Inevitable: Chapter 11
Title: Inevitable
Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto
Rating: T - language, violence, and implied sexual activities
Status: In Progess
Preview: “You want this, too. I know you do. Why fight it so much, ‘suke?” Not sure if it was intoxicating scent Naruto seemed to naturally emulate or the use of his old nickname, but something sent Sasuke reeling. He nearly knocked the blonde off his feet with the intensity of needing their lips to meet.
Read: the full story on ff.net
or
Inevitable
Chapter Eleven
Sasuke opened the door, and Gamatatsu had never been happier. His over-large eyes widened even more as Naruto, his savior in disguise, was standing on Sasuke’s front steps, holding a bag of food. It was, in Gamatatsu’s opinion, the greatest momento fo his entire life. He was saved.
“You have something I want.”
Hurriedly gulping down the last pocky in the package, Gamatatsu prepared himself to yell out Naruto’s name, but Sasuke spoke too soon.
“Apparently, you have something I want.”
As Sasuke stepped aside, allowing Naruto to ease himself into the apartment, brushing against the pale arm as he went, Gamatatsu began bouncing in his seat on the counter.
“Naruto! You came to save me!”
The blonde smiled at the toad before setting Sasuke’s food on the counter. He held a finger to his lips, telling Gamatatsu to be quiet a while longer, before turning back to Sasuke.
“Why did you toad-nap one of Gamabunta’s sons, Sasuke?”
A delicate dark eyebrow raised at the question as Sasuke shut the door. “Gamabunta? That huge toad you fought Gaara with?” Naruto nodded as he leaned back against the counter. Sasuke chose to let the question slide for now, even though the fact that the monstrous toad had children that size was a little shocking. “He was spying on me. On your orders, so I’ve learned.”
Naruto scratched his cheek with long, tanned fingers before nodding again. “None of that gives you the right to toad-nap him.”
“And being the Hokage doesn’t give you the right to put spying toads outside of my apartment.” Sasuke retorted. They kept their distance from each other, not sure of how close either could get to the other before this interaction became something more. Sasuke walked toward his small kitchen table, taking a route that was furthest away from Naruto. “What were they reporting back to you?”
“This might surprise you, Sasuke, but I don’t have to tell you a reason for anything I do anymore.” The Uchiha, very taken back by Naruto’s tone and choice of words, gaped at the blonde. Of all the things he’d expected Naruto to say, that wasn’t one of them. “But, I will tell you it was nothing personal. Just a daily log of your goings-on, that’s all.”
“For what purpose?” Sasuke asked, keeping his voice as calm as possible. “For your sick kicks?”
Naruto chuckled. “No. Already took care of that, right ‘suke?”
Refusing to give in to Naruto’s bizarre form of taunting, Sasuke crossed his arms and took a stand in this fight. It was a fight he was determined to win. “Speaking of which, Lord Hokage, you didn’t keep your word.” He caught the slight confused look that flashed across Naruto’s face and smirked inwardly. “And I thought the Great Naruto Uzumaki always kept his word.”
“What promise, Sasuke?”
“You promised you’d set me free when you found out I wasn’t evil. You lied.”
Naruto was caught between amusement and being taken back. He’d nearly forgot about that in the mission to rescue Gamatatsu. He did owe Sasuke an explanation for going back on his word, but it wouldn’t be one that Sasuke would like.
“You heard nothing. You were delusional.”
Sasuke stood, open mouthed and glaring, before pushing himself off the wall and taking large and quick steps toward Naruto. Smirking, Naruto pushed himself off the counter and prepared for the impending Sasuke. Within moments the two men were headfirst in a taijutsu match in Sasuke’s kitchen.
--
Scratching the back of his head, admittedly confused, Sai contemplated every angle of this situation. From what all the books and talks with Sakura had taught him, they shouldn’t be hitting each other. Didn’t love mean that you didn’t want to hurt each other? Wasn’t that a rule?
Confused, he turned to a guard sitting beside him on the branch. “Why are they fighting?”
“Captain, shouldn’t we be stopping them?” The guard said, ignoring Sai’s question.
Sai shrugged and continued watching. “As long as it’s just hand-to-hand, they should be fine. If they use any ninjutsu we’ll have to break them up. Uchiha’s not allowed to use his.”
The guard nodded and turned back to watching. “It’s been a while since I saw that blonde kid fight anyone.”
Sai nodded in agreement. It had been a while, maybe Naruto just needed to expel some tension.
--
A long, pink tongue was stretched as far it could go in an attempt to hook Sasuke’s dinner. Several times Gamatatsu was sure he’d had it, but the elusive bag slipped off his tongue each time. It was now he wished he’d gotten it pierced like his father. A few tongue rings sounded like a clever idea to hook onto the handles of plastic bags. Maybe that was why Gamabunta had gotten them done in the first place.
Bouncing a little closer to the bag, Gamatatsu tried again. This time he hooked it good enough to slide the bag a good three feet closer to him. With a few more adjustments and fancy tongue twists and positions, the yellow toad was happily munching onigri and watching a pretty heated taijutsu match that had long since spilled over into the living room.
Currently, Sasuke was pinned to the floor by Naruto as the two slung insults and swear words back and forth. The toad relished in the irony they hadn’t changed all that much since they were thirteen in that aspect. The conversation had taken a turn from how slow Sasuke had gotten to how powerful Naruto was - which was mostly just Naruto boasting - to an incident that happened earlier that week, an incident Gamatatsu didn’t have a clue about. He did get the hint that something intimate had happened, but he still wasn’t sure. The poor toad was naive about certain things in a human’s life.
“Seemed like you were enjoying it, asshole!”
“You forced your - hmpf - self on me, moron!”
Another set of punches, kicks, and head-butts before the scene changed, Sasuke had flipped himself on top of Naruto and slammed the blonde’s head into the side of his couch.
“Why are you denying it, Sasuke? I know everything!”
Sasuke stopped struggling and abruptly stood up. Naruto, confused, pushed himself off the ground and stared at Sasuke’s retreating back.
Gamatatsu watched the man get closer to him with every step and began trying to shrink into the countertop. When a set of pale hands reached toward him, the toad closed his eyes and hoped the man would kill him quickly. He didn’t open them again until he felt cool air and himself being sat on cold concrete. Cracking one eye open, he saw the surrounding trees and saw his brother hopping toward him. The Uchiha had let him go?
Naruto was equally confused on why Sasuke would release his bargaining chip, and showed it with his facial expression when the brunette turned around. “What the hell, Sasuke?”
“There, he’s free, now leave.” When Sasuke attempted to stalk to his own bedroom, Naruto grabbed his arm.
“Why?” A slight twist of Sasuke’s head was all he got before he ripped his arm out of Naruto’s grasp. “Oh, I see.” Naruto said, rolling his eyes. “You’re still pissy because I saw all your dirty little secrets, right?”
Naruto saw black and white lights before he realized Sasuke had hit him, pretty damn hard. Stumbling backwards, he felt hands fist into his jounin vest and throw him against a wall, which didn’t help his ‘seeing dots of light’ problem at all.
“I told you that you didn’t see anything, Naruto! You were delusional!”
“And you’re in denial.” Naruto managed before nearly passing out. Sasuke had hit him right in the temple, and he was lucky to still be conscious. He brought himself back around enough to see the desperate look in Sasuke’s eyes. “C’mon, ‘suke. You know as well as I do what I saw in there. The sketches, the dreams, and memories…you love me, too.”
The hands fisted in his shirt abruptly let go, allowing Naruto to slide down the wall and onto the floor. He grasped his head and willed the fox to heal him quicker. His head was killing him and was throbbing. But worse of all, he was still seeing those damn black and white dots.
When Sasuke spoke next, it was low and barely audible. “You weren’t supposed to see any of that.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that I did, bastard.”
They remained in an uncomfortable silence for a while, at least until the throbbing and the dots stopped and Naruto could finally stand again.
Sasuke was pressed against the wall, palms flat against the plaster, head bent down. He looked almost like he was trying to blend into the white-washed wall. His dark bangs were creating dancing shadows across his pale skin. Naruto couldn’t help himself, he took a few steps toward the brunette before grasping his face in his hands. If Sasuke was surprised at the contact, he hid it well and just stared back at Naruto.
“You want this, too. I know you do. Why fight it so much, ‘suke?”
Not sure if it was intoxicating scent Naruto seemed to naturally emulate or the use of his old nickname, but something sent Sasuke reeling. He nearly knocked the blonde off his feet with the intensity of needing their lips to meet.
--
Gamatatsu and Gamakichi caught in an awkward embrace when they met, which was only moments before Sai landed beside them. The two toads looked up at him, slightly confused on where he’d come from. They weren’t exactly paying attention to their surroundings.
“Are you okay?” Sai asked, kneeling down to their level, kind of.
“Yeah.” Gamatatsu faked a shuddering breath as if he’d been in the most traumatizing experience of his entire life. “He’d only give me one pocky, but I managed to get more when he wasn’t looking.”
Gamakichi snarled at his brother before smacking him upside the head. “And here I was thinking he’d be torturing you, and he was feeding you?”
The yellow toad held his head protectively. “Only one, ‘kichi! That was after he asked me a bunch of questions!”
“Great.” Gamakichi sighed. “Now he knows about the plan. We failed our mission!” The toad threw his hands in the air, exasperated. “I’ll never get those dragonflies now!”
Sai just stared at the toads, honestly confused. “I think you two can go…home now.” He wasn’t really sure where summons went after they were done being used, but he was sure they’d know what he meant.
“Yeah, yeah. Guess so.” Grabbing his brother, Gamakichi started to hop away. “Tell Naruto thank you for us, will ya?”
Without giving Sai a chance to answer, the two disappeared in a puff of smoke. The ANBU captain shook his head and risked a glance in the window of Sasuke’s apartment. He was rather curious about what provoked the stoic brunette into letting the toad go. At first he couldn’t find either of them, but then his eyes landed on something moving in the darkened hallway. At first he thought they were still fighting, but he was wrong. Oh, so wrong.
Sasuke was pressed against the wall, Naruto’s fingers fisted in his plain black shirt forcing his shoulders against the plaster. Sasuke’s pale hands were laced in Naruto’s blonde hair, not allowing the whiskered face to part from his. Sai took a minute to entertain the thought that Naruto didn’t strike him as the dominant type. He watched as Naruto’s tongue traveled from Sasuke’s lips to his neck and felt himself heat up slightly.
It’s not that Sai normally thought about relationships or sex where he was a major part of it, but he did venture to ask Sakura what the meaning and fascination was with other people. It was during these conversations that he’d learned of her feelings toward both Sasuke and Naruto, at one point in her life, and that she thought the two boys in question were more interested in each other than they expected.
That was the first time Sai had heard of a same-sex relationship. Immediately after the conversation, Sai began researching and reading books on the subject. He’d learned a lot. It especially intrigued him when he learned that, sometimes, those relationships are deeper, truer, than heterosexual relationships.
When he watched the way Sasuke and Naruto clung to each other while making-out, a term the inexperienced man had recently learned, he realized the book had been right. Even if they were denying it, even if they didn’t realize it, they were deeply in love.
Sai didn’t understand why that thought didn’t settle quite right with him. He felt like he wanted to stop them, stop Sasuke, but he didn’t understand why. Why was the sight of Sasuke passionately kissing Naruto making him want to break down the door and separate them quickly?
The next emotion to hit him Sai could name. Naruto and Sasuke pulled apart and Sai smirked, he felt relieved. It still didn’t make sense, but it felt a lot more pleasant than the other un-namable emotion.
Jumping back into the trees, he watched as his blonde friend kept his gaze pointed toward the ground and briskly walked toward the main street. In the pouch on his hip was the book he needed, a dictionary of emotions that Sakura had bought him a few years ago. He’d learned a lot in that time, but the emotion that had overwhelmed him a few minutes ago plagued his mind. Flipping through, he kept seeing the two hidden lovers pressed against the wall in the dark hallway and the emotion filled him again.
At the same time his eyes fell on the perfect word:
…jealousy.
--
Sakura turned the key in the lock and pushed the door to her apartment open, letting a battered and bleeding Neji in first. The long-haired Hyuuga smiled at her as he passed, positioning himself in front of her kitchen counter. She grabbed her medical kit on her way through and began healing and cleansing most of his wounds.
“What was the mission?” She finally asked as she pulled gauze from her kit.
“Just a search and rescue.”
She raised an eyebrow. “And this was the result?” She motioned toward the large gash on his arm.
“Well,” he began. “Kiba was there with us.”
Sakura paused, smirked, and nodded her head. Kiba was almost exactly like Naruto in the sense that he couldn’t get anything done without hurting himself in the process. The dog-nin became the new troublemaker in their group when Naruto went into he ANBU, and had retained his title ever since.
“Speaking of Kiba…” Sakura said, busying herself with pushing Neji’s sleeve up his arm. “Has he taken Hinata on that date yet?”
“Yeah. Apparently Murphy’s Law was in overdrive.”
Sakura smirked at his word choice. “What could go wrong did go wrong, huh?”
“Even Gai-sensei managed to ruin it somehow. Your old sensei was involved, too.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.” She smirked. “Take off your shirt.” Neji raised an eyebrow. “I can see the blood through your shirt, but I can’t get to it. Take off your shirt.”
He did as she asked, throwing it in a pile on the floor along with his vest. “Better?”
“Much.” She began healing the wound there, lightly brushing her fingers against his pale skin. “You should take your shirt off more often.”
Neji paused before asking why.
“You’re so pale. You need more sun.”
“I’m naturally pale.” He said.
Sakura finished the healing and began putting her medical supplies away in the box. “Yeah, yeah. That’s what Sasuke always said, too. But get him in a hot spring and he gets some color on him. So does Sai. You wouldn’t be any different, ya know. I’ll bet if I ask Tenten, she’d tell me -“
Neji interrupted her by placing a chaste kiss on her lips. “Fine, I’ll try to get a tan. But if I burn, you’re healing it.”
Placing a finger over her lips, she inwardly smiled. Finally she’d gotten something out of him. Finally, she’d gotten that man to kiss her.
--
Sasuke could feel the delicious pain of Naruto scraping his nails against his chest and hissed into the blonde’s ear. Naruto’s lips attached to the pulse at the base of his neck, alternating between sucking and nipping the sensitive skin there. Every time the tanned fingers would brush against his curse mark, or Naruto’s lips brushed over it, it sent a jolt of electric through Sasuke’s body, making his back arch into his partner’s body.
Naruto’s dominance didn’t last, as Sasuke regained a little of his lost composure in order to thrust the blonde into the opposite wall. Their eyes met when Naruto’s back met the wall as Sasuke’s hands dipped under his shirt and began feeling their way up his chest. Naruto grabbed the front of Sasuke’s shirt and pulled him forward, their lips connecting rather forcefully.
A few more moment of heated, raw passion and Sasuke lost whatever barrier he was trying to keep Naruto behind. Moving his lips from Naruto’s, he found the tanned ear and whispered.
“Take off your shirt.”
For a second, Sasuke thought he was going to comply, until the blonde grabbed his pale wrists and pushed him backwards, into the wall they were previously against.
“No.”
Not caring his face was flushed and clothes were rumpled, Sasuke let himself gape at Naruto. “Wha-what? What do you mean ‘no’?”
Naruto took a ragged breath, which wasn’t entirely due to weakening will power and ravenous passion attempting to break through, and pushed himself off the wall. Sasuke stood perfectly still, unbelieving, until Naruto reached his front door.
“This time,” Naruto opened the door and took a step through, “you’ll be the one left craving for something you need like air and was ripped out of you like a knife through your heart.”
When the door shut behind Naruto, Sasuke grabbed the wall for support. He’d been so ready, so ready to let go and let Naruto in. Of course he deserved this, but if Naruto loved him like he’d said, then why would he want to leave Sasuke like this?
Slowly creeping to his bedroom he felt something burning behind his eyes. He hadn’t cried in so long he’d nearly forgotten what it felt like, and was actually surprised to feel the tears slowly creeping down his face. Flopping down on his bed face first, he grabbed a pillow and buried his head in the coolness of the fabric.
“I…I’m sorry…Naruto…”
Roughly twenty minutes later Sasuke had cried himself to sleep.
--
The transformation Sasushi had taken on was impeccable. Even Kakashi, for a brief moment, thought she was nothing more than the trash that decorated the rougher part of Konoha. She sat down beside him in the shady bar, one way away from civilized society where they wouldn’t be recognized or watched, and nudged him with her elbow. Kakashi did a double take when he realized it was the distinguished councilwoman.
“Should we retreat to a quieter place?” She asked, even masking her voice with her transformation. Kakashi nodded and they left the bar together, making it seem as if Kakashi had picked up a hooker rather than they were leaving to discuss a secret.
She let the jounin lead her to his apartment, knowing fully well it’d be a safer place than any other they could find. Once inside, she dropped the transformation that was slowly draining her energy. She wasn’t as young as she used to be, and she was quickly realizing it.
“That was a risky move.” Kakashi said, offering her some sake. “Transformations aren’t completely undetectable.”
“Those shady characters wouldn’t be able to see through a plate glass window.” She answered, making Kakashi smirk. “What did you think of those documents?”
Swallowing his sake in one gulp he sat the cup down and went over to where he kept the files she’d given him hidden. “Interesting. It’s more a personal grudge against the name rather than against Sasuke himself.”
“True, but it won’t be easily deterred.” She flipped through the papers he spread out on his desk until she found the one she was looking for. “Shouko was a beautiful woman, wasn’t she?” Kakashi nodded. “It was a shame what happened to her and her family, but it wasn’t the conspiracy Teushi thinks it is.”
“I need to ask you a question.” Kakashi said, taking a seat on the edge of his desk. Sure he was changing subjects rather abruptly, but it was an important one. “Why are you risking so much for this situation? Sure, it’s important, but you could have fought him within the council.”
“Kushina Uzumaki was a dear friend of mine. I let Sarutobi convince me to let Naruto in that orphanage and set up the decree, and I shouldn’t have. That poor child had a rough life and I’m partly to blame for that.” She paused and took a deep breath. “Now, when he’s happy and respected, I refuse to allow some ignorant fool ruin all of that for a pointless vendetta.”
The jounin eyed her curiously. “You’re doing all this for Naruto?”
“Mostly. Don’t get me wrong, Kakashi. If that Uchiha hurts anyone, I do agree that Naruto will have to take him out. Solely because I believe he’s the only one who can take him out. But, at the same time, I feel that kid needs to be given a chance.”
“You were one of his main supporters when Tsunade applied to have him as her successor.”
“True. It’s because I see his potential. You’ve said it yourself, Kakashi. The kid has a unique ability to make friends. That is one ability that will count for so much more than physical strength in this world. Fifteen minutes into his initial meetings with the council and no one, except Teushi of course, had an objection.” She smiled fondly. “Do you have any idea how difficult it is to win over arrogant old men?”
“You talked before about the Kyuubi. I was, quite honestly, surprised it didn’t come up as a major issue with the council.”
She gave a hearty laugh at that. “Oh, it was! But with Jiraiya and - I believe Naruto calls him Yamato? - we really didn’t see it as a problem. Especially since we’d heard of his intense training. He’s become quite skilled at suppressing it himself?”
Kakashi nodded. “There have been times Naruto has controlled his power in the three-tailed form. Fighting the Akatsuki during The Great War, Naruto knew he’d have to call on the fox to win. The control he possesses is astounding. No other jinchuuriki has had that level of control, to our knowledge.”
“The problem still remains, however, that this Uchiha is a direct descendent of Madara Uchiha. This, unfortunately, is what makes Teushi’s point valid and considerable.” Sasushi fingered thought the documents and files, eventually finding a file on Shishimaru Uchiha, Teushi’s brother-in-law. “Not all Uchiha’s are vicious and out for blood, but to Teushi, they are.”
…you’ll see that an Uchiha can’t be trusted. None of them could be.
“In all honestly, Sasushi, we can’t change his mind. But Naruto might be able to prove…”
“No.” She interrupted. “It’s his word with no physical evidence. All that we have to go on is what he saw, nothing more. Teushi will find holes in everything he says, I just know it.”
“What about Jiraiya?” Kakashi offered. “He is, after all, Naruto’s godfather. Maybe he could help.”
Sasushi seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. “That man does have some pull over the council. Even Lady Tsunade would be able to lend something.” She went silent for a second before an evil grin spread on her face. “Do you think Naruto would agree to take a truth serum?”
--
Udon was jerked, quite forcefully, into a patch of bushes right outside the Hyuuga Manor. He landed hard on the ground beside Konohamaru, who still had a hold on his arm.
“What the hell, Kono?” Udon hissed out, hoping no Hyuuga’s heard them rustling around.
“Okay, Udon…here’s the plan…” The teenager pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it hastily. Udon’s eyes widened. Konohamaru had actually thought this plan out in full? Meaning he might not get in trouble this time? “After last time, I’ll be lucky if her old man let’s us have supervised visits. So, instead of me showing up to take her on our date…it’ll be you.”
Udon raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Kono, really, this isn’t going to work. They can see through transformations.”
“No, Udon. He’ll think that you are her date!” When Udon’s eyebrow didn’t drop to where it belonged, Konohamaru sighed. “Old Man Hyuuga doesn’t know who Hanabi’s date is, only that she has one.”
“So, you want me to act as her date just so you can see her again? This is pathetic. Just be a man and tell the man you’re sorry.”
“Sorry? Like he’s going to accept an apology. I damn near got Hanabi arrested, Udon!”
Udon stood up and brushed the dirt off his pants. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have tried to sneak her into a nightclub, idiot.” Konohamaru frowned. “What am I supposed to do while you two are on your date? Hang around here in the bushes?”
“No, you can go with us. Take Moegi, we can double-date!”
Udon blushed for a moment, only Konohamaru knew of his intense crush on their teammate. If Moegi knew, she acted oblivious pretty damn well. But, the prospect of spending some down-time with Moegi did sound pretty good. “If you ask Moegi, I’ll do it.”
“Yeah, no problem.” Konohamaru smiled brightly. “Now, go before someone thinks we’re having sex in here or something.” He pushed the blushing and nervous teenager out of the bushes and toward the Hyuuga Manor gate.
Luckily for Udon, it was Hinata that answered the door when he knocked. Hanabi’s sister was a lot less stern, and a lot nicer, than their father. “Can I help you?”
Udon took a deep breath and swallowed hard before answering. “I-I c-came to take Ha-Hanabi on a d-date?” His answer came out sounding more like a question.
Hinata smiled warmly, knowing fully well what it felt like to be nervous, and called for her sister. Before Hanabi could reach the top of the stairs, her father was at the door.
“Who are you?” His voice boomed out, glaring down at the poor boy.
Udon spluttered and stuttered until his name finally fell out.
“What do you want with my daughter?”
“Father!” Hanabi scolded, racing in front of him and standing between her father and her date. “That’s enough!”
“Move, Hanabi. I have a few questions.” Not waiting for his daughter to obey, he knew her too well to think that would happen, he kept talking. “Are you, in any way, shape, or form, friends with, in every sense of the word, that fool Konohamaru?”
Hinata thanked whatever entity was listening her father was not that hard on Kiba. She did, however, know that if she’d kept her crush on Naruto and wound up dating him, her father would, probably, have been worse. After all, Konohamaru was a miniature version of Naruto…if not worse.
Udon’s eyes widened for a moment before meeting Hanabi’s. Taking a deep breath, knowing what he’d have to do, Udon answered. “No. That idiot is no friend of mine.”
A moment passed before Hiashi lowered his guard and wished his youngest a wonderful night. He didn’t, however, leave the door until he watched the two walk the length of the courtyard and exit the gate. Hanabi didn’t touch Udon once, nor did she really speak to him. It actually seemed as though she was holding herself back from running.
Switching on his Byakugan, Hiashi saw, though the bushes, his daughter running toward another boy. Konohamaru. Hiashi’s eyes narrowed. Did that chuunin actually think he could outsmart a ninja of Hiashi’s level? Did he doubt the power of Hiashi Hyuuga’s Byakugan?
Hinata had never seen her father run so fast. She was absolutely sure Hanabi wouldn’t be allowed out of the house, without the supervision of either her father or her sensei, for quite a while. Wishing that Konohamaru was faster than her father, Hinata shut the front door. She didn’t need to see what happened since she’d be hearing it all from her sister in a few minutes.
…she was right.
Pairing: Sasuke/Naruto
Rating: T - language, violence, and implied sexual activities
Status: In Progess
Preview: “You want this, too. I know you do. Why fight it so much, ‘suke?” Not sure if it was intoxicating scent Naruto seemed to naturally emulate or the use of his old nickname, but something sent Sasuke reeling. He nearly knocked the blonde off his feet with the intensity of needing their lips to meet.
Read: the full story on ff.net
or
Inevitable
Chapter Eleven
Sasuke opened the door, and Gamatatsu had never been happier. His over-large eyes widened even more as Naruto, his savior in disguise, was standing on Sasuke’s front steps, holding a bag of food. It was, in Gamatatsu’s opinion, the greatest momento fo his entire life. He was saved.
“You have something I want.”
Hurriedly gulping down the last pocky in the package, Gamatatsu prepared himself to yell out Naruto’s name, but Sasuke spoke too soon.
“Apparently, you have something I want.”
As Sasuke stepped aside, allowing Naruto to ease himself into the apartment, brushing against the pale arm as he went, Gamatatsu began bouncing in his seat on the counter.
“Naruto! You came to save me!”
The blonde smiled at the toad before setting Sasuke’s food on the counter. He held a finger to his lips, telling Gamatatsu to be quiet a while longer, before turning back to Sasuke.
“Why did you toad-nap one of Gamabunta’s sons, Sasuke?”
A delicate dark eyebrow raised at the question as Sasuke shut the door. “Gamabunta? That huge toad you fought Gaara with?” Naruto nodded as he leaned back against the counter. Sasuke chose to let the question slide for now, even though the fact that the monstrous toad had children that size was a little shocking. “He was spying on me. On your orders, so I’ve learned.”
Naruto scratched his cheek with long, tanned fingers before nodding again. “None of that gives you the right to toad-nap him.”
“And being the Hokage doesn’t give you the right to put spying toads outside of my apartment.” Sasuke retorted. They kept their distance from each other, not sure of how close either could get to the other before this interaction became something more. Sasuke walked toward his small kitchen table, taking a route that was furthest away from Naruto. “What were they reporting back to you?”
“This might surprise you, Sasuke, but I don’t have to tell you a reason for anything I do anymore.” The Uchiha, very taken back by Naruto’s tone and choice of words, gaped at the blonde. Of all the things he’d expected Naruto to say, that wasn’t one of them. “But, I will tell you it was nothing personal. Just a daily log of your goings-on, that’s all.”
“For what purpose?” Sasuke asked, keeping his voice as calm as possible. “For your sick kicks?”
Naruto chuckled. “No. Already took care of that, right ‘suke?”
Refusing to give in to Naruto’s bizarre form of taunting, Sasuke crossed his arms and took a stand in this fight. It was a fight he was determined to win. “Speaking of which, Lord Hokage, you didn’t keep your word.” He caught the slight confused look that flashed across Naruto’s face and smirked inwardly. “And I thought the Great Naruto Uzumaki always kept his word.”
“What promise, Sasuke?”
“You promised you’d set me free when you found out I wasn’t evil. You lied.”
Naruto was caught between amusement and being taken back. He’d nearly forgot about that in the mission to rescue Gamatatsu. He did owe Sasuke an explanation for going back on his word, but it wouldn’t be one that Sasuke would like.
“You heard nothing. You were delusional.”
Sasuke stood, open mouthed and glaring, before pushing himself off the wall and taking large and quick steps toward Naruto. Smirking, Naruto pushed himself off the counter and prepared for the impending Sasuke. Within moments the two men were headfirst in a taijutsu match in Sasuke’s kitchen.
--
Scratching the back of his head, admittedly confused, Sai contemplated every angle of this situation. From what all the books and talks with Sakura had taught him, they shouldn’t be hitting each other. Didn’t love mean that you didn’t want to hurt each other? Wasn’t that a rule?
Confused, he turned to a guard sitting beside him on the branch. “Why are they fighting?”
“Captain, shouldn’t we be stopping them?” The guard said, ignoring Sai’s question.
Sai shrugged and continued watching. “As long as it’s just hand-to-hand, they should be fine. If they use any ninjutsu we’ll have to break them up. Uchiha’s not allowed to use his.”
The guard nodded and turned back to watching. “It’s been a while since I saw that blonde kid fight anyone.”
Sai nodded in agreement. It had been a while, maybe Naruto just needed to expel some tension.
--
A long, pink tongue was stretched as far it could go in an attempt to hook Sasuke’s dinner. Several times Gamatatsu was sure he’d had it, but the elusive bag slipped off his tongue each time. It was now he wished he’d gotten it pierced like his father. A few tongue rings sounded like a clever idea to hook onto the handles of plastic bags. Maybe that was why Gamabunta had gotten them done in the first place.
Bouncing a little closer to the bag, Gamatatsu tried again. This time he hooked it good enough to slide the bag a good three feet closer to him. With a few more adjustments and fancy tongue twists and positions, the yellow toad was happily munching onigri and watching a pretty heated taijutsu match that had long since spilled over into the living room.
Currently, Sasuke was pinned to the floor by Naruto as the two slung insults and swear words back and forth. The toad relished in the irony they hadn’t changed all that much since they were thirteen in that aspect. The conversation had taken a turn from how slow Sasuke had gotten to how powerful Naruto was - which was mostly just Naruto boasting - to an incident that happened earlier that week, an incident Gamatatsu didn’t have a clue about. He did get the hint that something intimate had happened, but he still wasn’t sure. The poor toad was naive about certain things in a human’s life.
“Seemed like you were enjoying it, asshole!”
“You forced your - hmpf - self on me, moron!”
Another set of punches, kicks, and head-butts before the scene changed, Sasuke had flipped himself on top of Naruto and slammed the blonde’s head into the side of his couch.
“Why are you denying it, Sasuke? I know everything!”
Sasuke stopped struggling and abruptly stood up. Naruto, confused, pushed himself off the ground and stared at Sasuke’s retreating back.
Gamatatsu watched the man get closer to him with every step and began trying to shrink into the countertop. When a set of pale hands reached toward him, the toad closed his eyes and hoped the man would kill him quickly. He didn’t open them again until he felt cool air and himself being sat on cold concrete. Cracking one eye open, he saw the surrounding trees and saw his brother hopping toward him. The Uchiha had let him go?
Naruto was equally confused on why Sasuke would release his bargaining chip, and showed it with his facial expression when the brunette turned around. “What the hell, Sasuke?”
“There, he’s free, now leave.” When Sasuke attempted to stalk to his own bedroom, Naruto grabbed his arm.
“Why?” A slight twist of Sasuke’s head was all he got before he ripped his arm out of Naruto’s grasp. “Oh, I see.” Naruto said, rolling his eyes. “You’re still pissy because I saw all your dirty little secrets, right?”
Naruto saw black and white lights before he realized Sasuke had hit him, pretty damn hard. Stumbling backwards, he felt hands fist into his jounin vest and throw him against a wall, which didn’t help his ‘seeing dots of light’ problem at all.
“I told you that you didn’t see anything, Naruto! You were delusional!”
“And you’re in denial.” Naruto managed before nearly passing out. Sasuke had hit him right in the temple, and he was lucky to still be conscious. He brought himself back around enough to see the desperate look in Sasuke’s eyes. “C’mon, ‘suke. You know as well as I do what I saw in there. The sketches, the dreams, and memories…you love me, too.”
The hands fisted in his shirt abruptly let go, allowing Naruto to slide down the wall and onto the floor. He grasped his head and willed the fox to heal him quicker. His head was killing him and was throbbing. But worse of all, he was still seeing those damn black and white dots.
When Sasuke spoke next, it was low and barely audible. “You weren’t supposed to see any of that.”
“Doesn’t change the fact that I did, bastard.”
They remained in an uncomfortable silence for a while, at least until the throbbing and the dots stopped and Naruto could finally stand again.
Sasuke was pressed against the wall, palms flat against the plaster, head bent down. He looked almost like he was trying to blend into the white-washed wall. His dark bangs were creating dancing shadows across his pale skin. Naruto couldn’t help himself, he took a few steps toward the brunette before grasping his face in his hands. If Sasuke was surprised at the contact, he hid it well and just stared back at Naruto.
“You want this, too. I know you do. Why fight it so much, ‘suke?”
Not sure if it was intoxicating scent Naruto seemed to naturally emulate or the use of his old nickname, but something sent Sasuke reeling. He nearly knocked the blonde off his feet with the intensity of needing their lips to meet.
--
Gamatatsu and Gamakichi caught in an awkward embrace when they met, which was only moments before Sai landed beside them. The two toads looked up at him, slightly confused on where he’d come from. They weren’t exactly paying attention to their surroundings.
“Are you okay?” Sai asked, kneeling down to their level, kind of.
“Yeah.” Gamatatsu faked a shuddering breath as if he’d been in the most traumatizing experience of his entire life. “He’d only give me one pocky, but I managed to get more when he wasn’t looking.”
Gamakichi snarled at his brother before smacking him upside the head. “And here I was thinking he’d be torturing you, and he was feeding you?”
The yellow toad held his head protectively. “Only one, ‘kichi! That was after he asked me a bunch of questions!”
“Great.” Gamakichi sighed. “Now he knows about the plan. We failed our mission!” The toad threw his hands in the air, exasperated. “I’ll never get those dragonflies now!”
Sai just stared at the toads, honestly confused. “I think you two can go…home now.” He wasn’t really sure where summons went after they were done being used, but he was sure they’d know what he meant.
“Yeah, yeah. Guess so.” Grabbing his brother, Gamakichi started to hop away. “Tell Naruto thank you for us, will ya?”
Without giving Sai a chance to answer, the two disappeared in a puff of smoke. The ANBU captain shook his head and risked a glance in the window of Sasuke’s apartment. He was rather curious about what provoked the stoic brunette into letting the toad go. At first he couldn’t find either of them, but then his eyes landed on something moving in the darkened hallway. At first he thought they were still fighting, but he was wrong. Oh, so wrong.
Sasuke was pressed against the wall, Naruto’s fingers fisted in his plain black shirt forcing his shoulders against the plaster. Sasuke’s pale hands were laced in Naruto’s blonde hair, not allowing the whiskered face to part from his. Sai took a minute to entertain the thought that Naruto didn’t strike him as the dominant type. He watched as Naruto’s tongue traveled from Sasuke’s lips to his neck and felt himself heat up slightly.
It’s not that Sai normally thought about relationships or sex where he was a major part of it, but he did venture to ask Sakura what the meaning and fascination was with other people. It was during these conversations that he’d learned of her feelings toward both Sasuke and Naruto, at one point in her life, and that she thought the two boys in question were more interested in each other than they expected.
That was the first time Sai had heard of a same-sex relationship. Immediately after the conversation, Sai began researching and reading books on the subject. He’d learned a lot. It especially intrigued him when he learned that, sometimes, those relationships are deeper, truer, than heterosexual relationships.
When he watched the way Sasuke and Naruto clung to each other while making-out, a term the inexperienced man had recently learned, he realized the book had been right. Even if they were denying it, even if they didn’t realize it, they were deeply in love.
Sai didn’t understand why that thought didn’t settle quite right with him. He felt like he wanted to stop them, stop Sasuke, but he didn’t understand why. Why was the sight of Sasuke passionately kissing Naruto making him want to break down the door and separate them quickly?
The next emotion to hit him Sai could name. Naruto and Sasuke pulled apart and Sai smirked, he felt relieved. It still didn’t make sense, but it felt a lot more pleasant than the other un-namable emotion.
Jumping back into the trees, he watched as his blonde friend kept his gaze pointed toward the ground and briskly walked toward the main street. In the pouch on his hip was the book he needed, a dictionary of emotions that Sakura had bought him a few years ago. He’d learned a lot in that time, but the emotion that had overwhelmed him a few minutes ago plagued his mind. Flipping through, he kept seeing the two hidden lovers pressed against the wall in the dark hallway and the emotion filled him again.
At the same time his eyes fell on the perfect word:
…jealousy.
--
Sakura turned the key in the lock and pushed the door to her apartment open, letting a battered and bleeding Neji in first. The long-haired Hyuuga smiled at her as he passed, positioning himself in front of her kitchen counter. She grabbed her medical kit on her way through and began healing and cleansing most of his wounds.
“What was the mission?” She finally asked as she pulled gauze from her kit.
“Just a search and rescue.”
She raised an eyebrow. “And this was the result?” She motioned toward the large gash on his arm.
“Well,” he began. “Kiba was there with us.”
Sakura paused, smirked, and nodded her head. Kiba was almost exactly like Naruto in the sense that he couldn’t get anything done without hurting himself in the process. The dog-nin became the new troublemaker in their group when Naruto went into he ANBU, and had retained his title ever since.
“Speaking of Kiba…” Sakura said, busying herself with pushing Neji’s sleeve up his arm. “Has he taken Hinata on that date yet?”
“Yeah. Apparently Murphy’s Law was in overdrive.”
Sakura smirked at his word choice. “What could go wrong did go wrong, huh?”
“Even Gai-sensei managed to ruin it somehow. Your old sensei was involved, too.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.” She smirked. “Take off your shirt.” Neji raised an eyebrow. “I can see the blood through your shirt, but I can’t get to it. Take off your shirt.”
He did as she asked, throwing it in a pile on the floor along with his vest. “Better?”
“Much.” She began healing the wound there, lightly brushing her fingers against his pale skin. “You should take your shirt off more often.”
Neji paused before asking why.
“You’re so pale. You need more sun.”
“I’m naturally pale.” He said.
Sakura finished the healing and began putting her medical supplies away in the box. “Yeah, yeah. That’s what Sasuke always said, too. But get him in a hot spring and he gets some color on him. So does Sai. You wouldn’t be any different, ya know. I’ll bet if I ask Tenten, she’d tell me -“
Neji interrupted her by placing a chaste kiss on her lips. “Fine, I’ll try to get a tan. But if I burn, you’re healing it.”
Placing a finger over her lips, she inwardly smiled. Finally she’d gotten something out of him. Finally, she’d gotten that man to kiss her.
--
Sasuke could feel the delicious pain of Naruto scraping his nails against his chest and hissed into the blonde’s ear. Naruto’s lips attached to the pulse at the base of his neck, alternating between sucking and nipping the sensitive skin there. Every time the tanned fingers would brush against his curse mark, or Naruto’s lips brushed over it, it sent a jolt of electric through Sasuke’s body, making his back arch into his partner’s body.
Naruto’s dominance didn’t last, as Sasuke regained a little of his lost composure in order to thrust the blonde into the opposite wall. Their eyes met when Naruto’s back met the wall as Sasuke’s hands dipped under his shirt and began feeling their way up his chest. Naruto grabbed the front of Sasuke’s shirt and pulled him forward, their lips connecting rather forcefully.
A few more moment of heated, raw passion and Sasuke lost whatever barrier he was trying to keep Naruto behind. Moving his lips from Naruto’s, he found the tanned ear and whispered.
“Take off your shirt.”
For a second, Sasuke thought he was going to comply, until the blonde grabbed his pale wrists and pushed him backwards, into the wall they were previously against.
“No.”
Not caring his face was flushed and clothes were rumpled, Sasuke let himself gape at Naruto. “Wha-what? What do you mean ‘no’?”
Naruto took a ragged breath, which wasn’t entirely due to weakening will power and ravenous passion attempting to break through, and pushed himself off the wall. Sasuke stood perfectly still, unbelieving, until Naruto reached his front door.
“This time,” Naruto opened the door and took a step through, “you’ll be the one left craving for something you need like air and was ripped out of you like a knife through your heart.”
When the door shut behind Naruto, Sasuke grabbed the wall for support. He’d been so ready, so ready to let go and let Naruto in. Of course he deserved this, but if Naruto loved him like he’d said, then why would he want to leave Sasuke like this?
Slowly creeping to his bedroom he felt something burning behind his eyes. He hadn’t cried in so long he’d nearly forgotten what it felt like, and was actually surprised to feel the tears slowly creeping down his face. Flopping down on his bed face first, he grabbed a pillow and buried his head in the coolness of the fabric.
“I…I’m sorry…Naruto…”
Roughly twenty minutes later Sasuke had cried himself to sleep.
--
The transformation Sasushi had taken on was impeccable. Even Kakashi, for a brief moment, thought she was nothing more than the trash that decorated the rougher part of Konoha. She sat down beside him in the shady bar, one way away from civilized society where they wouldn’t be recognized or watched, and nudged him with her elbow. Kakashi did a double take when he realized it was the distinguished councilwoman.
“Should we retreat to a quieter place?” She asked, even masking her voice with her transformation. Kakashi nodded and they left the bar together, making it seem as if Kakashi had picked up a hooker rather than they were leaving to discuss a secret.
She let the jounin lead her to his apartment, knowing fully well it’d be a safer place than any other they could find. Once inside, she dropped the transformation that was slowly draining her energy. She wasn’t as young as she used to be, and she was quickly realizing it.
“That was a risky move.” Kakashi said, offering her some sake. “Transformations aren’t completely undetectable.”
“Those shady characters wouldn’t be able to see through a plate glass window.” She answered, making Kakashi smirk. “What did you think of those documents?”
Swallowing his sake in one gulp he sat the cup down and went over to where he kept the files she’d given him hidden. “Interesting. It’s more a personal grudge against the name rather than against Sasuke himself.”
“True, but it won’t be easily deterred.” She flipped through the papers he spread out on his desk until she found the one she was looking for. “Shouko was a beautiful woman, wasn’t she?” Kakashi nodded. “It was a shame what happened to her and her family, but it wasn’t the conspiracy Teushi thinks it is.”
“I need to ask you a question.” Kakashi said, taking a seat on the edge of his desk. Sure he was changing subjects rather abruptly, but it was an important one. “Why are you risking so much for this situation? Sure, it’s important, but you could have fought him within the council.”
“Kushina Uzumaki was a dear friend of mine. I let Sarutobi convince me to let Naruto in that orphanage and set up the decree, and I shouldn’t have. That poor child had a rough life and I’m partly to blame for that.” She paused and took a deep breath. “Now, when he’s happy and respected, I refuse to allow some ignorant fool ruin all of that for a pointless vendetta.”
The jounin eyed her curiously. “You’re doing all this for Naruto?”
“Mostly. Don’t get me wrong, Kakashi. If that Uchiha hurts anyone, I do agree that Naruto will have to take him out. Solely because I believe he’s the only one who can take him out. But, at the same time, I feel that kid needs to be given a chance.”
“You were one of his main supporters when Tsunade applied to have him as her successor.”
“True. It’s because I see his potential. You’ve said it yourself, Kakashi. The kid has a unique ability to make friends. That is one ability that will count for so much more than physical strength in this world. Fifteen minutes into his initial meetings with the council and no one, except Teushi of course, had an objection.” She smiled fondly. “Do you have any idea how difficult it is to win over arrogant old men?”
“You talked before about the Kyuubi. I was, quite honestly, surprised it didn’t come up as a major issue with the council.”
She gave a hearty laugh at that. “Oh, it was! But with Jiraiya and - I believe Naruto calls him Yamato? - we really didn’t see it as a problem. Especially since we’d heard of his intense training. He’s become quite skilled at suppressing it himself?”
Kakashi nodded. “There have been times Naruto has controlled his power in the three-tailed form. Fighting the Akatsuki during The Great War, Naruto knew he’d have to call on the fox to win. The control he possesses is astounding. No other jinchuuriki has had that level of control, to our knowledge.”
“The problem still remains, however, that this Uchiha is a direct descendent of Madara Uchiha. This, unfortunately, is what makes Teushi’s point valid and considerable.” Sasushi fingered thought the documents and files, eventually finding a file on Shishimaru Uchiha, Teushi’s brother-in-law. “Not all Uchiha’s are vicious and out for blood, but to Teushi, they are.”
…you’ll see that an Uchiha can’t be trusted. None of them could be.
“In all honestly, Sasushi, we can’t change his mind. But Naruto might be able to prove…”
“No.” She interrupted. “It’s his word with no physical evidence. All that we have to go on is what he saw, nothing more. Teushi will find holes in everything he says, I just know it.”
“What about Jiraiya?” Kakashi offered. “He is, after all, Naruto’s godfather. Maybe he could help.”
Sasushi seemed to be in deep thought for a moment. “That man does have some pull over the council. Even Lady Tsunade would be able to lend something.” She went silent for a second before an evil grin spread on her face. “Do you think Naruto would agree to take a truth serum?”
--
Udon was jerked, quite forcefully, into a patch of bushes right outside the Hyuuga Manor. He landed hard on the ground beside Konohamaru, who still had a hold on his arm.
“What the hell, Kono?” Udon hissed out, hoping no Hyuuga’s heard them rustling around.
“Okay, Udon…here’s the plan…” The teenager pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it hastily. Udon’s eyes widened. Konohamaru had actually thought this plan out in full? Meaning he might not get in trouble this time? “After last time, I’ll be lucky if her old man let’s us have supervised visits. So, instead of me showing up to take her on our date…it’ll be you.”
Udon raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Kono, really, this isn’t going to work. They can see through transformations.”
“No, Udon. He’ll think that you are her date!” When Udon’s eyebrow didn’t drop to where it belonged, Konohamaru sighed. “Old Man Hyuuga doesn’t know who Hanabi’s date is, only that she has one.”
“So, you want me to act as her date just so you can see her again? This is pathetic. Just be a man and tell the man you’re sorry.”
“Sorry? Like he’s going to accept an apology. I damn near got Hanabi arrested, Udon!”
Udon stood up and brushed the dirt off his pants. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have tried to sneak her into a nightclub, idiot.” Konohamaru frowned. “What am I supposed to do while you two are on your date? Hang around here in the bushes?”
“No, you can go with us. Take Moegi, we can double-date!”
Udon blushed for a moment, only Konohamaru knew of his intense crush on their teammate. If Moegi knew, she acted oblivious pretty damn well. But, the prospect of spending some down-time with Moegi did sound pretty good. “If you ask Moegi, I’ll do it.”
“Yeah, no problem.” Konohamaru smiled brightly. “Now, go before someone thinks we’re having sex in here or something.” He pushed the blushing and nervous teenager out of the bushes and toward the Hyuuga Manor gate.
Luckily for Udon, it was Hinata that answered the door when he knocked. Hanabi’s sister was a lot less stern, and a lot nicer, than their father. “Can I help you?”
Udon took a deep breath and swallowed hard before answering. “I-I c-came to take Ha-Hanabi on a d-date?” His answer came out sounding more like a question.
Hinata smiled warmly, knowing fully well what it felt like to be nervous, and called for her sister. Before Hanabi could reach the top of the stairs, her father was at the door.
“Who are you?” His voice boomed out, glaring down at the poor boy.
Udon spluttered and stuttered until his name finally fell out.
“What do you want with my daughter?”
“Father!” Hanabi scolded, racing in front of him and standing between her father and her date. “That’s enough!”
“Move, Hanabi. I have a few questions.” Not waiting for his daughter to obey, he knew her too well to think that would happen, he kept talking. “Are you, in any way, shape, or form, friends with, in every sense of the word, that fool Konohamaru?”
Hinata thanked whatever entity was listening her father was not that hard on Kiba. She did, however, know that if she’d kept her crush on Naruto and wound up dating him, her father would, probably, have been worse. After all, Konohamaru was a miniature version of Naruto…if not worse.
Udon’s eyes widened for a moment before meeting Hanabi’s. Taking a deep breath, knowing what he’d have to do, Udon answered. “No. That idiot is no friend of mine.”
A moment passed before Hiashi lowered his guard and wished his youngest a wonderful night. He didn’t, however, leave the door until he watched the two walk the length of the courtyard and exit the gate. Hanabi didn’t touch Udon once, nor did she really speak to him. It actually seemed as though she was holding herself back from running.
Switching on his Byakugan, Hiashi saw, though the bushes, his daughter running toward another boy. Konohamaru. Hiashi’s eyes narrowed. Did that chuunin actually think he could outsmart a ninja of Hiashi’s level? Did he doubt the power of Hiashi Hyuuga’s Byakugan?
Hinata had never seen her father run so fast. She was absolutely sure Hanabi wouldn’t be allowed out of the house, without the supervision of either her father or her sensei, for quite a while. Wishing that Konohamaru was faster than her father, Hinata shut the front door. She didn’t need to see what happened since she’d be hearing it all from her sister in a few minutes.
…she was right.