The Collaboration

Okay...yeah I've never written this pairing so I hope you guys can forgive for any discrepancies.

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Naruto glared at Kakashi as the older man fell over with a nosebleed. Of course, clutched in his hand was the newest book from the Icha Icha series. Why Kakashi read that crappy excuse for a romance series, Naruto would never figure out. The new book was the fiftieth in the series and Jiraiya had insisted on something special for this volume. Naruto certainly didn’t beg for details.

The blond sighed and decided to step over Kakashi when a page caught his eye. Instead of there being words printed on the page there was a scene. Naruto thought the artwork seemed a bit familiar so he decided to grab the book out of his unconscious uncle’s hand.

Naruto gaped at the picture of the naked men on the page. One had a striking resemblance to his current boyfriend Sai. And the male that was worshipping the man looked an awful lot like Naruto. Then the wheels began to turn in the blonds head. This was why Jiraiya and Sai had been hanging a lot during the past year.

Naruto would come home from work and Sai wouldn’t be there. He’d text the artist’s cell phone and the other would reply that he was helping Jiraiya with something. At first Naruto had not believed it. He thought for sure that Sai was cheating on him, but when he questioned Jiraiya about it he had confirmed that the artist was indeed helping him with a project.

Anger swelled inside Naruto for the drawing Sai had done. He had taken the moments that were supposed to be between them and laid them bare for the entire world to see. Sai knew that Naruto was private when it came to his love life. He didn’t want their relationship to end up like his biological parents. The stress of the media had gotten to them and during an argument with his wife his father had wrecked the car. Naruto had been at Kakashi’s that day.

And it seemed that the media would not leave him alone. His father had been some hot shot governor and Naruto wanted nothing to do with politics. He was a mechanic and that’s how he would die. He didn’t want anything that his father’s last name would give him.

Naruto sighed and rubbed his temples. He threw the book down on a now waking Kakashi. He didn’t see how Iruka dealt with the man day in and day out. Of course he had no room to talk with Sai. The man didn’t have a filter between his brain and his mouth so he said whatever he fancied.

Naruto’s phone rang and he picked it up. “Naruto Uzumaki.”

“Hey dickless!” Sai’s cheerful voice filtered through the phone. “I was wondering if you wanted to go for all the ramen you could eat tonight?”

“Your treat?”

“Of course or else I wouldn’t have offered. You want to meet at Ichiraku’s at five?”

“Yeah that sounds great. Lemme get a shower and I’ll be there. Any particular reason why you offered?” Naruto would give Sai this one chance to come clean.

“Nope.”

“Okay then I’ll see you at five.”

“Love you dickless.”

The blond shut the phone. He couldn't say those words to Sai right now. But Naruto did shake his head. He hated the nickname but knew Sai would never stop calling him that. The blond made his way through their apartment, shedding his clothes along the way. He was messy by nature and Sai always picked up after him. The artist never complained just smiled and went on his way.

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Naruto glared at Sai as he entered Ichiraku’s. Of course he bet that Sai thought the promise of ramen would deter the blond from tearing him a new asshole. But the artist was wrong. Naruto had to fight valiantly to keep his face neutral.

Sai gave him a small kiss on the cheek as he sat down on the opposite side of Naruto. He started to talk amiably about the day he had. Naruto raised a blond eyebrow. Sai never talked this much unless he was nervous. It was the only sign that the brunet would give away his nervousness.

“So how was your day?” Sai asked with a small grin on his face.

“I got off work early and headed to the apartment and found Kakashi sitting in front of our door. He then proceeded to tell me how Iruka had kicked him out for spending a ridiculous amount on a new Icha Icha book. I didn’t ask anymore questions after that.” Naruto stated calmly. He wasn’t about to start his tirade yet.

“Oh really? Did he say what it was about?” There was a hint of curiosity and maybe some guilt in the way Sai asked the question. Naruto couldn’t quite pinpoint.

“No.” Naruto shrugged. “But he passed out from a severe nosebleed in the kitchen. Then a drawing in the book caught my eye. Imagine my surprise when the two men resembled us.” Naruto lost control of his voice and he had growled at the end.

Sai didn’t say anything. He just sat there and stared at Naruto. Sai then pursed his lips. “I see. You’re angry.”

Naruto wanted to jump across the table and strangle his boyfriend. Even Sasuke hadn’t been able to provoke this kind of reaction when they were younger. “Of course I’m fucking angry Sai. You took our relationship and just plastered it all over the fucking world!”

“I told you I was working with Jiraiya. But you didn’t work it out dickless.” Sai’s face was once again unreadable.

“I wouldn’t have to if you just come and told me Sai.” Naruto snarled.

“And you would not have let me work with him Naruto. I’m not sorry.”

Naruto threw his hands in the air exasperated. “See that’s I’m fucking talking about. You only give me half truths and then expect me to figure shit out. I can’t keep doing this Sai. You don’t have to fucking ask my permission to do what you want, but I would like to know! This is a relationship Sai and we let each let each other know things!”

“You’re acting irrationally Naruto. There is nothing wrong with what I did.” Sai’s voice was calm as still water and it angered Naruto even more.

“I’m tired of fucking getting you to try and understand Sai. I don’t want to share what we have with complete fucking strangers! You knew that when we began this relationship.” Naruto took a breath. He continued to breathe for a few more moments. “I just don’t know what to do Sai. I love you, but you disregarded my wishes and I don’t know if I can forgive you for that.”

“I am sorry you feel that way Naruto. But I did nothing wrong.” Again his was calm.

The blond had a defeated look on his face. He had truly loved Sai and it hurt him that the brunet was not considering things from his views. “Fine whatever. I’m done Sai if you really can’t see what you’ve done wrong then there is no reason to continue our relationship.”

Naruto got up from his seat and threw some bills down on the table for the waitress. He threw his orange hoodie on and walked out of the restaurant. He jammed his hands into his pockets and kept his head down. He had hoped in the five years that he and Sai had been together that the brunet would know that a stunt like this would set him off.

He should have paid more attention to Tsunade when she had called last month and went on a verbal rampage about her perverted husband and Naruto’s perverted boyfriend. He had cut the old hag off because his lunch break was almost over and he wanted to spend it inhaling the rest of his ramen. But there was nothing that could be done about it now.

Naruto had opened the doors to the apartment complex when he felt arms slide around his waist. The blond tensed and did not relax. He recognized the pale hands and fingers stained with paint.

“I’m sorry Naruto.” The voice was strained and there was a hint of sadness. “I took your forgiving nature for granted and I should not have. Please Naruto I’ll ask only one time, give me a second chance.”

The blond closed his eyes and wondered if he could forgive Sai. And then a smile graced his lips. The apology the brunet had given him, even though it was short, it was perfect. Sai had stated at the beginning of their relationship that if Naruto left he would not ask the blond to stay with him, but here he was doing it at the moment. It warmed the blond.

“Yeah Sai, but you have to convince the old hag that I’m better off with you.” The blond turned around and wrapped his own arms around Sai, placing a kiss on the others forehead.

Sai looked up to the blonds and shared a wide, rare smile that was genuine. Naruto’s breath hitched and then he returned the smile. The reason why he fell for Sai laid in that smile. There was something underneath the underneath and it was so precious that Naruto wanted it for himself.

Naruto leaned down and kissed Sai. It was a simple touch of lips but it said everything. The blond pulled back and smiled. He pulled away from Sai’s body and grabbed his hand and they walked through the doors together.