Renewing Changes - Report 12
Title: Renewing Changes
Author: Fourangers
Rating: M
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Wordcount: 8.150 words.
Summary: "Oh crap." Muttered the blond. Sometimes, there's something worse than one-night stands. It's called we're-doing-this-because-we're-going-to-die-tomorrow desperate sex. Too bad they didn't in the end. NaruSasu.
Betareaded by the ever so patient belledragon . Kids, if you want to escape unharmed after writing so many grammatical mistakes, look for her ok? *evil laughter* Errr....*rises a tall barricade just in case*
List of Chapters
Report 12: In the end…we…
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Shikamaru knew the name of that feeling.
It wasn't too difficult, when he also had a relationship of his own. He could understand the burgeoning emotions, to be vulnerable and invincible at the same time, the insatiable desire to be next to that person all the time.
He also understood the implications that went with those feelings. He knew the condescending looks from Temari's relatives, everyone judging their relationship. The subtle jabs, the way Temari's father would stare down at him with contempt as his social standing was considered beneath them. Everyone disapproved of them based on superficial points of view, unable to overlook social status or upbringing. It was unfair, looking at human relationships with such a narrowed point of view that couldn't get past pre-conceived judgments.
But even through those trials, for Shikamaru it was worth it because Temari was at his side. She made everything much more bearable, supporting him, fighting as hard as he to show that there wasn't anything to be ashamed of. Temari helped him to believe in a better future, one that even if they didn't succeed in convincing others, they still had each other.
That's why he feared what Naruto would face if he validated his feelings towards Sasuke. It was one thing to deal with a small number of arrogant people, and an entirely other to have to confront public scrutiny, especially considering such an uptight society as the Japanese.
Above all, there wasn't any sign of reciprocation coming from Sasuke. Naruto admitted that the Uchiha had already rejected him; all the signs were showing that everything would go downhill if he persisted. In addition Sasuke didn't appear to be prepared for this sort of relationship, as Temari mentioned that he had little to no emotional attachment to his previous partners. And again, considering that he hid his sexual preferences and Naruto couldn't lie, it was even more likely that Sasuke wasn't truly interested in his friend. Without any sort of support from Sasuke, there wasn't any reason to prolong this suffering right?
And although Naruto looked like some sort of zombie every time Shikamaru saw him, dragging his feet with each step, losing his concentration, his mind basically in la la land, at least Shikamaru thought that it was better than engaging in a losing battle. What he was feeling was probably in the early stages, so there was a good chance that he would heal and recover without too much difficulty and sooner than later.
In the next few days Sasuke Uchiha would arrive in New York for their last sets of meetings. In the meantime Naruto would have to reorganize his present projects and assign them to other staff, so he could travel back to Tokyo and fully supervise Mitsukoshi's construction. Once there, there wouldn't be any need for formal meetings with the Uchiha since he could give short updates or inform him through e-mails.
That meant these meetings would be critical for Naruto. Unless Sasuke suddenly changed his mind, this would be the last confrontation to address whatever this was between them and decide it once and for all.
He just hoped that it wouldn't turn out ugly in the end…
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Sasuke stared at the tall skyscrapers passing by from beyond his car window, his expression impassive even though his mind was in turmoil. Five days had passed since his last encounter with Naruto. Cursing his hectic schedule, he couldn't book an earlier flight so he could talk to Naruto because he couldn't postpone any of those meetings that were put off the day he spent playing 'tour guide' to the blond in Tokyo. Who'd have thought things would've ended that way…onyx eyes sharpened to concentrate on the issue, hoping that by now, Naruto's rage had simmered down.
His distressed thoughts kept gnawing at his brain the entire way there, wondering what Naruto's possible reactions might be once they met again though the brunet was determined to do anything to amend the ties between them. For some reason Sasuke couldn't bring himself to call Naruto or contact him in any way, fearing that unless he met him face to face, he wouldn't be able to convey his thoughts properly. Usually, he could come up with a sure strategy or speech to convince otherwise, however this time…he fell into a difficult situation. How to explain?
"Even though it's obvious we're attracted to each other, I don't want to have any relationship aside friendship with you." Sasuke winced at his choice of words. It sounded phony even to himself. However, the absence of Naruto in his daily life had unexpectedly unbalanced him. His heart grew heavier and weary, thirsty for some rays of light to pump more life inside him.
Though on the one hand, he disliked the increasing rush of feelings that Naruto provoked in him like first fissures in his impenetrable fortress, he also disliked these feelings of vulnerability, attachment, dependency. The porcelain mask had cracked under Naruto's touch, fingers reaching out to warm his skin. He hated seeing his defenses being stripped away, his heart exposed and available to be harmed at any opportune moment.
Sasuke wanted Naruto's companionship…but he despised the idea of being emotionally intimate with anyone. He knew that he was being unfair; considering the blonde's feelings but Naruto should-no, had to understand that this was the only way that this would work between them.
How he was also going to convince his heart that those were separate issues would be something that Sasuke would deal with later.
The Uchiha quickly strode inside the office's entrance, barely giving a nod to the receptionist. Everyone was used to his presence after his numerous visits and he could freely move around without anyone politely interrupting him, asking if he needed anything. They knew Sasuke would be looking for Naruto, so the brunet went to his floor in search of him. At this moment everyone aside from the receptionists was out to lunch, leaving the whole office free. He immediately dismissed the idea of waiting in the conference room for Naruto as he knew he would easily avoid their conversation to concentrate on the project, so the best way would be to find him beforehand and talk to him before he had the chance to barricade himself behind his defenses.
It wasn't difficult to find Naruto working at his table; Sasuke had effortlessly learned its location after a couple of visits. The blond still hadn't noticed his presence yet, his cerulean eyes fully engrossed on the computer screen, the electronic pen drawing swift strokes on its surface. Sasuke smiled a little bit gazing at Naruto, always fascinated with this facet that the blond exhibited once in a while, the usually bright eyes completely focused, reflecting the passion he had on his work. What he didn't notice was that Shikamaru was still inside the office, observing them from afar in a pensive state, until he cleared his throat and yelled:
"Naruto!"
Naruto turned around with a questionable glance and his friend pointed forward. Bewildered, the blond raised his head till both gazes met, eyes widening. Sasuke's heartbeat immediately quickened; he was startled by this unusual reaction. With a sigh, Shikamaru picked up his wallet and walked towards them, as it appeared that he was also going outside to have his lunch. Once he was close enough to his blond friend, he patted Naruto's shoulder before bowing respectfully to Sasuke and exited the building.
The Uchiha was still attempting to find his ground, trying to find the words to formulate a coherent thought, but before he could open his mouth, Naruto said instead:
"What are you doing here?" His tone was equally torn and remorseful, Sasuke attempted not to recoil in response, his expression hardening.
"What are you talking about; you should know that we have a meeting to-"Even beneath words of apparent nonchalance, Sasuke couldn't curb the subtle bitterness in his voice.
"I know we have a meeting." Naruto interrupted. "What I'm asking is why you are here, instead of waiting for me in the conference room." The blond avoided eye contact by staring at his monitor.
This time, Sasuke couldn't suppress his shock before changing to disappointment. The message was clear; Naruto didn't want his presence there. "I wanted to talk…about the last time we-"
"No need to." The blond architect interrupted again. "I get it."
He could find no words, making the silence between them unbearable, until Sasuke said hesitantly. "…what?"
"I understood you. The moment that you said no…I could see it - that you were getting ready to reject me." Naruto spoke, his eyes still fixed on the computer. "You don't want to get involved with me right?"
Sasuke was straining his brain to come up with any retort that would appease the blond, even though what Naruto was saying was nothing short of the truth. He needed to escape from the oppressive atmosphere, he had to-Sasuke answered. "I didn't-exactly, it's different. I…"
"So don't worry about it. I'm done." Naruto continued his speech unfazed. "I'm not going to pursue you any longer, you can be rest assured. Even though the one who started that whole…misunderstanding…was you." Blue eyes quickly flickered to show a wounded glance before glancing back again, staring at the monitor. "At first I thought that you found me as some sort of comfort until you realized-…anyways, it's also my fault for being too intrusive."
"…You weren't…any…" Sasuke mumbled, unable to keep his cool. This response was actually what he was hoping for, but on the other hand it sounded so different from what he really wanted. It felt like he was losing something extremely important.
"I'm not going to bother you from now on…I'm not going to insist if I'm making you uneasy. I've trespassed over your personal boundaries; I promise I won't do that again." Naruto concluded, his voice sounding so impersonal, so cold, so unlikely to be his.
The blond sighed, placing the pen on the desk and raising his head at last to let his blue eyes meet Sasuke's. The brunet inhaled sharply, there laid in front of him a small smile of reconciliation quirking on Naruto's lips. However, unlike his usual wide grins, this smile was guarded and distant. It served as a barrier in which Sasuke couldn't find a way to breach. A cold feeling now had completely settled in, leaving him feeling chilled to the bone.
"You don't have to wait here, I'll be done quickly. Just go to the conference room ok? I'll ask one of our secretaries to bring you some coffee." Naruto continued to stare at Sasuke, waiting for any sort of agreement.
Onyx eyes looked down, trying to suppress any sort of anger or resentfulness. But what really came out was a pained tone. "…okay. If that's how you want it." Sasuke muttered.
With a short nod, Naruto silently picked up his electronic pen and returned his attention to the monitor. Sasuke could barely breathe from the gravity of the situation, and for the first time between them; the air became stagnant and unyielding.
Naruto was fully focused on drawing some plan, no longer raising his eyes to see Sasuke. If the blond had, he would've noticed Sasuke looking so vulnerable that it ached. His lips hesitated in forming the words, until he said softly, his voice too weak for Naruto to notice it:
"Can we…can we at least stay as fr…" The last sentence gradually died out, he was unable to continue further on.
With one swift movement to hide his remorse, Sasuke turned around and exited the room.
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This was a nightmare. Sasuke hated to admit, but Naruto's change of attitude was absolute torture for him.
First of all, Naruto stopped arriving late for their meetings. Actually, for every meeting scheduled, he was already waiting for Sasuke, thus limiting the chances to talk about any subject that wasn't regarding the project. For the whole week, whenever Sasuke tried to find a moment to approach Naruto, the latter would keep his distance, acting professionally polite and impersonal.
For some reason, the other chief architect, Nara Shikamaru, checked in on their meetings more frequently in comparison to the past ones, with a scrutinizing inspection that frankly, irritated him quite a bit. What gave Nara the right to judge whatever was happening between him and Naruto and who said that he had permission to influence something that didn't involve him? Because Sasuke could detect the way Nara was silently disapproving of their interaction and also the moments when he would ask Naruto if everything was alright, prompted Naruto to readjust and increase the gap between them, which did not sit well with Sasuke.
And seeing the friendly banter between Naruto and Shikamaru built up his frustration even further. Naruto treated everyone, from his staff to Sarutobi in the same open way he used to treat Sasuke a few weeks ago, and the Uchiha was reduced to become one of the many clients the blond architect had to deal with every day. It became almost pitiful when Sasuke began to envy anyone who received that treatment from Naruto. It's not like Naruto treated him badly, but all the teasing remarks, the closeness, his laughs and wide beamed smiles - everything vanished into thin air.
It was as if every previous moment that they had together had been simply erased from existence.
The worst part of it all was that Naruto didn't seem to be as affected by it in comparison to Sasuke. If anything, the blond was doing everything to minimize their contact as much as possible. Sasuke was approaching the end of his rope. He slowly came to realize just how much he used to feel at ease around Naruto. How Naruto allowed him to act as Sasuke, not as Uchiha that everyone feared and respected. It was only with Naruto that he had the freedom to express or share his personal feelings, a fact that had never happened before, even around his old colleagues or childhood acquaintances.
Naruto was his first close friend. But now…now…all of a sudden, Sasuke had lost the privilege, thrown again into his personal darkness, wandering lost and feeling almost hopeless. He had never felt so lonely in his life.
He had lost this bond with Naruto…obviously because other meddling emotions had been mixed in, complicating everything. If only they hadn't acted so foolishly on the night of the earthquake. Then, Naruto wouldn't feel conflicted and Sasuke would still have his friend. Naruto wouldn't have the need to distance himself.
God, Naruto no longer called Sasuke by his name…
Every day was becoming increasingly unbearable. Also hearing news of Itachi's return and the subsequent rumors about his reinstatement inside the Uchiha Corporation made him feel even worse. Neither his father nor his mother commented on Sasuke's recent behavior over this news, while Sasuke took it upon himself to avoid a quarrel. Naruto basically ignored his existence…Sasuke wondered to himself how he managed to keep his sanity in check when everything was going so against him.
However, he'd never admit defeat; he'd have Naruto back at his side no matter what it took…
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The days passed excruciatingly slowly; however, before Sasuke really noticed, they had reached the last day of their series of meetings in NY. No significant development had happened. Naruto had successfully controlled his temper and kept his feelings in check, no matter how much Sasuke taunted or coaxed him to try and provoke any kind of reaction that was more like the blond. Sasuke knew that afterwards there would be no need for any further long meetings, and he knew Naruto would be occupied with the construction of Mitsukoshi, so the best chance to say something was now.
"This is it for today. It'll take a few weeks to organize the transfer of other projects before I can get back to Tokyo to personally supervise Mitsukoshi." Naruto said, turning off the computer. "I'll contact you once I've made those arrangements."
"Naruto." Sasuke called, as the blond turned around to face him. "I wanted…to talk with you."
Sapphire eyes gradually put their defenses up as Naruto responded. "Yes? You have any concerns about the material, sponsors or anything like that?"
The brunet shook his head as he approached him. "No I just wanted to-"His cell phone suddenly beeped, startling both young men. From the ring tone Sasuke knew it was his father, so he answered it with a soft sigh.
"Yes, father?"
"Are you still in the meeting with Uzumaki-kun in NY?" Fugaku asked.
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"I thought you knew about the important event that was happening today." Fugaku said sternly.
"Hopefully it's not something related to Itachi." Sasuke thought to himself but answered. "I'm sorry father, but I don't know what event you're talking about."
"Your mother. You know that she was attempting to run for President of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women; she was nominated today."
Sasuke cursed to himself. He had been so distracted about Naruto that he forgot everything else. "I see. Tell mother that I'm happy that she succeeded."
"I will. But please return as soon as possible so we can celebrate." Fugaku answered. "Itachi is also here. We're looking forward to having our family all back together."
Sasuke controlled the bile threatening to rise in his throat and muttered. "I see. I'll see you soon then."He hung up and continued his musings. Meeting his brother after so many long years… was going to be a pain.
Nevertheless, he should ignore this annoyance for a while and concentrate on figuring out a gift to purchase for his mother, a small token of appreciation of how much her son was truly happy she achieved such an accomplishment. However, his mother was a woman with simple tastes…she disliked wearing a lot of accessories, even if she appreciated elegant jewelry. Sasuke most probably wouldn't have the time to search Narita's airport, his best bet was to find something in New York. Unfortunately, he didn't know the city well, so he didn't know where he should look for the ideal present for his mother.
"Is there a problem?" This question cut off Sasuke's line of thought as he raised his gaze to meet Naruto's. The blond looked concerned; the emotion reflected in his eyes brought indescribable relief to Sasuke.
The brunet answered readily. "My mother won an important nomination and I want to buy a small present for her. Do you know any place that sells tasteful jewelry?"
Naruto mused for a while. "Does your mother have a preference for any brand or any artisan?"
Sasuke shook his head. "No…not that I'm aware of."
"There's Tiffanys, one of the most prestigious store in New York…"
Sasuke answered. "No, not Tiffanys. She already has a number of pieces given to her by my father from there."
"Then…um. I'll ask one of my colleagues if they know of anywhere else." Naruto said picking up his cell phone, searching for a name and asking for information. Sasuke stared as the blond moved around, turning off the phone and asking some others to help him out. He couldn't believe his luck that Naruto still had the heart to be worried about him, but there was this small dreadful feeling haunting the back of his mind that he was only doing this because Sasuke was an Uchiha.
After Naruto hung up, he told Sasuke. "There's a famous designer called Harry Winston, who's designed pieces for royalty such as Queen Elizabeth II and also some for many prestigious Hollywood actresses. Would this be ok then?"
Sasuke nodded in agreement; he was aware of Harry Winston since there was a store in Ginza. The blond wrote the address on a piece of paper and gave it to Sasuke and then stood up.
"Well, good luck. I should also get going-"Naruto turned around in the direction of the door and Sasuke felt shivers of panic, his hand involuntarily rising and reaching out to the blond-
"Go with me." He said with his fingers tightly grasping Naruto's arm. Naruto turned back to glance curiously at Sasuke, the movement twisted his shirt as Sasuke loosened his hold.
"Why?" Naruto enquired.
"I…" Sasuke glanced sideways, trying to come up with a good excuse. "Unfortunately I'm traveling by limousine which will attract a lot of unnecessary attention from the press or onlookers. I wanted to look for my mother's present without any nagging reporter photographing me and invading my privacy. It would be better if I can go in a regular car, if you don't mind driving? So please…" Sasuke tightened his fingers once again. "Go with me?"
Naruto kept an unreadable expression as he thought about Sasuke's request. He took a step backward, releasing Sasuke's hold on his arm as he fixed his gaze to the ground. He mumbled. "I have other meetings to attend today, so I don't think I have the time for it."
Sasuke felt desperation invade his body, cold sweat running down his spine. It was over. Naruto had rejected him and this was the last time-
"Wait here." Naruto opened the door.
Onyx eyes blinked confused. "What?"
"I'll ask Shikamaru to attend those meetings for me and will have to explain the situation to him. I'll just be a few minutes and then we'll be able to go." Naruto said quietly. "Wait here ok?"
Sasuke just nodded numbly, watching the blond walk down the corridor and meet his friend who stood there. Whatever explanation Naruto gave to Nara (his back was facing Sasuke), the dark-haired architect disapproved of it, if his facial expression showing distaste was any indication. He argued about something to Naruto, to which the latter replied with an awkward rub on the back of his neck that somehow made his friend give up without any further discussion.
Once they were done, Naruto approached Sasuke with a softened smile, though the Uchiha couldn't help but notice Shikamaru's frown before the latter rolled his eyes with a sigh and returned to his desk.
"Sa-"Naruto closed his mouth and corrected. "Well, let's go."
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During the short trip, the air between them was still tense and awkward, but at least it wasn't as bad as on the previous days. Naruto would occasionally explain important sites while Sasuke would nod in response, as the brunet couldn't start any conversation on his own. Once they arrived at the store, they searched the type of jewelry Sasuke was interested in and found it was located on the 5th floor. Sasuke pressed the corresponding button in the elevator but once they reached the floor, Naruto said hesitantly.
"Well, once you're done, just call me and I'll drive you back to the airport."
"…you're not going with me?" Sasuke asked, mildly disappointed. Naruto avoided eye contact.
"Yeah…I…um…have some things to do around the neighborhood-"They heard the ding of the elevator indicating that it was going down. "I'll see you later."
The blond briefly waved his hand as the door closed. Once Naruto reached the lobby, he exhaled a heavy sigh and slumped against the nearest wall. He stayed in that position for a while, his eyes distant and lost in thought. He dragged his feet towards the nearest pillar and, ignoring the bewildered glances and onlookers, softly banged his head repeatedly on it.
"Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid…" Naruto sighed once more, placing his forehead on the cold surface. Why did he have to chicken out at the last second? He wanted them to return to the old days, even if this meant killing his deeper feelings in the long run. He ached for Sasuke's silent companionship, their teasing bickering, his sincere but subtle care, his presence. Sasuke was the only one Naruto could expose his dark self to with ease, the only one that could sympathize and identify with him in the end. He missed talking with Sasuke.
He missed Sasuke.
However, throughout the whole week, Naruto avoided returning to normal because…he feared that those emotions would also come swarming back, invading him. Just Sasuke's touch was enough to cause a thrill to run through his body. He feared that the moment they were able to talk again, the moment that Sasuke began to show those occasional, small yet warm smiles, Naruto would feel his heart speed up and he would want to have Sasuke by his side again. He would want Sasuke again.
It was a losing battle, wasn't it? He would miss Sasuke no matter what the circumstances, so at least he could try…suppressing his feelings and-
Suddenly, the automatic sprinklers were activated, snapping Naruto out of his musings when the intercom announced:
"There's a fire on the 5th floor-"
Blue eyes widened in terror.
"Repeat, there's a fire on the 5th floor. Do not approach the West Emergency Exit, repeat, there's a fire on the 5th floor. Please follow the signs or our staff to avoid confusion, this is not a drill, repeat-"
Flabbergasted, his feet were rooted to the spot as he was swept by waves of people running by him. Naruto continued to hear the announcement, though he no longer had the heart to properly pay attention to it. His only thought was:
Sasuke!
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Sasuke attempted to focus, clearly not comprehending the situation at hand. One second before he was still thinking about Naruto and contemplating any possible solution but suddenly he heard a deafening explosion; the intercom announcing a fire on the fifth floor, the sprinklers automatically activating and then he saw everyone running in desperation.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for him to realize the situation as he dashed, following the crowd. The fire spread at an alarming speed, burning the velvet curtains, mannequins and so on. Sasuke could see the stairs leading to the lower floors, he was almost there.
When he heard a soft cry.
A baby wailed loudly in distress,
Straining his ears, Sasuke turned back, identifying the voice of possibly a young girl. People bumped into him, but he managed to stay in place, listening and attempting to find the source.
But nothing, not even the pitiful coos from her mother would soothe the pain at this very moment. At any time, they could die. The earth shook as everyone was being engulfed by this utter feeling of helplessness, leaving him disoriented, removing his primitive notion of gravity and stripping the feeling of security away from him.
His legs were moving of their own accord, searching toward the sound of her voice as it increased until he saw a small girl crying, crouching in the middle of a circle of fire. Because he was taller, Sasuke could overstep the circle and get to her fairly easily and asked if she was alright.
The small girl simply nodded, hiccupping, as the brunet picked her up and began running back towards the exit. The fire around them escalated forcing Sasuke to circle around to see if there was any other way out.
He heard another yell, which the young girl responded to and cried, calling for her mother. A woman appeared; relieved to see her daughter unharmed though they were still blocked by a wall of fire.
Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke swiftly came to a decision. "I'm going to throw your daughter to you, then you must run directly to the nearest exit ok!"
Her mother answered. "But what about you?"
"I'll find a way. Get ready!" Sasuke grabbed her under the armpits and swung her a few times before he threw the small girl towards her mother's arms.
The mother caught her without difficulty and kissed her daughter's head, muttering. "I'm going to-"
"Go!" Sasuke glared, clearly communicating the urgency. He purposely turned his back to them and began seeking another path to escape. He barely heard the thanks from the mother as his eyes were straining to see a way out.
He ran down the corridor, everything burning and scattering around him. Sasuke started coughing from the smoke and lack of oxygen until he heard…one miraculous shout.
"Sasuke!"
What? Was the only coherent thought that came to mind when Sasuke mused that he was most probably hallucinating. He continued to run until he heard it again:
"Sasuke! Where are you?"
This time the brunet paid attention to the yell, trying to figure out which direction it was coming from when he saw Naruto running toward him, relief and concern plastered on his face.
"Sasuke-!"
Once the blond realized the fire was separating them, he prepared to spring towards it with a determined glower.
"Hey, don't do that you-"Sasuke warned when he saw Naruto running but it was too late, the latter had already jumped and landed next to him. "Are you fucking crazy you dumbass?!"
"I called you but you weren't answering your cell phone! I had to find you-!" Naruto declared heatedly, grabbing Sasuke's arm with considerable strength while he cupped his pale cheek with the other hand. "I had to make sure you were safe-"
Sasuke took a few seconds to savor the moment, trying to absorb Naruto's presence until he refocused on the issue. "We have to find a way to get out-"
"I know a way. Just come with me, I saw a nearby Emergency Exit that wasn't affected by the fire." Naruto assured him, clasping his hand as they ran towards it.
Swiftly, they found it and descended the stairs towards the lobby. They reached the door at the bottom floor, only to find that it was closed. Someone had probably shut it to avoid further spreading of the fire. Naruto was the first one to tug on the door to open it; however, it wouldn't budge.
"Fuck…I think the door is jammed." The blond concluded after a few minutes of trial and error.
"This can't be…" Sasuke also helped; however, even with their combined strength, the door didn't open.
They rested a minute to catch their breath while Naruto took out his phone, surprised that it still worked and hadn't melted. He was able to access the internet and read the latest news which he reported to Sasuke:
"It appears that there's a gas leak in one of the emergency exits. An employee lit a cigarette and the fire started from there. Unfortunately the exit was close to flammable items resulting in the fire catching and spreading quickly. Once the source of the fire is extinguished, firefighters on the scene are confident they'll be able to get the situation under control." Naruto rolled his eyes with an uneasy smile. "Well, at least this time we can be relatively sure we'll make it out alive after all this."
"I suppose…" Sasuke muttered back, sitting on the floor.
Naruto promptly called 911 for help, in which they guaranteed that the firefighters would rescue them as soon as possible. Once done, Naruto sat next to Sasuke, unable to look him in the eye; he opted to play with his cell phone.
An uncomfortable silence fell between them, Sasuke impatient that Naruto had returned to acting as if he were a stranger again. With a grunt, he straightened up and received a quirk of blond eyebrows.
"Where are you going?" Naruto asked.
"To the second or third floor. Since it's a focused fire, there's a good possibility that these floors are still intact and we can escape through there."
"Ok." Naruto also jumped, moving ahead. "Let's go to the second floor then."
Sasuke knew the reason Naruto wanted to get ahead of him - he wanted to avoid looking at Sasuke. Gritting his teeth, the brunet continued to climb the stairs until they reached the door to the second floor.
That was also jammed.
"What the fuck!" Naruto protested. "I know that this building is fucking old but seriously, do we really have such nasty luck in finding problems with every Emergency Exit?"
Sasuke snorted. "Considering that it's the second time that we've found ourselves in this type of dire situation in such a short time, I fervently believe that karma is enacting its revenge on you for your previous pranks from when you were a brat, dumbass."
Naruto snarled, his eyes glancing towards Sasuke's to deliver a nasty glare. "Heeey-as if you're any diff-"Once their gazes locked, Naruto immediately shut up and looked down, moving upstairs.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his hand closing into a fist. "What? End the sentence already."
"Nothing." Naruto muttered. "Anyways, we don't have time for this, maybe the third floor is availa-"
"If you really want to talk with me, turn around and face me then instead of cowardly avoiding my gaze." Sasuke said with a snappish tone.
Naruto paused, swallowing dryly. "What?"
"I said - stop avoiding me and fucking look at me dammit." Sasuke growled.
"…I don't know what you're talking about Bastard." Naruto grumbled to himself.
"I'm sick of this. Stop ignoring me already, I've had enough." Sasuke blurted out.
Naruto heard the upset tone beneath the caustic words as he closed his eyes in pain. However, what he chose to answer back was… "Sorry if I'm not giving enough attention to your royal highness, but I'm not in the mood to obey your every whim."
Sasuke tried not to recoil from that onslaught, though he used his pent up anger to expel more hurtful words. "What is wrong with you? You think you're superior to me? You're nothing but a retarded coward!"
"What?" Naruto shouted finally turning around with an angry glower.
"Then why aren't you calling me by my name? If you're not going to bother yourself to have any contact with me now, at least acknowledge me somehow!" Sasuke yelled.
Naruto snorted. "Do I really have to bow down and obey your arrogant ass? You already have tons of others to lick your shoes; I'm not going to give you the satisfaction just to soothe your gigantic ego!"
Sasuke glared furiously at Naruto, his graphite eyes flashing from barely contained rage. "You don't get it! You'll never understand this. That's what I should have expected from you, jumping out of this situation as fast as you jumped in with no sign of regret or-"Sasuke couldn't continue his speech because Naruto punched him squarely on the cheek.
With one hand cupping his bruised cheek, the brunet snarled and swiftly landed a painful jab on Naruto's stomach that made the blond cough in response and double over a little.
"You fucking Bastard!" Naruto growled, aiming another fist at the pale cheek though Sasuke ducked in time and punched his arm in return.
With a frustrated roar, Naruto head butted Sasuke, after which the latter made a painful shout, clutching his forehead as he lost his balance. Naruto used this momentum to straddle the brunet, one hand fisting his shirt and the other finally landing another punch to Sasuke's cheek. However, Sasuke freed himself by kneeing Naruto, changing positions as he finally made contact with Naruto's face, two subsequent blows - one to the cheek and one to the eyebrow that caused a trickle of blood to drip down on his blue eye, as he hastily wiped it to finally see Sasuke with much more clarity.
Shikamaru's words were ringing inside his head:
"…in the end your attraction is only based on the fact that you both made a mistake at the wrong time."
But was that really true? Naruto thought as he evaded another hit, aiming another punch but Sasuke caught his arm and tried to twist it. Naruto violently threw Sasuke's body on the nearest wall to free his arm, the gasps between them echoed through the deserted hallway.
If this was true…why am I still attracted to him after all this? Why has it only intensified, even after this long period of distancing myself from Sasuke?
"You don't really know him; you don't really understand his personality."
Naruto could hear the lonely feeling resonating behind Sasuke's angered words; however, deep inside he was too stubborn to yield…both were too stupidly stubborn to admit the feelings that were engulfing their hearts now…
The blond saw an opening and used this opportunity to punch Sasuke's chest, the strength of this hit forced Sasuke to stumble a few step backwards.
"It's just physical attraction; once you see his flaws everything will fall apart."
One swollen cheek, a sickening color of purple on the skin as well as several gashes across his face, Sasuke then rubbed at the blood dripping from his mouth, his eyes unleashing all the pent-up rage, an ugly scowl marring his usually handsome features. With a loud snarl showing his teeth in an almost animalistic manner, Sasuke stood again, stalking menacingly towards Naruto with a balled fist ready to fly.
Naruto quirked a grin with equaled insanity, thrilled that he was seeing one more side of Sasuke, sharing one more trait with him.
"And you're just doing this because it's the first time you're attracted to a guy. It's something different, something new."
It can't be anything different when we have so much in common…it can't be something new-
He had already seen it before … a long time ago, when Sasuke, he…
The first time Naruto met Sasuke, he saw the loneliness reflected in Sasuke's eyes, the same loneliness that haunted him relentlessly from time to time.
Which was why…I…
"Once this whole novelty wears off, you'll be left with nothing but disappointment."
They continued to trade punches until their muscles started to protest from overuse, bruises were stinging too painfully to be ignored. Their energy finally depleted, both sprawled haphazardly as they fought to catch their breath.
In this brief moment of peace, they took their time to gaze at each other in an entirely different way, almost like their previous violent exchange had washed away any resentment or pride between them.
Before Naruto could notice, his body moved on its own closer to Sasuke; he placed his forehead on the wall behind the brunet and stared purposefully down at him.
"You don't really like Sasuke Uchiha."
"Why…you fucking bastard, why do you have to complicate my life?" Naruto grimly murmured, increasing his voice. "Now…I can't…I can't-"
"So you better stop this…before it's-"
"IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE!" Naruto shouted, his eyes closed and his mouth turned down into a frown, few tears fell and slid onto Sasuke's face. "I can't fight this anymore; I can't remove you from my life! I can't stop thinking about you, I can't stop wanting you and FUCK…I wanted so much to hate you but I-"Sasuke grabbed the nape of his neck and sealed their lips into an aggressive kiss.
Startled, Naruto opened his mouth to recover his breath only to have it be stolen by Sasuke's tongue mercilessly invading his mouth. And he didn't waste any time exploring inside, tasting Naruto and ravishing his mouth between licks and bites.
It didn't take long for Naruto to actively reciprocate as he ruthlessly pushed Sasuke to the wall, entrapping him with his body and with a growl, he kissed him fully on his lips, pulling his lower lip with his teeth and releasing with another gentler bite. With one hand caressing Naruto's back, Sasuke entangled their tongues and tugged Naruto closer to him, their heated bodies moving together in a sensual dance.
Naruto yanked Sasuke's shirt up to let his fingers feel all the bumps and ridges of his ribcage beneath warm skin, until Sasuke hissed in pain, his hand tightening in Naruto's hair. Naruto noticed that there was a bruise where he touched, so he gently kissed his way to Sasuke's jaw and licked away the last residue of his blood, as a form of apology. In response, Sasuke quickly kissed his wounded eyebrow, before he returned to devour Naruto's swollen lips, gradually slowing the pace to a more leisurely one. The blond continued to touch Sasuke's torso with feathery strokes, eliciting a gasp from Sasuke when he flicked a pink nipple with his fingers.
At some point, maybe due to their cautious movements to avoid each other's more tender spots, their passionate and fiery groping slowly dwindled to a more intimate and personal fire between them. Sasuke's head was throbbing, split apart by the dual sensations of pain from his swollen cheek and the pleasant feeling of Naruto's moist lips moving sensually with his own. Fortunately, Naruto let his fingers comb Sasuke's dark hair, cooling his forehead a bit. Their heated kisses lessened, the intervals between each nibble grew until they became soft teasing nips, finally ending with a soft peck.
They gradually opened their eyes in synch, their breaths coming out in short pants. Naruto held Sasuke's head securely while the latter rested one of his arms on a tanned shoulder, caressing the tanned neck. Their gazes locked for an indefinite moment, minds racing from all the emerging emotions until his were absorbed by Naruto's blue eyes. He shifted closer, angling his head as both of them closed their eyelids, lips touching in one chaste kiss that was more intense and overwhelming than any of the previous ones.
After some time, Naruto's tongue slowly slid over the seam of Sasuke's lips as the brunet readily opened his mouth to grant access, moaning from the heady intrusion. Naruto delved deeper, lips tenderly moving, coaxing Sasuke to react as intimately as he felt. With a groan, mouths reattached in a lengthy kiss that maintained the passion first encountered between them, but its simplicity implied a shared and enduring affection. This emotion surged in Sasuke's heart until he felt it would burst leaving him completely breathless. Naruto was feeling light-headed and delirious, completely addicted to Sasuke's unique taste, scent and presence.
With one last kiss, their faces pulled back enough to provide a reasonable distance between them. Blue eyes brightened in clarity as Naruto reached an epiphany, cupping Sasuke's cheeks:
"Sasuke…"Naruto rasped, his voice hoarse from all the emotions surrounding him. "…I…"
Onyx eyes widened in alarm, his heartbeat thudding so fast in his ribcage and wound up acting on the first idea that came to mind.
"We should go." Sasuke said, unable to completely eliminate the husky tone in his voice.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked bewildered, lost from the sudden interruption.
"I heard some voices, it's probably the firefighters that have come to rescue us. Let's go." This time, it was Sasuke who couldn't look Naruto in the eye, afraid that he would again see hurt emanating from his sapphire eyes.
However, Naruto was still working out his feelings that were brimming out of control and only responded meekly. "You're right…let's go."
They walked back toward the lower floors in silence. The whole experience now seemed surreal and this apparent calm made a strong contrast with the events that had happened only minutes ago. But this silence only served as a curtain that thinly cloaked their current passionate and conflicting emotions, leaving them befuddled, too out of it to properly confront those feelings at the present moment.
Once the firefighters found them and they exited the building, the medics separated them for examination; Sasuke couldn't stop staring at Naruto and wondered to himself:
What the hell just happened?
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AN: Another disaster happened…and I hope that it won't ever ever ever ever happen in real life, because if it does I swear to all dear Gods that I'm gonna kill myself. *cries*
The first (and last) explanation about a landmark from NY. Lol, and sadly, I've never been in Harry Winston, so while I'm almost 100% sure that I wrote the place incorrectly, I couldn't…find how many floors and where the departments are located in the building. So I'm already apologizing in advance. *sigh*
http://www.harrywinston.com/
Now, before people bring up the improbability of how the fire etc. plays out …well, I have my specialties, which involve finding weird things of Japan and writing NarSas bickering but writing about fires…is definitely not my specialty. *cough cough*
On another note, Dákkar, an awesome friend and awesome artist drew this mini-doujinshi based on the 11th chapter:
http://dakkar-h.deviantart.com/art/RC-Report-11-213284465
I'm so so so so soooooo happy for this tribute! *wide grin* Please go check out not only this awesome comic but her whole gallery because she's just that special and a talented artist! *hugs her tightly*
Second, I think it's time to tell everyone that this fic is going to end. Soon. More specifically, there are only 3 more chapters and that will be all. Errr…to tell the truth, I'm kinda relieved that I'm ending this, because I gotta admit that having the plot polluting your mind when you're supposed to be writing your Master's thesis is not a good thing…ya know? XD *tongue in cheek*
Now onto potentially less… positive news. The reason I'm updating this chapter so quickly is because I want to pause writing this fic for a while and concentrate on my older ones. Lately I'm feeling that I should finish the old ones as some sort of mission that I have to accomplish and…yeah, I can't explain. :b I promise that once I'm done, we(me and my beta) will work on and publish the 13th chapter as soon as possible.
Thanks everyone for your support and…um…please review…? *puppy dog eyes*
Author: Fourangers
Rating: M
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Wordcount: 8.150 words.
Summary: "Oh crap." Muttered the blond. Sometimes, there's something worse than one-night stands. It's called we're-doing-this-because-we're-going-to-die-tomorrow desperate sex. Too bad they didn't in the end. NaruSasu.
Betareaded by the ever so patient belledragon . Kids, if you want to escape unharmed after writing so many grammatical mistakes, look for her ok? *evil laughter* Errr....*rises a tall barricade just in case*
List of Chapters
Report 12: In the end…we…
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Shikamaru knew the name of that feeling.
It wasn't too difficult, when he also had a relationship of his own. He could understand the burgeoning emotions, to be vulnerable and invincible at the same time, the insatiable desire to be next to that person all the time.
He also understood the implications that went with those feelings. He knew the condescending looks from Temari's relatives, everyone judging their relationship. The subtle jabs, the way Temari's father would stare down at him with contempt as his social standing was considered beneath them. Everyone disapproved of them based on superficial points of view, unable to overlook social status or upbringing. It was unfair, looking at human relationships with such a narrowed point of view that couldn't get past pre-conceived judgments.
But even through those trials, for Shikamaru it was worth it because Temari was at his side. She made everything much more bearable, supporting him, fighting as hard as he to show that there wasn't anything to be ashamed of. Temari helped him to believe in a better future, one that even if they didn't succeed in convincing others, they still had each other.
That's why he feared what Naruto would face if he validated his feelings towards Sasuke. It was one thing to deal with a small number of arrogant people, and an entirely other to have to confront public scrutiny, especially considering such an uptight society as the Japanese.
Above all, there wasn't any sign of reciprocation coming from Sasuke. Naruto admitted that the Uchiha had already rejected him; all the signs were showing that everything would go downhill if he persisted. In addition Sasuke didn't appear to be prepared for this sort of relationship, as Temari mentioned that he had little to no emotional attachment to his previous partners. And again, considering that he hid his sexual preferences and Naruto couldn't lie, it was even more likely that Sasuke wasn't truly interested in his friend. Without any sort of support from Sasuke, there wasn't any reason to prolong this suffering right?
And although Naruto looked like some sort of zombie every time Shikamaru saw him, dragging his feet with each step, losing his concentration, his mind basically in la la land, at least Shikamaru thought that it was better than engaging in a losing battle. What he was feeling was probably in the early stages, so there was a good chance that he would heal and recover without too much difficulty and sooner than later.
In the next few days Sasuke Uchiha would arrive in New York for their last sets of meetings. In the meantime Naruto would have to reorganize his present projects and assign them to other staff, so he could travel back to Tokyo and fully supervise Mitsukoshi's construction. Once there, there wouldn't be any need for formal meetings with the Uchiha since he could give short updates or inform him through e-mails.
That meant these meetings would be critical for Naruto. Unless Sasuke suddenly changed his mind, this would be the last confrontation to address whatever this was between them and decide it once and for all.
He just hoped that it wouldn't turn out ugly in the end…
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Sasuke stared at the tall skyscrapers passing by from beyond his car window, his expression impassive even though his mind was in turmoil. Five days had passed since his last encounter with Naruto. Cursing his hectic schedule, he couldn't book an earlier flight so he could talk to Naruto because he couldn't postpone any of those meetings that were put off the day he spent playing 'tour guide' to the blond in Tokyo. Who'd have thought things would've ended that way…onyx eyes sharpened to concentrate on the issue, hoping that by now, Naruto's rage had simmered down.
His distressed thoughts kept gnawing at his brain the entire way there, wondering what Naruto's possible reactions might be once they met again though the brunet was determined to do anything to amend the ties between them. For some reason Sasuke couldn't bring himself to call Naruto or contact him in any way, fearing that unless he met him face to face, he wouldn't be able to convey his thoughts properly. Usually, he could come up with a sure strategy or speech to convince otherwise, however this time…he fell into a difficult situation. How to explain?
"Even though it's obvious we're attracted to each other, I don't want to have any relationship aside friendship with you." Sasuke winced at his choice of words. It sounded phony even to himself. However, the absence of Naruto in his daily life had unexpectedly unbalanced him. His heart grew heavier and weary, thirsty for some rays of light to pump more life inside him.
Though on the one hand, he disliked the increasing rush of feelings that Naruto provoked in him like first fissures in his impenetrable fortress, he also disliked these feelings of vulnerability, attachment, dependency. The porcelain mask had cracked under Naruto's touch, fingers reaching out to warm his skin. He hated seeing his defenses being stripped away, his heart exposed and available to be harmed at any opportune moment.
Sasuke wanted Naruto's companionship…but he despised the idea of being emotionally intimate with anyone. He knew that he was being unfair; considering the blonde's feelings but Naruto should-no, had to understand that this was the only way that this would work between them.
How he was also going to convince his heart that those were separate issues would be something that Sasuke would deal with later.
The Uchiha quickly strode inside the office's entrance, barely giving a nod to the receptionist. Everyone was used to his presence after his numerous visits and he could freely move around without anyone politely interrupting him, asking if he needed anything. They knew Sasuke would be looking for Naruto, so the brunet went to his floor in search of him. At this moment everyone aside from the receptionists was out to lunch, leaving the whole office free. He immediately dismissed the idea of waiting in the conference room for Naruto as he knew he would easily avoid their conversation to concentrate on the project, so the best way would be to find him beforehand and talk to him before he had the chance to barricade himself behind his defenses.
It wasn't difficult to find Naruto working at his table; Sasuke had effortlessly learned its location after a couple of visits. The blond still hadn't noticed his presence yet, his cerulean eyes fully engrossed on the computer screen, the electronic pen drawing swift strokes on its surface. Sasuke smiled a little bit gazing at Naruto, always fascinated with this facet that the blond exhibited once in a while, the usually bright eyes completely focused, reflecting the passion he had on his work. What he didn't notice was that Shikamaru was still inside the office, observing them from afar in a pensive state, until he cleared his throat and yelled:
"Naruto!"
Naruto turned around with a questionable glance and his friend pointed forward. Bewildered, the blond raised his head till both gazes met, eyes widening. Sasuke's heartbeat immediately quickened; he was startled by this unusual reaction. With a sigh, Shikamaru picked up his wallet and walked towards them, as it appeared that he was also going outside to have his lunch. Once he was close enough to his blond friend, he patted Naruto's shoulder before bowing respectfully to Sasuke and exited the building.
The Uchiha was still attempting to find his ground, trying to find the words to formulate a coherent thought, but before he could open his mouth, Naruto said instead:
"What are you doing here?" His tone was equally torn and remorseful, Sasuke attempted not to recoil in response, his expression hardening.
"What are you talking about; you should know that we have a meeting to-"Even beneath words of apparent nonchalance, Sasuke couldn't curb the subtle bitterness in his voice.
"I know we have a meeting." Naruto interrupted. "What I'm asking is why you are here, instead of waiting for me in the conference room." The blond avoided eye contact by staring at his monitor.
This time, Sasuke couldn't suppress his shock before changing to disappointment. The message was clear; Naruto didn't want his presence there. "I wanted to talk…about the last time we-"
"No need to." The blond architect interrupted again. "I get it."
He could find no words, making the silence between them unbearable, until Sasuke said hesitantly. "…what?"
"I understood you. The moment that you said no…I could see it - that you were getting ready to reject me." Naruto spoke, his eyes still fixed on the computer. "You don't want to get involved with me right?"
Sasuke was straining his brain to come up with any retort that would appease the blond, even though what Naruto was saying was nothing short of the truth. He needed to escape from the oppressive atmosphere, he had to-Sasuke answered. "I didn't-exactly, it's different. I…"
"So don't worry about it. I'm done." Naruto continued his speech unfazed. "I'm not going to pursue you any longer, you can be rest assured. Even though the one who started that whole…misunderstanding…was you." Blue eyes quickly flickered to show a wounded glance before glancing back again, staring at the monitor. "At first I thought that you found me as some sort of comfort until you realized-…anyways, it's also my fault for being too intrusive."
"…You weren't…any…" Sasuke mumbled, unable to keep his cool. This response was actually what he was hoping for, but on the other hand it sounded so different from what he really wanted. It felt like he was losing something extremely important.
"I'm not going to bother you from now on…I'm not going to insist if I'm making you uneasy. I've trespassed over your personal boundaries; I promise I won't do that again." Naruto concluded, his voice sounding so impersonal, so cold, so unlikely to be his.
The blond sighed, placing the pen on the desk and raising his head at last to let his blue eyes meet Sasuke's. The brunet inhaled sharply, there laid in front of him a small smile of reconciliation quirking on Naruto's lips. However, unlike his usual wide grins, this smile was guarded and distant. It served as a barrier in which Sasuke couldn't find a way to breach. A cold feeling now had completely settled in, leaving him feeling chilled to the bone.
"You don't have to wait here, I'll be done quickly. Just go to the conference room ok? I'll ask one of our secretaries to bring you some coffee." Naruto continued to stare at Sasuke, waiting for any sort of agreement.
Onyx eyes looked down, trying to suppress any sort of anger or resentfulness. But what really came out was a pained tone. "…okay. If that's how you want it." Sasuke muttered.
With a short nod, Naruto silently picked up his electronic pen and returned his attention to the monitor. Sasuke could barely breathe from the gravity of the situation, and for the first time between them; the air became stagnant and unyielding.
Naruto was fully focused on drawing some plan, no longer raising his eyes to see Sasuke. If the blond had, he would've noticed Sasuke looking so vulnerable that it ached. His lips hesitated in forming the words, until he said softly, his voice too weak for Naruto to notice it:
"Can we…can we at least stay as fr…" The last sentence gradually died out, he was unable to continue further on.
With one swift movement to hide his remorse, Sasuke turned around and exited the room.
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This was a nightmare. Sasuke hated to admit, but Naruto's change of attitude was absolute torture for him.
First of all, Naruto stopped arriving late for their meetings. Actually, for every meeting scheduled, he was already waiting for Sasuke, thus limiting the chances to talk about any subject that wasn't regarding the project. For the whole week, whenever Sasuke tried to find a moment to approach Naruto, the latter would keep his distance, acting professionally polite and impersonal.
For some reason, the other chief architect, Nara Shikamaru, checked in on their meetings more frequently in comparison to the past ones, with a scrutinizing inspection that frankly, irritated him quite a bit. What gave Nara the right to judge whatever was happening between him and Naruto and who said that he had permission to influence something that didn't involve him? Because Sasuke could detect the way Nara was silently disapproving of their interaction and also the moments when he would ask Naruto if everything was alright, prompted Naruto to readjust and increase the gap between them, which did not sit well with Sasuke.
And seeing the friendly banter between Naruto and Shikamaru built up his frustration even further. Naruto treated everyone, from his staff to Sarutobi in the same open way he used to treat Sasuke a few weeks ago, and the Uchiha was reduced to become one of the many clients the blond architect had to deal with every day. It became almost pitiful when Sasuke began to envy anyone who received that treatment from Naruto. It's not like Naruto treated him badly, but all the teasing remarks, the closeness, his laughs and wide beamed smiles - everything vanished into thin air.
It was as if every previous moment that they had together had been simply erased from existence.
The worst part of it all was that Naruto didn't seem to be as affected by it in comparison to Sasuke. If anything, the blond was doing everything to minimize their contact as much as possible. Sasuke was approaching the end of his rope. He slowly came to realize just how much he used to feel at ease around Naruto. How Naruto allowed him to act as Sasuke, not as Uchiha that everyone feared and respected. It was only with Naruto that he had the freedom to express or share his personal feelings, a fact that had never happened before, even around his old colleagues or childhood acquaintances.
Naruto was his first close friend. But now…now…all of a sudden, Sasuke had lost the privilege, thrown again into his personal darkness, wandering lost and feeling almost hopeless. He had never felt so lonely in his life.
He had lost this bond with Naruto…obviously because other meddling emotions had been mixed in, complicating everything. If only they hadn't acted so foolishly on the night of the earthquake. Then, Naruto wouldn't feel conflicted and Sasuke would still have his friend. Naruto wouldn't have the need to distance himself.
God, Naruto no longer called Sasuke by his name…
Every day was becoming increasingly unbearable. Also hearing news of Itachi's return and the subsequent rumors about his reinstatement inside the Uchiha Corporation made him feel even worse. Neither his father nor his mother commented on Sasuke's recent behavior over this news, while Sasuke took it upon himself to avoid a quarrel. Naruto basically ignored his existence…Sasuke wondered to himself how he managed to keep his sanity in check when everything was going so against him.
However, he'd never admit defeat; he'd have Naruto back at his side no matter what it took…
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The days passed excruciatingly slowly; however, before Sasuke really noticed, they had reached the last day of their series of meetings in NY. No significant development had happened. Naruto had successfully controlled his temper and kept his feelings in check, no matter how much Sasuke taunted or coaxed him to try and provoke any kind of reaction that was more like the blond. Sasuke knew that afterwards there would be no need for any further long meetings, and he knew Naruto would be occupied with the construction of Mitsukoshi, so the best chance to say something was now.
"This is it for today. It'll take a few weeks to organize the transfer of other projects before I can get back to Tokyo to personally supervise Mitsukoshi." Naruto said, turning off the computer. "I'll contact you once I've made those arrangements."
"Naruto." Sasuke called, as the blond turned around to face him. "I wanted…to talk with you."
Sapphire eyes gradually put their defenses up as Naruto responded. "Yes? You have any concerns about the material, sponsors or anything like that?"
The brunet shook his head as he approached him. "No I just wanted to-"His cell phone suddenly beeped, startling both young men. From the ring tone Sasuke knew it was his father, so he answered it with a soft sigh.
"Yes, father?"
"Are you still in the meeting with Uzumaki-kun in NY?" Fugaku asked.
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"I thought you knew about the important event that was happening today." Fugaku said sternly.
"Hopefully it's not something related to Itachi." Sasuke thought to himself but answered. "I'm sorry father, but I don't know what event you're talking about."
"Your mother. You know that she was attempting to run for President of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women; she was nominated today."
Sasuke cursed to himself. He had been so distracted about Naruto that he forgot everything else. "I see. Tell mother that I'm happy that she succeeded."
"I will. But please return as soon as possible so we can celebrate." Fugaku answered. "Itachi is also here. We're looking forward to having our family all back together."
Sasuke controlled the bile threatening to rise in his throat and muttered. "I see. I'll see you soon then."He hung up and continued his musings. Meeting his brother after so many long years… was going to be a pain.
Nevertheless, he should ignore this annoyance for a while and concentrate on figuring out a gift to purchase for his mother, a small token of appreciation of how much her son was truly happy she achieved such an accomplishment. However, his mother was a woman with simple tastes…she disliked wearing a lot of accessories, even if she appreciated elegant jewelry. Sasuke most probably wouldn't have the time to search Narita's airport, his best bet was to find something in New York. Unfortunately, he didn't know the city well, so he didn't know where he should look for the ideal present for his mother.
"Is there a problem?" This question cut off Sasuke's line of thought as he raised his gaze to meet Naruto's. The blond looked concerned; the emotion reflected in his eyes brought indescribable relief to Sasuke.
The brunet answered readily. "My mother won an important nomination and I want to buy a small present for her. Do you know any place that sells tasteful jewelry?"
Naruto mused for a while. "Does your mother have a preference for any brand or any artisan?"
Sasuke shook his head. "No…not that I'm aware of."
"There's Tiffanys, one of the most prestigious store in New York…"
Sasuke answered. "No, not Tiffanys. She already has a number of pieces given to her by my father from there."
"Then…um. I'll ask one of my colleagues if they know of anywhere else." Naruto said picking up his cell phone, searching for a name and asking for information. Sasuke stared as the blond moved around, turning off the phone and asking some others to help him out. He couldn't believe his luck that Naruto still had the heart to be worried about him, but there was this small dreadful feeling haunting the back of his mind that he was only doing this because Sasuke was an Uchiha.
After Naruto hung up, he told Sasuke. "There's a famous designer called Harry Winston, who's designed pieces for royalty such as Queen Elizabeth II and also some for many prestigious Hollywood actresses. Would this be ok then?"
Sasuke nodded in agreement; he was aware of Harry Winston since there was a store in Ginza. The blond wrote the address on a piece of paper and gave it to Sasuke and then stood up.
"Well, good luck. I should also get going-"Naruto turned around in the direction of the door and Sasuke felt shivers of panic, his hand involuntarily rising and reaching out to the blond-
"Go with me." He said with his fingers tightly grasping Naruto's arm. Naruto turned back to glance curiously at Sasuke, the movement twisted his shirt as Sasuke loosened his hold.
"Why?" Naruto enquired.
"I…" Sasuke glanced sideways, trying to come up with a good excuse. "Unfortunately I'm traveling by limousine which will attract a lot of unnecessary attention from the press or onlookers. I wanted to look for my mother's present without any nagging reporter photographing me and invading my privacy. It would be better if I can go in a regular car, if you don't mind driving? So please…" Sasuke tightened his fingers once again. "Go with me?"
Naruto kept an unreadable expression as he thought about Sasuke's request. He took a step backward, releasing Sasuke's hold on his arm as he fixed his gaze to the ground. He mumbled. "I have other meetings to attend today, so I don't think I have the time for it."
Sasuke felt desperation invade his body, cold sweat running down his spine. It was over. Naruto had rejected him and this was the last time-
"Wait here." Naruto opened the door.
Onyx eyes blinked confused. "What?"
"I'll ask Shikamaru to attend those meetings for me and will have to explain the situation to him. I'll just be a few minutes and then we'll be able to go." Naruto said quietly. "Wait here ok?"
Sasuke just nodded numbly, watching the blond walk down the corridor and meet his friend who stood there. Whatever explanation Naruto gave to Nara (his back was facing Sasuke), the dark-haired architect disapproved of it, if his facial expression showing distaste was any indication. He argued about something to Naruto, to which the latter replied with an awkward rub on the back of his neck that somehow made his friend give up without any further discussion.
Once they were done, Naruto approached Sasuke with a softened smile, though the Uchiha couldn't help but notice Shikamaru's frown before the latter rolled his eyes with a sigh and returned to his desk.
"Sa-"Naruto closed his mouth and corrected. "Well, let's go."
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During the short trip, the air between them was still tense and awkward, but at least it wasn't as bad as on the previous days. Naruto would occasionally explain important sites while Sasuke would nod in response, as the brunet couldn't start any conversation on his own. Once they arrived at the store, they searched the type of jewelry Sasuke was interested in and found it was located on the 5th floor. Sasuke pressed the corresponding button in the elevator but once they reached the floor, Naruto said hesitantly.
"Well, once you're done, just call me and I'll drive you back to the airport."
"…you're not going with me?" Sasuke asked, mildly disappointed. Naruto avoided eye contact.
"Yeah…I…um…have some things to do around the neighborhood-"They heard the ding of the elevator indicating that it was going down. "I'll see you later."
The blond briefly waved his hand as the door closed. Once Naruto reached the lobby, he exhaled a heavy sigh and slumped against the nearest wall. He stayed in that position for a while, his eyes distant and lost in thought. He dragged his feet towards the nearest pillar and, ignoring the bewildered glances and onlookers, softly banged his head repeatedly on it.
"Stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid…" Naruto sighed once more, placing his forehead on the cold surface. Why did he have to chicken out at the last second? He wanted them to return to the old days, even if this meant killing his deeper feelings in the long run. He ached for Sasuke's silent companionship, their teasing bickering, his sincere but subtle care, his presence. Sasuke was the only one Naruto could expose his dark self to with ease, the only one that could sympathize and identify with him in the end. He missed talking with Sasuke.
He missed Sasuke.
However, throughout the whole week, Naruto avoided returning to normal because…he feared that those emotions would also come swarming back, invading him. Just Sasuke's touch was enough to cause a thrill to run through his body. He feared that the moment they were able to talk again, the moment that Sasuke began to show those occasional, small yet warm smiles, Naruto would feel his heart speed up and he would want to have Sasuke by his side again. He would want Sasuke again.
It was a losing battle, wasn't it? He would miss Sasuke no matter what the circumstances, so at least he could try…suppressing his feelings and-
Suddenly, the automatic sprinklers were activated, snapping Naruto out of his musings when the intercom announced:
"There's a fire on the 5th floor-"
Blue eyes widened in terror.
"Repeat, there's a fire on the 5th floor. Do not approach the West Emergency Exit, repeat, there's a fire on the 5th floor. Please follow the signs or our staff to avoid confusion, this is not a drill, repeat-"
Flabbergasted, his feet were rooted to the spot as he was swept by waves of people running by him. Naruto continued to hear the announcement, though he no longer had the heart to properly pay attention to it. His only thought was:
Sasuke!
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Sasuke attempted to focus, clearly not comprehending the situation at hand. One second before he was still thinking about Naruto and contemplating any possible solution but suddenly he heard a deafening explosion; the intercom announcing a fire on the fifth floor, the sprinklers automatically activating and then he saw everyone running in desperation.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for him to realize the situation as he dashed, following the crowd. The fire spread at an alarming speed, burning the velvet curtains, mannequins and so on. Sasuke could see the stairs leading to the lower floors, he was almost there.
When he heard a soft cry.
A baby wailed loudly in distress,
Straining his ears, Sasuke turned back, identifying the voice of possibly a young girl. People bumped into him, but he managed to stay in place, listening and attempting to find the source.
But nothing, not even the pitiful coos from her mother would soothe the pain at this very moment. At any time, they could die. The earth shook as everyone was being engulfed by this utter feeling of helplessness, leaving him disoriented, removing his primitive notion of gravity and stripping the feeling of security away from him.
His legs were moving of their own accord, searching toward the sound of her voice as it increased until he saw a small girl crying, crouching in the middle of a circle of fire. Because he was taller, Sasuke could overstep the circle and get to her fairly easily and asked if she was alright.
The small girl simply nodded, hiccupping, as the brunet picked her up and began running back towards the exit. The fire around them escalated forcing Sasuke to circle around to see if there was any other way out.
He heard another yell, which the young girl responded to and cried, calling for her mother. A woman appeared; relieved to see her daughter unharmed though they were still blocked by a wall of fire.
Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke swiftly came to a decision. "I'm going to throw your daughter to you, then you must run directly to the nearest exit ok!"
Her mother answered. "But what about you?"
"I'll find a way. Get ready!" Sasuke grabbed her under the armpits and swung her a few times before he threw the small girl towards her mother's arms.
The mother caught her without difficulty and kissed her daughter's head, muttering. "I'm going to-"
"Go!" Sasuke glared, clearly communicating the urgency. He purposely turned his back to them and began seeking another path to escape. He barely heard the thanks from the mother as his eyes were straining to see a way out.
He ran down the corridor, everything burning and scattering around him. Sasuke started coughing from the smoke and lack of oxygen until he heard…one miraculous shout.
"Sasuke!"
What? Was the only coherent thought that came to mind when Sasuke mused that he was most probably hallucinating. He continued to run until he heard it again:
"Sasuke! Where are you?"
This time the brunet paid attention to the yell, trying to figure out which direction it was coming from when he saw Naruto running toward him, relief and concern plastered on his face.
"Sasuke-!"
Once the blond realized the fire was separating them, he prepared to spring towards it with a determined glower.
"Hey, don't do that you-"Sasuke warned when he saw Naruto running but it was too late, the latter had already jumped and landed next to him. "Are you fucking crazy you dumbass?!"
"I called you but you weren't answering your cell phone! I had to find you-!" Naruto declared heatedly, grabbing Sasuke's arm with considerable strength while he cupped his pale cheek with the other hand. "I had to make sure you were safe-"
Sasuke took a few seconds to savor the moment, trying to absorb Naruto's presence until he refocused on the issue. "We have to find a way to get out-"
"I know a way. Just come with me, I saw a nearby Emergency Exit that wasn't affected by the fire." Naruto assured him, clasping his hand as they ran towards it.
Swiftly, they found it and descended the stairs towards the lobby. They reached the door at the bottom floor, only to find that it was closed. Someone had probably shut it to avoid further spreading of the fire. Naruto was the first one to tug on the door to open it; however, it wouldn't budge.
"Fuck…I think the door is jammed." The blond concluded after a few minutes of trial and error.
"This can't be…" Sasuke also helped; however, even with their combined strength, the door didn't open.
They rested a minute to catch their breath while Naruto took out his phone, surprised that it still worked and hadn't melted. He was able to access the internet and read the latest news which he reported to Sasuke:
"It appears that there's a gas leak in one of the emergency exits. An employee lit a cigarette and the fire started from there. Unfortunately the exit was close to flammable items resulting in the fire catching and spreading quickly. Once the source of the fire is extinguished, firefighters on the scene are confident they'll be able to get the situation under control." Naruto rolled his eyes with an uneasy smile. "Well, at least this time we can be relatively sure we'll make it out alive after all this."
"I suppose…" Sasuke muttered back, sitting on the floor.
Naruto promptly called 911 for help, in which they guaranteed that the firefighters would rescue them as soon as possible. Once done, Naruto sat next to Sasuke, unable to look him in the eye; he opted to play with his cell phone.
An uncomfortable silence fell between them, Sasuke impatient that Naruto had returned to acting as if he were a stranger again. With a grunt, he straightened up and received a quirk of blond eyebrows.
"Where are you going?" Naruto asked.
"To the second or third floor. Since it's a focused fire, there's a good possibility that these floors are still intact and we can escape through there."
"Ok." Naruto also jumped, moving ahead. "Let's go to the second floor then."
Sasuke knew the reason Naruto wanted to get ahead of him - he wanted to avoid looking at Sasuke. Gritting his teeth, the brunet continued to climb the stairs until they reached the door to the second floor.
That was also jammed.
"What the fuck!" Naruto protested. "I know that this building is fucking old but seriously, do we really have such nasty luck in finding problems with every Emergency Exit?"
Sasuke snorted. "Considering that it's the second time that we've found ourselves in this type of dire situation in such a short time, I fervently believe that karma is enacting its revenge on you for your previous pranks from when you were a brat, dumbass."
Naruto snarled, his eyes glancing towards Sasuke's to deliver a nasty glare. "Heeey-as if you're any diff-"Once their gazes locked, Naruto immediately shut up and looked down, moving upstairs.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his hand closing into a fist. "What? End the sentence already."
"Nothing." Naruto muttered. "Anyways, we don't have time for this, maybe the third floor is availa-"
"If you really want to talk with me, turn around and face me then instead of cowardly avoiding my gaze." Sasuke said with a snappish tone.
Naruto paused, swallowing dryly. "What?"
"I said - stop avoiding me and fucking look at me dammit." Sasuke growled.
"…I don't know what you're talking about Bastard." Naruto grumbled to himself.
"I'm sick of this. Stop ignoring me already, I've had enough." Sasuke blurted out.
Naruto heard the upset tone beneath the caustic words as he closed his eyes in pain. However, what he chose to answer back was… "Sorry if I'm not giving enough attention to your royal highness, but I'm not in the mood to obey your every whim."
Sasuke tried not to recoil from that onslaught, though he used his pent up anger to expel more hurtful words. "What is wrong with you? You think you're superior to me? You're nothing but a retarded coward!"
"What?" Naruto shouted finally turning around with an angry glower.
"Then why aren't you calling me by my name? If you're not going to bother yourself to have any contact with me now, at least acknowledge me somehow!" Sasuke yelled.
Naruto snorted. "Do I really have to bow down and obey your arrogant ass? You already have tons of others to lick your shoes; I'm not going to give you the satisfaction just to soothe your gigantic ego!"
Sasuke glared furiously at Naruto, his graphite eyes flashing from barely contained rage. "You don't get it! You'll never understand this. That's what I should have expected from you, jumping out of this situation as fast as you jumped in with no sign of regret or-"Sasuke couldn't continue his speech because Naruto punched him squarely on the cheek.
With one hand cupping his bruised cheek, the brunet snarled and swiftly landed a painful jab on Naruto's stomach that made the blond cough in response and double over a little.
"You fucking Bastard!" Naruto growled, aiming another fist at the pale cheek though Sasuke ducked in time and punched his arm in return.
With a frustrated roar, Naruto head butted Sasuke, after which the latter made a painful shout, clutching his forehead as he lost his balance. Naruto used this momentum to straddle the brunet, one hand fisting his shirt and the other finally landing another punch to Sasuke's cheek. However, Sasuke freed himself by kneeing Naruto, changing positions as he finally made contact with Naruto's face, two subsequent blows - one to the cheek and one to the eyebrow that caused a trickle of blood to drip down on his blue eye, as he hastily wiped it to finally see Sasuke with much more clarity.
Shikamaru's words were ringing inside his head:
"…in the end your attraction is only based on the fact that you both made a mistake at the wrong time."
But was that really true? Naruto thought as he evaded another hit, aiming another punch but Sasuke caught his arm and tried to twist it. Naruto violently threw Sasuke's body on the nearest wall to free his arm, the gasps between them echoed through the deserted hallway.
If this was true…why am I still attracted to him after all this? Why has it only intensified, even after this long period of distancing myself from Sasuke?
"You don't really know him; you don't really understand his personality."
Naruto could hear the lonely feeling resonating behind Sasuke's angered words; however, deep inside he was too stubborn to yield…both were too stupidly stubborn to admit the feelings that were engulfing their hearts now…
The blond saw an opening and used this opportunity to punch Sasuke's chest, the strength of this hit forced Sasuke to stumble a few step backwards.
"It's just physical attraction; once you see his flaws everything will fall apart."
One swollen cheek, a sickening color of purple on the skin as well as several gashes across his face, Sasuke then rubbed at the blood dripping from his mouth, his eyes unleashing all the pent-up rage, an ugly scowl marring his usually handsome features. With a loud snarl showing his teeth in an almost animalistic manner, Sasuke stood again, stalking menacingly towards Naruto with a balled fist ready to fly.
Naruto quirked a grin with equaled insanity, thrilled that he was seeing one more side of Sasuke, sharing one more trait with him.
"And you're just doing this because it's the first time you're attracted to a guy. It's something different, something new."
It can't be anything different when we have so much in common…it can't be something new-
He had already seen it before … a long time ago, when Sasuke, he…
The first time Naruto met Sasuke, he saw the loneliness reflected in Sasuke's eyes, the same loneliness that haunted him relentlessly from time to time.
Which was why…I…
"Once this whole novelty wears off, you'll be left with nothing but disappointment."
They continued to trade punches until their muscles started to protest from overuse, bruises were stinging too painfully to be ignored. Their energy finally depleted, both sprawled haphazardly as they fought to catch their breath.
In this brief moment of peace, they took their time to gaze at each other in an entirely different way, almost like their previous violent exchange had washed away any resentment or pride between them.
Before Naruto could notice, his body moved on its own closer to Sasuke; he placed his forehead on the wall behind the brunet and stared purposefully down at him.
"You don't really like Sasuke Uchiha."
"Why…you fucking bastard, why do you have to complicate my life?" Naruto grimly murmured, increasing his voice. "Now…I can't…I can't-"
"So you better stop this…before it's-"
"IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE!" Naruto shouted, his eyes closed and his mouth turned down into a frown, few tears fell and slid onto Sasuke's face. "I can't fight this anymore; I can't remove you from my life! I can't stop thinking about you, I can't stop wanting you and FUCK…I wanted so much to hate you but I-"Sasuke grabbed the nape of his neck and sealed their lips into an aggressive kiss.
Startled, Naruto opened his mouth to recover his breath only to have it be stolen by Sasuke's tongue mercilessly invading his mouth. And he didn't waste any time exploring inside, tasting Naruto and ravishing his mouth between licks and bites.
It didn't take long for Naruto to actively reciprocate as he ruthlessly pushed Sasuke to the wall, entrapping him with his body and with a growl, he kissed him fully on his lips, pulling his lower lip with his teeth and releasing with another gentler bite. With one hand caressing Naruto's back, Sasuke entangled their tongues and tugged Naruto closer to him, their heated bodies moving together in a sensual dance.
Naruto yanked Sasuke's shirt up to let his fingers feel all the bumps and ridges of his ribcage beneath warm skin, until Sasuke hissed in pain, his hand tightening in Naruto's hair. Naruto noticed that there was a bruise where he touched, so he gently kissed his way to Sasuke's jaw and licked away the last residue of his blood, as a form of apology. In response, Sasuke quickly kissed his wounded eyebrow, before he returned to devour Naruto's swollen lips, gradually slowing the pace to a more leisurely one. The blond continued to touch Sasuke's torso with feathery strokes, eliciting a gasp from Sasuke when he flicked a pink nipple with his fingers.
At some point, maybe due to their cautious movements to avoid each other's more tender spots, their passionate and fiery groping slowly dwindled to a more intimate and personal fire between them. Sasuke's head was throbbing, split apart by the dual sensations of pain from his swollen cheek and the pleasant feeling of Naruto's moist lips moving sensually with his own. Fortunately, Naruto let his fingers comb Sasuke's dark hair, cooling his forehead a bit. Their heated kisses lessened, the intervals between each nibble grew until they became soft teasing nips, finally ending with a soft peck.
They gradually opened their eyes in synch, their breaths coming out in short pants. Naruto held Sasuke's head securely while the latter rested one of his arms on a tanned shoulder, caressing the tanned neck. Their gazes locked for an indefinite moment, minds racing from all the emerging emotions until his were absorbed by Naruto's blue eyes. He shifted closer, angling his head as both of them closed their eyelids, lips touching in one chaste kiss that was more intense and overwhelming than any of the previous ones.
After some time, Naruto's tongue slowly slid over the seam of Sasuke's lips as the brunet readily opened his mouth to grant access, moaning from the heady intrusion. Naruto delved deeper, lips tenderly moving, coaxing Sasuke to react as intimately as he felt. With a groan, mouths reattached in a lengthy kiss that maintained the passion first encountered between them, but its simplicity implied a shared and enduring affection. This emotion surged in Sasuke's heart until he felt it would burst leaving him completely breathless. Naruto was feeling light-headed and delirious, completely addicted to Sasuke's unique taste, scent and presence.
With one last kiss, their faces pulled back enough to provide a reasonable distance between them. Blue eyes brightened in clarity as Naruto reached an epiphany, cupping Sasuke's cheeks:
"Sasuke…"Naruto rasped, his voice hoarse from all the emotions surrounding him. "…I…"
Onyx eyes widened in alarm, his heartbeat thudding so fast in his ribcage and wound up acting on the first idea that came to mind.
"We should go." Sasuke said, unable to completely eliminate the husky tone in his voice.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked bewildered, lost from the sudden interruption.
"I heard some voices, it's probably the firefighters that have come to rescue us. Let's go." This time, it was Sasuke who couldn't look Naruto in the eye, afraid that he would again see hurt emanating from his sapphire eyes.
However, Naruto was still working out his feelings that were brimming out of control and only responded meekly. "You're right…let's go."
They walked back toward the lower floors in silence. The whole experience now seemed surreal and this apparent calm made a strong contrast with the events that had happened only minutes ago. But this silence only served as a curtain that thinly cloaked their current passionate and conflicting emotions, leaving them befuddled, too out of it to properly confront those feelings at the present moment.
Once the firefighters found them and they exited the building, the medics separated them for examination; Sasuke couldn't stop staring at Naruto and wondered to himself:
What the hell just happened?
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AN: Another disaster happened…and I hope that it won't ever ever ever ever happen in real life, because if it does I swear to all dear Gods that I'm gonna kill myself. *cries*
The first (and last) explanation about a landmark from NY. Lol, and sadly, I've never been in Harry Winston, so while I'm almost 100% sure that I wrote the place incorrectly, I couldn't…find how many floors and where the departments are located in the building. So I'm already apologizing in advance. *sigh*
http://www.harrywinston.com/
Now, before people bring up the improbability of how the fire etc. plays out …well, I have my specialties, which involve finding weird things of Japan and writing NarSas bickering but writing about fires…is definitely not my specialty. *cough cough*
On another note, Dákkar, an awesome friend and awesome artist drew this mini-doujinshi based on the 11th chapter:
http://dakkar-h.deviantart.com/art/RC-Report-11-213284465
I'm so so so so soooooo happy for this tribute! *wide grin* Please go check out not only this awesome comic but her whole gallery because she's just that special and a talented artist! *hugs her tightly*
Second, I think it's time to tell everyone that this fic is going to end. Soon. More specifically, there are only 3 more chapters and that will be all. Errr…to tell the truth, I'm kinda relieved that I'm ending this, because I gotta admit that having the plot polluting your mind when you're supposed to be writing your Master's thesis is not a good thing…ya know? XD *tongue in cheek*
Now onto potentially less… positive news. The reason I'm updating this chapter so quickly is because I want to pause writing this fic for a while and concentrate on my older ones. Lately I'm feeling that I should finish the old ones as some sort of mission that I have to accomplish and…yeah, I can't explain. :b I promise that once I'm done, we(me and my beta) will work on and publish the 13th chapter as soon as possible.
Thanks everyone for your support and…um…please review…? *puppy dog eyes*