A grain of truth

“Yes, just put it right over there.” A spiky blonde woman gestured to the two men carrying the couch inside the slightly dull and empty apartment, as she stood in the corner adjacent to the door her hand was firmly placed in her round abdomen that was still to grow, the other pressed against her back to carry the additional weight.

She had a set of bright blue liquid pools of pupils, fair lashes adorning almond shaped eyes that would turn into happy arcs resembling that of a fox every time he would smile back to the hard working men continuously placing boxes of different sizes and shapes in a certain area inside the wide expanse of the white floored room.

Her jaws were slightly rounded, tanned skin creating an impression of her having lived an active life in her teen years and shoulder length flaxen hair reaching down to her midriff that was exposed with the off the shoulder long sleeved blue maternity dress she was wearing.

“Is that all Mrs. Uzumaki?” A fair complexioned man put on a friendly smirk towards the blonde, along with the three other workers who had already finished placing the entirety of the furniture in its designated places.

“Ah yes, thank you. Would you care for some coffee and sandwiches? If you’re not in a hurry…” She walked with slight difficulty because of the heavy weight she was carrying in her abdomen, making the men turn down the offer out of embarrassment and think of their next work instead.

“No lady, it’s fine, it’s fine, b’sides we’ll be heading for the next client in about ten minutes anyway. But are you sure you can manage on your own? We can help unpack some things if you want.”

“Don’t worry, free of charge.” The redhead with cropped hair put on a thumbs up, tilting the corner of his lips upward in a grin.

“Yeah, anything we can do to help a beautiful woman as yourself.” The bearded man added, his brown eye winking fondly at the blonde which made the latter just giggle in return.

“No, I’m alright, my fr… husband will be taking the half of the day off to help me. He’s such a workaholic, he wasn’t able to free his time until later.”

“That so? Well with your baby comin’ up I understand. We better get going now lady.” The large bearded man who seemed to have the most seniority amongst the group cocked his head towards the door, walking in the general direction of the exit and gesturing for the others to come as well.

As the door shut close with a quiet clack the bright smile faded into a set of furrowed brows hinting sadness and the inverted arc turned upside down, with the light bulbs still not installed the only light illuminating the temporary living room was from the afternoon sun coming from the window naked of any kind of curtains and Mrs. Uzumaki gently sat down on the newly bought couch with a heavy sigh.

Closing down tired eyes, he opened them after a while, to stare at the white ceiling with a blank expression on his face.

“Mrs. Uzumaki… huh.” He mumbled with a faint smirk, eyes squinting a little and the grip on the material over her round abdomen tightening heavily.

It has been four months since he had last set eyes on a certain dark haired man who, he at first thought, would be the man who he would live the rest of his life with. Of course, it was nothing more than just wishful thinking. Heterosexual relationships, even with the bondage of marriage still end up getting separated, what made him think that a relationship like theirs which was not only illicit but damned with his religion and the rest of the close minded society would survive, even putting aside the fact that he had only known him for what, a week?

Had he only just listened to wiser heads, then Uzumaki Naruto wouldn’t be leaving his university dormitory and turn to home schooling. Wouldn’t be leaving the rest of his friends behind. Wouldn’t be hearing a seemingly endless line of insults and prejudiced remarks from what he thought to be his family. Wouldn’t have to be laughed at and humiliated by the man who he thought loved him the most.

[Jesus I’ve never had this kind of laugh in years Naruto!!! God that’s just so funny!!! You!? Pregnant!? Fuck, your face was so straight I thought you were going to tell me you have some kind of disease or something! I should try this one on Orochimaru!!!]

Sasuke Uchiha was a young man of refinement and maturity, one of the few elite businessmen in the society, he attracted danger with his deadly charm and ruthlessness in the business. In everywhere he stood out, with his intense black eyes and a witty mouth that was able to turn the most stubborn in his league to cower at his feet.

It was that dominating sense of aura that first attracted Naruto to him, all the morals picked up from the bible and the reminders from his surrogate parents easily thrown into the trash bin with one drawing look from the young Uchiha who just refused to be ignored.

[Wait I didn’t order any alcohol-

I did. You’re just so adorable I can’t help but notice. You’re sitting here, looking hot and gorgeous… it’s such a crime…]

With smooth captivating words and face emanating an irresistible kind of appeal together with the fundamental symptoms of inebriation giving him a sense of liberation, he was brought away from the company of his partying friends in the loud bar to the quiet and tempting suite just a few floors up the hotel.

It was needless to say that he was drunk because he would no way in hell engage in an indecent conversation with a gay man if he was in his sober state, much less entertain the thought of it, but not drunk enough to not remember how they had staggered their way to the elevator, nearly made out inside and then ended up into a heap of tangled limbs on the soft carpeted floor of the suite by the entrance.

In his drunken state of mind, he was able to remember how he had crawled away from the caressing deft hands of the raven in a moment of realization at what kind of blasphemy he was doing. Only to be recaptured with arms without hesitation of not letting go, a smooth and cold baritone voice speaking reassuring words of which he had no clue. They were slurred to the blonde’s ears, but the tenderness of that tone was so real he was sure that had he been sober enough to understand them, they would be words Naruto would want to hear for the rest of his life.

His tongue was tender, malleable, hot and wet, exploring the cavities in his mouth like Sasuke had some kind of fixation to them. They kissed plenty of times, sloppy and sometimes missing, sometimes slow, sometimes hard and aggressive like they were both hungry for more and in the middle of their fondling he suddenly found himself staring at the mass of clothes on the carpeted floor he remembered he was wearing earlier and between the silky feel of the double bed and the pallid Uchiha who was not so pale anymore with the blush creeping up his face and neck.

[Naruto Naruto Naruto Naruto Naruto Naruto Naruto]

The blonde had heard his name countless times in various degrees and tone, all of which came from the usually quiet man giving butterflies kisses over his lips, his cheeks, jaws, his pulse on the neck, sucking hard on the skin between tout nipples, in turn making a surprised moan escape from a panting mouth.

[Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke Sasuke]

He in turn could do nothing but reply with the other’s name, he couldn’t think straight anymore, he forced words to form in his brain but nothing came out of that parted mouth but the Uchiha’s name in broken obscenities he thought he could never say.

Amidst all the fondling and the new and good sensations overwhelming him he felt his body jolt up the bed along with an empty shout, a sharp invading searing pain shooting up his spine with the unexpected entry. Before he could realize what was going on he was already soaring underneath him, moving as if in a dance consisting of their music of pants, moans and the seemingly endless meeting of the flesh.

When the time came that he should wake up, he didn’t know if he should concentrate on the pain shooting up his spine on his back side or the migraine pounding mercilessly on his head like a dozen Kiba’s were ranting about inside it, he was thankful the curtains were closed.

The one night stand led on to another engagement at another… more personal place, Naruto had preferred the latter, seeing the raven’s way of life made him want to know more about him. While Sasuke knew almost half the blonde’s biography, the latter was clueless of his own except for what the rest of the public already knew, the blonde thinking that it was his own choice if he wanted to open up or not.

The third day, they spent most of the time outside, making out usually in all places they had the opportunity to. Everything was just so perfect for Naruto, that he had unconsciously forgotten about everything else but the basic rule in their relationship.

[Shhh…]

It’s a secret.

[Hush…]

It’s illicit.

[I’ll call you.]

And Sasuke didn’t belong to anyone but himself.

+++

“I’m really sorry Kiba I promise I’ll make it up to you guys!!!!!” Naruto was practically sitting under his legs with his forehead almost hitting the floor as he bowed in sincere apology in front of his group of friends standing by the doorway, the spiky brunette, glaring daggers at him.

“Yeah right. No call. No mail. Your roommate doesn’t even have a fucking clue to where you’ve been disappearing to! Naruto!” Kiba growled in his deep feral voice, making the blonde wince as he remained kneeling on the floor.

“It would have helped to at least tell us of your whereabouts Naruto.” Shino, with his usual calculating voice laced with a bit of a mixture of worry and annoyance pushed his dark lenses up the bridge of his nose further.

“It saves us the time of having to worry our asses of thinking what could have happened to you. Ah… So troublesome.” Shikamaru yawned lazily, the only one sprawled on the bed opposite Naruto’s own with furrowed brows. The fact that he was struggling enough to frown was a definite proof that he was worried enough to do so without taking a nap in between.

“Tch, get up will ‘ya? It’s making my ass itch.” Kiba decided to switch his glare to the poor cobweb on the corner of the room’s ceiling, picking on his earwax with his pinky finger he heavily sat at the foot of the bed Shikamaru was currently occupying.

“What is?” Shino indulged.

“That bastard is.” Kiba growled.

“Hn.”

Bashfully, Naruto slowly stood up, three of the four guys asking for coffee but Kiba, asking for a nice cup of instant ramen, or anything edible that he could chow down without having to take the time to chew because of his hunger.

“Just go get yourself one in the cupboard, there’s some hot water in the kettle.” Naruto shouted while leaving to go down the kitchen, Kiba following afterwards, intent on having some ‘man to man’ talk with his recently being secretive best friend.

“Hey what’s happening with you and that creepy guy?” Kiba started, leaning on the side of the door frame of the kitchen watching Naruto’s back as the teen filled the three cups of coffee with hot water.

“Who?”

“That guy with a fetish for suits, the Uchiha bastard.” Kiba answered back in a ‘duh’ manner.

“Kiba stop calling him bastard.” Naruto whipped his head to look at the indifferent brunette, smirking after. “I’m the only one who can.”

The brunette just rolled his eyes off the blonde, unnerved by the fact that his best friend, although he had been seeing some signs since middle school had now fully turned gay, and it still shocked him. It wasn’t Naruto turning gay that did, it was the fact that he chose of all people an ambitious and cold hearted brute who was committed to no one but himself who was, in fact one of the largest sponsors of their university and engaged to a certain fourth year in his department.

“You know you should think about continuing to go out with that guy Naru, sure he’s tall, pale and handsome but… Naru he’s already got a girl.” Pondering over his best friend’s newly discovered stupidity and inborn naivety he went to get some cup ramen on the cupboard and wondering why it was still untouched, he poured the steaming water over it as he started to make his own version of Naruto’s mother.

And then it happened.

“Whadda-hey what happened!?” Naruto suddenly started to heave, a hand clenching on his stomach and the other covering his mouth and nose as he staggered towards the kitchen sink, emptying his stomach a couple of times and begging for Kiba to get rid of the ramen, which the other reluctantly did so.

“Fuck, don’t tell me you’ll only eat spaghetti now. What, the wealthy living getting to ‘ya already? I thought that your mother was just getting paranoid but you’re actually getting anorexic on us are you?” As far as Kiba can remember, cup ramen, udon, miso ramen, yakisoba and anything having to do with anything in the line of noodles had been Naruto’s survival kit for the past… seventeen years-his life depended on it, to be precise, his whole life and now he hated it so much even the smell was enough to make him puke.

“Shut up. Dog. Breath. Ugh.” Kiba just continued to rub the blonde’s back as he looked away at the unlikely sight, the rancid smell he refused to take in in his nose.

A moment of silence after Naruto had finished cleaning up and he was already being forced towards the public phone installed on the wall out the kitchen for a medical appointment by a group of worried friends.

When he got to Hinata’s family clinic. He wished he hadn’t.

+++

Repeated knocking on the door made the tired blonde tilt his head to the side, groaning for the one on the other side of the door to come in. A set of three people burst inside, Kiba panting heavily from having run from his dormitory to the apartment complex in a hurry soon as he met up with the other three.

“Hey…” Naruto tried to make a full smile, but ended up making a half forced grin instead. “How’re the activities going Dr. Inuzuka?” He regarded the man who was just months away to being a licensed vet. He was the youngest out of the group, Kiba being the oldest and out of university but Shino who was second youngest pretty much acts like the most mature one.

“You alright? You look tired did you lift these boxes yourself!? What did I tell you!? Sakura said to-Ow!” Kiba glared daggers at Shino who had hit him upside the head as the four of them went inside the apartment, Shikamaru closing the door behind them and sitting sprawled on the floor after.

“That’s why they have movers Kiba. Please refrain from being an idiot so as not to affect the babies. You have a tendency to rub off your idiocy on others.” At that, both Naruto and Shikamaru snorted, Kiba glaring at Shino with bruised pride.

“Shit I was just worried. ‘ya know.” Kiba reasoned, folding his arms across his chest as he eyed with concern on the bulge on Naruto’s abdomen which looked bigger than what he remembered.

“Thanks. You guys had lunch yet?”

“I was meaning to ask that to you myself.”

“You look more tired than me.”

“That’s because he’s doing something and you’re not Shikamaru. How would you feel like if you’re carrying around twelve pounds of weight twenty-four seven huh?”

“Nah I had lunch over Sakura’s. Just got over the exam. Sheesh… she said I had to watch my diet or the little squirts would get too big for me to handle inside.”

“I agree. Man, I thought it was impossible. With twins… it happens sometimes… triplets well… I can’t imagine how many times you actually did it to get them that many.” The blonde just rolled his eyes off, attempting to stand up and Kiba helping Naruto up in the end.

“I suggest we start now. Leave the arrangements to us.” Shino moved to remove his jacket and hung it on the peg pre-installed on the door behind him, Shikamaru slowly standing up and brushing off the dust that stuck to his butt.

“You go ahead and sleep here. Don’t worry we won’t make any much of a noise.” Shikamaru then yawned in half the sentence, earning a snort from Naruto and Kiba slapping his palm on the right side of his forehead with a sigh.

“I can’t expect that with Kiba around. Silence with Kiba is something like not being with Kiba at all.” Shikamaru looked the most who wanted sleep that time, that he missed the fleeting smirk that graced the usually expressionless Shino.

“So Kiba! Better get those muscles working!!!” Naruto chirped, poking the toned muscles adorning the young adult’s exposed arms with the tank top.

“Yeah yeah, I heard! So… where do we put the t.v. and the video games?” The brightness illuminating Kiba’s face made the rest groan, once Kiba’s eyes locked eye to eye contact with his sweetheart… namely the t.v. and a couple of final fantasy and sengoku taisen then there’s no occupying that t.v. for a while.

Hours of fussing around, Naruto couldn’t help but enjoy watching his friends help on his move in day. He enjoyed watching Kiba in particular who couldn’t quite decided where to place the entertainment set, thus hindering Shino to do anything about the sofa set, thus making life hard for Shikamaru who was getting tired of being annoyed of Kiba the entire half of the day.

“Hey if I put this before the window it’ll get wet when it rains right? How about beside the door? No, no the t.v.’d get hit if someone opens it too wide… how about-Ow! Shit Shino that’s the third one already!” Kiba found it very convenient that Shino’s name coincides to his favorite choice of words, but Shino found it more convenient that every time Kiba would get stupid he would always have something in his hand to subdue him. This time it was a picture frame he was going to place on the rack.

“Kiba you could angst about the position of the t.v. as much as you like, but please let the others work to their content and leave the fucking t.v. Now MOVE.” To emphasize this Shino pushed the long couch forward the position accurate enough to hit Kiba on the hip, him stumbling back to the couch dramatically.

“Shino I’m starting to think that maybe the glasses are gettin’ to ‘ya. You even wear them inside and even at night.” Kiba just remained in the position he was in when he fell down the couch, his legs dangling over the arm as Shino pushed the couch opposite the window with slight difficulty because of the additional weight. He didn’t care, long as Kiba didn’t interfere. And once again Kiba's head collided with a certain thing in Shino's hand.

*Yeah yeah I know I should be working on Countdown but I just can’t have this thing out of my mind. It just keeps popping out of nowhere! Blame Family portrait and Too much drinking. Hn… maybe I’d just have to put Countdown before a kiss mark fades on hiatus? Or should I dismiss the story altogether? No, no, no, I won’t have it! I must persevere because I was so devoted enough to that story that I put a hickey on my own arm!!! Oh the things I do for love… I should find myself a boy friend after this… for me to experiment on of course, I wonder if he’d let me do some prostate massage? Just to see what face he’ll make, bet it’s good Ahahaha… -smirking evilly with malice-