Sasuke ignored the slow cracking sound in his chest as he walked woodenly to the front doors and to outside.

Sometime later when he felt the hot wetness hit his cheeks, he pretended that it was the rain.

-

Sasuke didn’t know how he had gotten home to his apartment, but when he shook himself out of the daze he was in, he found himself lying on his sofa and slowly sitting up, Sasuke wondered at how he had made it unharmed into his house.


“So, you’re finally awake, Uchiha?” a scratchy voice came from the kitchen and Sasuke jerked up in alarm. There was only one voice like that and feeling his heart turn cold, Sasuke slowly turned his eyes to look.


“Orochimaru,” Sasuke’s voice held anger. “How did you get inside my apartment?”


“Easy,” the skinny man flicked his oily hair behind his shoulder and stared intently at Sasuke. “I found you wandering in the alley and took you home—you didn’t even protest,” he smiled thinly at the dark-haired man. “I took this as a chance to once again persuade you to join the Akatsuki.”


At that, Sasuke’s mouth thinned into a frown and he narrowed his eyes at the man with eyes that so resembled a venomous snake with the yellow tone to his eyes. “I’ve told you many times that I don’t want to join,” his tone was gritted and his fists were clenched in anger.


“But that was when you had Naruto,” came the smooth reply and at that Sasuke stood up angrily to glare at the watery-yellow eyes that had not seen enough sleep. “Naruto was all you had, Sasuke, and now you don’t even have that.” Orochimaru’s mouth curved at the easy anger that came to Sasuke’s face. “But did you really expect for someone like him who is popular and well-liked to stay with someone like you?” At those words, a frown came to the dark-haired man’s face and Orochimaru felt a small smile turn his lips at seeing how easily his words struck a cord with the pale man. “You, whose parents left you in an orphanage because they didn’t love you. You, who grew up having no love from anyone—who can’t even love yourself—how can you expect someone like Naruto to love you when you don’t even know what love is—when you haven’t received it from anyone before?”


At those words, the pale fists tightened within themselves and Orochimaru could see blood dripping steadily from the tight curls of his fingers.


“You had hoped that he had come to love you, didn’t you Sasuke?” Orochimaru asked softly in an attempt to calm the pale man down. “You got his body, but what hurts you is the fact that that’s all that he gave you—that that’s all that he would allow you to have. But even that is going away to Neji.” Sasuke’s face turned away defiantly.


“How do you know all this?” Sasuke was trembling in anger, but if Orochimaru looked closely, he could see the tremor of vulnerability in Sasuke’s body.


Orochimaru smiled at that. “I always know what’s happening to you, Sasuke. Don’t think that you can escape me. It was foolish of you to do so when you met me at the orphanage and it’s foolish of you to do it now. All I want is your skills to be a part of Akatsuki.”


“What will I get in return for my help?” Sasuke bit out in a low steely tone as his obsidian eyes met the yellow, gleaming ones.


“Whatever you desire,” came the purr of Orochimaru.

Sasuke’s head bent down to the floor and after a moment, slowly rose to look up at the yellow-eyed man with a triumphant twist of his mouth. “I will join your group on one condition, Orochimaru.” At that, Orochimaru looked in interest at the pale man. “If you can capture Hyuuga Neji and bring him to your headquarters, then I’ll join you willingly. If not, don’t think of ever bothering me anymore.” With a nod, Orochimaru smiled and left.


With a sigh, Sasuke locked the door after the snake-like man and sank onto the sofa. Knowing that they would not be able to capture someone as important and as heavily guarded as Neji, Sasuke knew that he wouldn’t be seeing Orochimaru anymore. He gave a bitter laugh as he thought about what Orochimaru had said and closed his eyes.


It was true . . . Sasuke had foolishly hoped that Naruto would love him, but he hadn’t been surprised when it turned out that Naruto did not. For someone who had never been loved his entire life, Sasuke could not expect to receive any now.

-

It had been a week since Sasuke had been outside his apartment and by the time Sasuke stepped out on Friday morning, he had finished his papers to end his payments to his apartment and after handing them in, Sasuke returned to his apartment to pack. During the whole week that he had buried himself within his apartment, Sasuke had pondered and pondered and had come to the conclusion that he would move to attend schooling in another city that was far away from everyone.
From Naruto.


He had only been packing for an hour when he heard the crinkle of paper sliding under his door and curious at what it was, Sasuke moved to pick it up. What he saw shocked him and Sasuke moved drunkenly to lean against the door as he read what the letter said:


Within moments, the paper was fluttering softly to the ground as the door slammed open and an engine roared to life before driving off at a dangerous speed.

-

Sasuke had lost count of how many red lights he had crossed, but he had passed the point of caring. He had never thought Orochimaru could do what he had asked of him, but Sasuke had once again underestimated him and now the price to pay would be huge. Sasuke could not afford it this time contrary to the last time that he had been to the headquarters as a child. Then, all Sasuke had to worry about was his small meaningless life, but now—


Sasuke felt his heart rate pick up. But now, the life of someone who Naruto cared for was going to be killed.

And it would be no one’s but Sasuke’s fault.

Gunning his engine even more, Sasuke sped through the streets that he had once run down as a child and ignoring the gray and gloomy scenery that surrounded him, Sasuke turned two rights and one left before skidding to a stop in front of a huge building that looked abandoned and run down. But Sasuke knew better. He knew without a doubt that that was just a deception. Flinging his door open, Sasuke ran out and running around the building to the side door, Sasuke took a deep breath before entering calmly. The moment that Sasuke stepped through the door, his whole persona changed into that of a cool, indifferent man as he followed the stairs to the basement.


“Aren’t you eager to begin torturing the young Hyuuga,” an amused tone rang throughout the hallway and Naruto turned to see Orochimaru standing there with arms folded.


“Of course,” Sasuke replied coolly to the yellow-eyed man. “I want to be the first to hurt him. But of course,” Sasuke sent a smirk towards Orochimaru. “You already know that.”


Orochimaru just grinned widely; showing his yellow teeth before nodding. And Sasuke mimicked his actions, knowing that he was smiling for a much different reason. For Orochimaru had no idea that his wickedness would end tonight—Sasuke had made sure of it. If not by his own hands, then by the police who were on their way right now. “This way and to the left, Sasuke,” Orochimaru pointed down the stairs, “I’ll be down in a minute.”


Hearing Orochimaru’s light footsteps tread away, Sasuke followed down the steps and turned to the left to enter upon a huge cemented room that held a group of burly laughing men. They were laughing and pointing at something. Upon walking to stand closer to them, Sasuke realized with a start that they were pointing at a tied Neji in the middle of the room and he was shooting death glares at any and all of them who cared to look into his pale eyes. When they sensed his presence, they moved aside for him to join them and Sasuke did, but he made no comment—only stared at the glaring Neji who had now noticed the presence of Sasuke and was shaking with anger.


“Uchiha Sasuke,” was the pale-eyed man’s hissed words as his pale eyes burned into his obsidian ones.


“Oh, he’s a fiery one, that Neji,” a man that smelled of old socks on the right of Sasuke said with a rough chuckle. He almost killed the men who had been sent to capture him. And look at that long hair, I can’t wait to see it soaked in his own blood.” The man licked his lips hungrily and it was all Sasuke could do to not twist his face in disgust at their bloodthirstiness.


“Alright boys,” Orochimaru’s voice drifted to them. “It’s time to play with Neji.” Sasuke almost became sick at the cheers that emitted from all the present men in the room and turned instead to glance at the pale-eyed man who had not lifted his angry eyes from him and Sasuke could only bounce off the anger that shone in those pale eyes with a smirk that he knew the burly men would see. Sasuke broke his contact with Neji as soon as Orochimaru entered from the side door with a bundle of weapons in his hands. “Come pick your toys!” Orochimaru ordered before turning to look at his group. “Play hard today in honor of Sasuke’s initiation into Akatsuki,” was all he said before he pulled out a gun. “I’ll let you guys do the initial blows while I’ll stand here and do the final blow,” Orochimaru grinned while he kissed the tip of the gun and Sasuke knew then what he had to do.


Striding as casually as he could to the weapon bin, he picked up two small knives and placed both in each hand as everyone began to circle around Neji. Because Sasuke knew that Neji was capable of defending himself, he recognized that his only problem was to set Neji free before turning on Orochimaru in the hectic surprise and throwing the second knife to stun him before running to grab the gun from the dangerous hands of Orochimaru.

It seemed pretty simple, but Sasuke knew better and decided to use the group’s rowdiness to his advantage. As soon as Orochimaru gave his approval, the men began to move in—pushing and shoving the others out of their way in an attempt to get closer—and it was then that Sasuke chose to throw his first knife. Taking careful aim at the rope, Sasuke threw it with all the skills that he had learned while he was younger and watching it sail in slow motion, Sasuke allowed a small amount of satisfaction to flood him as his skills proved true and the knife sailed to cut smoothly through the rope that hung from the ceiling to hold Neji’s arms together.


The moment the ropes fell down, Neji did not disappoint Sasuke and immediately attacked the men around him. In that moment of chaos while people begin to yell, Sasuke turned to see Orochimaru looking at him with such hatred that Sasuke could only smile crudely at the man who he hated with a passion before deftly feigning a move to swiftly dodge the bullet that Orochimaru would shoot in the next second. And it did come—barely missing his ear by a mille-inch. It was then—as Sasuke had always been taught from the snake-like man himself—that it was the best time to attack someone: right after they had pulled the trigger and—in that heartbeat—were currently waiting to see if it had hit target.


Sasuke found it ironic that he would use Orochimaru’s own wicked teachings against the man him very self. After barely dodging the sizzling bullet that passed his ear, Sasuke reached from behind him and swung the second knife as fast as he could to surprise the man and it was only the distraction of Neji coming closer to Orochimaru that lucked Sasuke out as it found its target within the yellow-teeth man’s heart and imbedded itself there. Orochimaru’s eyes widened in rage as he felt the first signs of pain and immediately pointed his gun to shoot Sasuke once more, but the bullet did not come as a fight with a burly guy sent Neji back-wise towards Orochimaru. Not heeding the knife any longer, Orochimaru changed direction with a slight stagger and directed his gun to the pale-eyed man and in that instant when Sasuke realized Orochimaru’s purpose, he felt his heart breaking all over as he realized that in the end, he could not save the important person of Naruto.


It was like the world had become slow motion as Sasuke watched in horror as the trigger began to bend under the influence of the finger and without any thought, Sasuke ran towards the gun with all the strength in him—with all the love that he had for Naruto . . .


If I can’t be your special person


Time seemed to slow down to a crawl and not paying heed to anything around him, Sasuke focused his attention on the oblivious Neji and the smirking Orochimaru. Even in the process of dying, Orochimaru was still evil.


Then I will do all that I can to protect your special person


He was inches from stopping the gun and knowing he wouldn’t make it as the finger cruelly pulled the trigger all the way, Sasuke desperately leaped to hit the arm that held what threatened Naruto’s happiness away, but a sense of Sasuke’s actions towards him sent Orochimaru’s arm swinging towards him and in that moment of time that stopped completely, Sasuke saw his life flash before his eyes. From living in the orphanage to meeting Orochimaru to finally meeting Naruto—Sasuke closed his eyes to the bullet that was heading towards him and felt a sudden bittersweet ache before everything went black.

-

Sasuke didn’t know anything but the pain that infested his body. Through foggy hazes of deliriousness, Sasuke even imagined that he could sometimes hear Naruto’s voice crying for him to wake up—could even feel his warm hands touching him and caressing his hair—his mouth leaving feathery kisses over his eyelids, mouth and cheeks. And it was then that Sasuke felt loved for the first time. And it was also then when Sasuke realized that maybe the pain and its effects weren’t such a bad thing after all. For he was selfish too and wanted love.


Days blurred for Sasuke and sometimes he saw a small light with a voice calling him at the end of the dark room that he lay in, but he ignored it as he hung tightly to the pain—almost as if he was afraid to let it go.

Because if he did, he would be alone again.

-

Sasuke didn’t know how long he had spent in the dark room with his pain, but for some reason, one day while lying there quietly, he had seen the annoying light that was always accompanied by a voice again. But under the spell of a weird delusion, the voice calling him sounded identical to Naruto’s.


Sasuke tried to ignore it at first—seeing as to how he would have to let go of the pain—but it was insistent and kept calling him. After listening to him talk and plea for quite some time, the voice began to cry and Sasuke felt his resistance rapidly dying as the crying got louder. He tried to say something to calm the voice—even if it was delusion induced—but he found that he somehow could not open his mouth and it was then when he finally decided to go towards the light.


Slowly letting go of the pain that had kept him company until now, Sasuke slowly got up and with unsteady steps, began to walk towards the light and the crying voice that stabbed at his heart every time it shook with unsteadiness. Halfway there, the light became too bright and Sasuke almost found it easier to stop, but the tremulous voice kept him going and before he knew it, he was in the bright light and the voice of Naruto was surrounding him—bathing him in its soothing quality—as he cried to someone that Sasuke did not know.


“You bastard,” Naruto’s voice shook. “This is all your fault. Why did you have to be so stupid and get in the way of that gun? You should know that if you get hurt, I hurt with you and if you die, I’ll die with you.” Suddenly the voice stopped and he could hear sniffles.


‘Crybaby’, he wanted to say to the sniffling blond, but somehow couldn’t find the energy to do so. And who was he talking to that made him so sad, Sasuke wondered absently.


“How could you not tell me everything that happened, teme? You should have come to me for help . . . now, I can’t even apologize properly to you because you’re in a coma and oh! I shouldn’t have said all those things that I didn’t mean at school. Neji told me everything that happened that day and I’m sorry . . . so sorry,” the hoarse voice whispered softly before Sasuke heard a door open, voices talking and the sound of a scraping chair as Naruto’s voice drifted away and he suddenly felt panic. He didn’t want Naruto to leave! Frantically trying to flutter his eyelids open, Sasuke suddenly felt a piercing, blinding light hit his eyes and he fluttered them back close.


“ . . .ruto . . . don’t leave me alone,” Sasuke rasped out. But when the voice didn’t return, he felt a sinking disappointment.


“Sasuke?” a voice asked in wonder before Sasuke heard a pair of feet shuffle over and felt a pair of lips ascend his forehead, his cheeks and his hands clumsily yet urgently “You’re awake! I had almost lost hope until you spoke and I could not believe my eyes.” Sasuke blinked his eyes slowly to finally reveal a hazy vision of bright, bright blue eyes that were shining with a thin sheen of moist at him. “Oh Sasuke!” was all he heard before he felt himself embraced in a tight hug and then he felt some hot tears hit his hand and Sasuke looked up to see Naruto crying and sniffling.


“Crybaby,” he said hoarsely with a tilt of his mouth.


At that, the blond just cried harder before laughing softly. “Am not,” he denied unconvincingly.


The tears hit him again and Sasuke looked around in confusion when he saw no Neji. “Why are you crying . . . Neji is not injured . . . is he?” He paused, almost as if afraid to venture on. “Did I . . . not save him in time?”


Naruto stopped crying at that before his grip tightened on Sasuke. “Neji received a couple of minor blows to his body, but that’s all.”


Sasuke felt his heart squeeze. So, in the end Neji did get hurt. “I’m . . . sorry, Naruto,” Sasuke whispered before turning his face away from the blond.


Naruto lifted a finger to tilt Sasuke’s face to face him. “About what?”


“I let Neji get hurt,” was all that he could manage out before turning once more and missing the incredulous expression on the blond’s face.


“Hurt?” Naruto gave a small laugh before hugging Sasuke tighter in his arms. “You’re the one who’s hurt the most. You should be worrying about yourself.” Sasuke felt a fist hit his arm gently and Sasuke looked up in surprise at Naruto. “And if you ever scare me like that anymore, I won’t forgive you anymore,” Naruto gave him a stern look before he ventured further; his features taking on an upset look. “And . . . why didn’t you come to me?” He continued on; his lower lip beginning to tremble. “Am I . . . really not that important to you?” At those words, Naruto turned away as his face crumpled in distress. “I bet . . . you weren’t planning on telling me that you were going to move, were you Sasuke?”


The moment Sasuke heard what Naruto said, Sasuke snapped his face to look at Naruto. “I . . .,” he paused and looked uncomfortable before continuing, “. . . just wanted to make you happy.”


“Happy?!” Naruto’s voice was torn between incredulity and bewilderment. “When I didn’t see you in school for a week, I came to your house only to see that it was half packed and only to hear later from Neji that you were in critical condition,” at that,


Naruto’s voice shook slightly and he paused momentarily. “Did you know that I almost died that night that you almost didn’t make it?” Naruto’s hands were on the hospital gown of the frozen Uchiha as the tanned ones moved desperately over Sasuke’s body to make sure he was really there. “I didn’t know what I would do if you left me, Sasuke,” Naruto’s grip unconsciously tightened on the dark-haired man slightly as he relieved that dark memory.


“You’re wrong,” the pale man interrupted unemotionally. “You should hate me because if it weren’t for me, Neji would have never been captured.”


“But I know that you meant to save him in the end and,” Naruto paused, “and I think Neji knew that too and that’s why . . . he wanted to apologize to you . . . for everything. He’s in the other side of the hospital getting scans, but he just wanted me to let you know.” Looking down at his tanned clasped hands, Naruto softly finished his thoughts, “But me, I have no excuse . . .” And Sasuke’s head jerked to see Naruto’s distressed fingers shaking slightly. “because . . . there were times when I hated myself for wishing that it had been Neji shot instead of you so my heart wouldn’t hurt so—so it wouldn’t break every time pain flitted across your face and I was helpless to do anything.”


Surprise and pain swept across Sasuke, but he didn’t say anything. There was a long, silence as both sat in their thoughts until Naruto broke it. “Neji told me everything and when I first heard it, I was angry at you for not telling me that Orochimaru was still bothering you. You promised, Sasuke,” Naruto’s voice betrayed a small tint of vulnerability as he stared into the obsidian eyes. “You told me that you’d never do things without me.”


“I just wanted to protect Neji for you,” Sasuke defended as he turned his head defiantly away at Naruto’s silent anger. Why couldn’t Naruto understand where he was coming from?

“But then who would you have to protect you?” Naruto’s voice was wild as he gripped the pale ones in his hands and Sasuke froze as he stared in confusion at the blond who continued to confuse him with his words.

“You shouldn’t say things you don’t mean, Naruto,” Sasuke said stiffly before turning away from Naruto and staring blankly out the window to the setting sun and its bleeding colors.


“I mean every word I say, Sasuke,” Naruto’s voice rose in frustration. “And I,” he continued as if embarrassed, “don’t know if you know . . . but I love you, Sasuke.”


“Me?” Sasuke’s voice was incredulous and Naruto’s eyes widened.


“Is that so hard to believe?”


When Sasuke did not answer, Naruto walked desperately to stand where Sasuke’s eyes were directed and looked intently at him. “I love you, you hear?” Naruto’s voice was now shrill and full of hurt and pain when Sasuke did not answer him for a second time.


“Why?” was the only feathery whisper that escaped heartbreakingly from the still Uchiha.


“Why?” Naruto was confused.


“Why do you love me when all I do . . . is hurt you,” a silvery tear trickled silently down the pale man’s cheek. “That’s why I didn’t like Neji. He knew how to love you properly . . . while me . . .,” Sasuke trailed off at that and within a heartbeat, Sasuke found himself held in a tight anxious hug with soft lips locked onto his that left Sasuke gasping for breath after they had broken apart for air.


“You idiot,” Naruto scolded softly before bending down to kiss his lips hungrily once more. “I’ve never been more happy being with you. Neji is my friend, that’s true, but if I had to choose between you two, I would choose you within a heartbeat because . . . being with you and your perverted ways . . .,” at that Naruto blushed crazily, “makes me feel right.”
After Naruto said that, he snuck his hand to the still pale hand by the edge of the bed and squeezed it shyly with a small look at the quiet dark-haired man. He was happy to feel the squeeze returned and Naruto looked to see a faint smirk finally gracing the lips of the dark-haired man.


“I’ll still be a jerk and a pervert,” he warned to the blond and at that, the blond’s cerulean eyes lightened before he smiled widely with a laugh.

“I wouldn’t accept you any other way.”


~fin~
A/N: Thanks for reading once more and if there are any constructive criticism or comments, you’d like to give—I welcome it with open arms! Somehow, I’m not really satisfied, so I might fix it up at a later time. Thanks and hope to see you leave a comment!