Renewing Changes - fourangers - Naruto [Archive of Our Own] (2024)

Chapter 1: Report 01

Chapter Text

“The most terrifying earthq (bzzt…) that shook the entire (bzzt…) of Tokyo…”

“Ungh…” Cerulean eyes squinted by the blustering sound of TV, his brain still attempting to clear up the clouds of sleepiness in his head.

“Many citizens, now homel (bzzt…), are living in temporary shelters donated by the govern (bzzt…), all of them shocked by the unexpected intensity of this earthquake. (Bzzt…) countries had already expressed their condolences as the Red Cross is (bzzt…) the loss of all Japanese people…”

Tanned hands rubbed his eyes sluggishly, a yawn escaping from his mouth. Arms were stretched wide accompanying with a contented grunt, sighing as he scratched his golden head.

“Many homes, buildings and shopping centers were destroyed, (bzzt…)”

The TV continued to emit a annoying shrill noise that made Naruto move to turn the television off, unsatisfied that he got his sleep interrupted. However, the moment his finger was hovering around the off button, his eyes widened at the familiar image displayed on screen.

“Unexpectedly, the century old Mitsukoshi, a building in possession of Uchiha Corpor (bzzt…) reconstruction, had survived this terrible fate even tho (bzzt…) some floors are severely damaged.”

The blond man quickly shook the other lump of bed covers that was situated next to him. “Oh my god! Sasuke!!! Sasuke, Sasuke, wake up!!!!”

He received an annoyed grunt. “Ugh…shut the f*ck up Dobe, my head—! Lem’me sleep…”

“No, you Bastard, wake the f*ck up!!!”

A sharp glare suddenly glinted in midst of covers as the voice continued. “Naruto, this better be worthy.” Spiky black hair appeared from all the amount of fabric, altogether with an aristocratic face that was frowning.

“C’mon, just look, the building in the TV!” Naruto pointed excitedly.

Sasuke rubbed one of his eyelid with his knuckle. “…so?”

“The earthquake is over!!! I mean, f*ck, we’re alive!!”

In an instant, onyx eyes snapped open. “We’re alive?” Sasuke repeated.

“Yeah! We’re alive!!!” Naruto laughed cheerfully.

“We’re alive!!!” Sasuke shouted relieved.

“We’re alive!!!” Naruto immediately hugged Sasuke in reflex, the latter returning the hug with equal willingness. As if they had received an electrical shock however, they both bolted in opposite sides at once, staring incredulously to each other open-mouthed.

It’s when Naruto realized his state of undress. And Sasuke’s equal state of undress. The questioned clothes haphazardly thrown all over the room. The fact that they were sharing a bed. And finally, about last night turn of events that, as memories were rushing inside their brains, provoked this whole state of affairs.

“Many are now concentrating in their tasks to find any survivor in Mitsukoshi center, as it was rumored that Uchiha Sasuke, the youngest son of the current president of Uchiha Corporations and the future heir of Uchiha Enterprises, was last located visiting this place…”

A long silence stretched between them inside the room, the only sound coming from the TV as they slowly realized their very compromising position.

Naruto broke it first, muttering. “Oh crap.”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

2 months ago…

The pristine reflection coming from the toilet mirror showed sun-kissed hands, frantically adjusting his orange tie for the hundredth time. He knitted his eyebrows, staring at his own anxious blue eyes. With a groan, Naruto cupped some water with his hands and washed the cold sweat gathering on his forehead, sighing in aggravation. He closed his eyes, slowly gathering on his nerves before with another huff, as he turned around and opened the door.

“How many minutes are left for them to arrive?” Naruto muttered to his boss, glancing his wristwatch.

“Two or three minutes…” Sarutobi inhaled another amount of smoke from his cigarette and chuckled. “Don’t worry about it Naruto-kun, everything will be fine.”

Naruto gulped dryly, nodding, before responding. “Well, I can’t help getting nervous about it you know. We’re meeting the president of the Uchiha Corporation! I mean—they probably produce every little thing we use, from toothbrush, chairs, notebooks, hell...maybe even my underwear!”

“Relax Naruto-kun…” Sarutobi smiled in an attempt to ease his protegée. “I know Fugaku-kun since he was a child, we’re very good old friends.” He paused, pressing the end of his cigarette on the ashtray. “He...can be someone difficult to get along at the beginning, but once you get used to him, he’s a rather pleasant fellow.”

“Well, but I’m not the one with years of friendship so maybe he’ll incinerate me alive if I dare to spout one wrong beep.” Naruto muttered quietly enough so Sarutobi wouldn’t catch his words, but a brunet wearing a pointy ponytail noticed.

“There’s no need for you to freak out Naruto. I’m sure Sarutobi will do all the usual pleasantries, while we’ll only pass through the whole presentation, maybe say few words here and there.” Shikamaru patted the blond’s hair, while he also waited their arrival.

“’m not used to these really important thingies, meetings and everything...man, I’m way much better getting behind my computer and do my usual work….” Naruto rebutted, rubbing his palms to dry the gathered sweat.

“Naruto, Sarutobi trusts your professional abilities and your potential for growth, that’s why he wants you to meet these people. Getting in touch with them and discuss about all your projects can open more possibilities for you. You might even take part of board of directors, so yes...better start getting used to this.”

“Sarutobi also trusts you too Shika, since you’re here with me.” Naruto pointed out, receiving a careless shrug in response. “What the hell? How the f*ck you’re able to get to be so calm?! I’m shaking all over just thinking about this!”

“Just keep a low profile and everything will be fine.” Shikamaru answered. They immediately straightened up once they noticed the door opening.

“Ah…Fugaku-kun, it’s so nice to meet you after such long time…” Sarutobi readily opened his arms to give a heartfelt hug, in which Fugaku responded, albeit a little stiffly.

Naruto couldn’t help but to snort inwardly with Japanese people and their usual reserved attitude. Although Sarutobi was speaking with Fugaku in Japanese and Naruto and Shikamaru understood this language, both young men were born in the USA while Sarutobi immigrated over there thirty years ago, acclimating with western closeness and warmness along the years.

As they were moving to sit in the conference room, Fugaku and Sarutobi continued to chat, with Naruto and Shikamaru following them. Another Japanese man was walking a little behind Fugaku, half of his body weren’t visible but Naruto assumed that maybe it was his secretary, translator or some sort. When Fugaku moved around to show this person to Sarutobi, the latter exclaimed:

“I see! Sasuke-kun huh? Wow, I remember when you used to be this small—“ Sarutobi laughed fondly, also raising his hand to mess with his dark hair. “I want to present the chief architects that will be responsible for your project.” Both young men snapped in attention as they prepared to greet their future clients.

Sarutobi gestured them with his hand. “Naruto Uzumaki and Shikamaru Nara.”

It was in this second when Naruto saw him . The whole world tilted around them, all sounds were being muffled, his vision narrowed to only one man. Sharp onyx eyes with long eyelashes, oval shaped face that gave a delicate allure but still maintaining a masculine appearance, pale smooth skin, contrasting greatly with his midnight silky hair. Broad shoulders, wearing an expensive suit that fit like a glove his perfect physique, chin lifting slightly upwards that held an upright posture, reflecting years of well-breeding in high class societies.

Every cell, every inch of his being was concentrated to gaze upon that man, his whole mind narrowed to only one thought…:

If he had met before such attractive man in his entire life, he’d have embraced his newly-found bisexuality long time ago.

Naruto’s fantasies were quickly broken into many pieces when, with a scornful snort, this dark-haired man turned to Fugaku and said in Japanese:

“What? That’s Uzumaki Naruto? He’s just a stupid, dumb-looking blond brat, otou-san.”

The blond snapped with a growl.

“WHAT WAS THAT YOU f*ckING BASTARD!”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 01 : Hate you? Hate me, hate like you hate yourself

Chapter 2: Report 02

Chapter Text

Ignoring the incredulous looks of shock from everyone else, as well as the warning hiss coming from Shikamaru, Naruto continued to yell.

"What the f*ck?" He said in English. "What the hell is wrong with you asshole? What exactly did I do to deserve you spouting sh*t like that?! Answer me!"

Sasuke however, ignored him in favor to mutter towards his father, annoyed. "See? He's also an uneducated, savage and rude idiot to boot. Clearly, they misinformed you about this person, otou-san."

"Stop ignoring me!" Naruto quickly shifted to retort in Japanese. "I can't comprehend this sudden aggressiveness! Explain the reason why you would offend me out of nowhere!"

"Whoa, Naruto, calm down." Shikamaru intervened in between, placing an arm in front of them. "It's probably…some kind of misunderstanding…"

"Well, it's not going to be a f*cking misunderstanding when I f*cking punch all over his f*cking face! I’m gonna drill a hole through his head with my fists and--”

"Naruto-kun!" Sarutobi reprimanded him. "Watch your language!"

Sasuke observed as the blond deflated at once and looked sheepishly towards his superior, scratching his whiskered cheek. "I'm sorry Sarutobi-jiichan." Naruto spoke in Japanese.

"You shouldn't only apologize to me, but to everybody in this room. Begin with the young man that you just had offended."

Naruto stiffened from Sarutobi's command, his hands balling into a fist. The blond scowled under his breath, he was the sole victim of this whole affair but he was the one paying for this crime. This is so unfair!

"Well, Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi repeated the order.

In an instant, Naruto spun around and Sasuke saw thunderous cobalt eyes glowering straight towards his eyes, snarling with barely contained rage.

"I a. po. lo. gi. ze. for. my. be. ha. vi. or." Each syllable was bitten out from gritted teeth, Shikamaru not-so-subtly elbow-jabbed his friend. Naruto rolled his eyes. " Sir." The last word brimmed with disdainful sarcasm.

"I guess." Sasuke replied in English. "There's an interesting idiom from your language that can describe your apology. I believe it's called 'fled cowardly with the tail between your legs.'"

"That's it—" Naruto stalked menacingly with his arms raised ready to choke the pale throat.

"Sasuke." An intimidating voice broke off the impending chaos and Fugaku stepped forward, blocking Sasuke from Naruto. "That is enough. I'd never have expected that you’d show such appalling behavior. Apologize to this young man."

However, from the sour look showing on Sasuke's face, it was pretty obvious that he was equally unwilling to yield any inch of his pride. Fugaku cleared his throat, pressuring the issue.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted, staring apathetically towards Naruto's smug eyes. "My bad." He spoke in Japanese.

Naruto snarled. "What? That's not exactly an apolo—Uuf!" He coughed when he felt Shikamaru's fist jabbing lightly behind him.

"Well!" Sarutobi intervened speaking louder than usual. "Since I guess, you both have already…made acquaintance to each other, I should also let you know that he's Fugaku's youngest son…"

"Uchiha Sasuke." The brunet answered dryly, not even bothering to raise either of his arms for a handshake.

Shikamaru just sighed, also not attempting to offer his own hand since he found everything just too troublesome. Naruto crossed his arms, not wanting to move a finger because he didn't want to be contaminated by bastard germs.

Suddenly, a light bulb turned on Naruto’s mind as he smirked. "Your name means 'fan'? Not much creativity in there." The blond knew how someone's name was ordered in the Eastern way, but he needed to push some of Sasuke's buttons.

The brunet responded, absolutely unphased. "It's still better than having your surname meaning 'spiral'. And your first name is after a japanese noodles condiment. Still, I'd expect that this tiny little brain of yours would know that Japanese inverts the order of names, idiot." Sasuke smirked.

"Well, f*ck you!" Naruto bristled. "You're now in America; you should follow our rules and obey our customs!" Behind him, Shikamaru was clearing his throat in attempt to gain his attention.

"I do not see why I should bend myself to an un-civilized, disordered and uncultured country like yours." Sasuke answered in Japanese.

"An uptight asshole like you would always be the arrogant f*cker that can't respect other countries besides your own." Naruto spoke in English.

Sasuke scoffed. "I know that this is just an excuse to hide the fact that you can't understand such complex language like Japanese."

"I can so!" Naruto immediately counterattacked in Japanese. "And I understood every word you have said in the past few minutes, I just didn't bother myself to answer in Japanese. As if you would also understand everything I've said in English."

"Please. Between grunts and shouts, obviously I wouldn't understand everything that a moron like you would bark." Sasuke scoffed, ignoring the heavy stare his father was directing to him. "I probably would understand a dog better than you." He spoke haughtily, raising his chin.

Naruto just gaped for some brief seconds, the insult still ringing his ears, not believing that someone he barely knew for over five minutes would say such offensive words. When it finally clicked, with a guttural roar, Naruto launched towards Sasuke, disregarding any table, chair, anything in his way.

"No wait, Naruto!" Shikamaru quickly grabbed his friend from behind, trying to avoid the looming tragedy.

"Let me go Shika! Just let me punch—" -Naruto grunted, attempting to step forward. "This frikkin' girly face—Baaaaaaaastaaaaaaaard—"

However, when you'd expect anyone with considerable sanity would take careful steps back, Sasuke just stood undaunted, his arrogant smirk hitching higher. "Have I touched a nerve? Too truthful for you to admit moron?"

Naruto suddenly freed himself from Shikamaru, his fists tightening on Sasuke's expensive suit and growled in Japanese. "What exactly have I done wrong to receive this mistreatment? Why are you acting so awfully towards me?"

Continuing his diatribe in Japanese, the blond inhaled deeply and released his breath in one shout. "YOU IMPOLITE PERSON!"

Everyone in the room froze on the spot, in an attempt to filter and comprehend Naruto's abnormal choice of words. It was Shikamaru; not Sasuke, the first one to break the silence with a snort:

"Naruto, that's not exactly how you'd normally insult someone."

"Uuuuuuuuugh…" Face flaming red from embarrassment, the blond had allowed his friend to disentangle his fingers away from Sasuke.

Fugaku, seeing that this was the right opportunity to end the situation before it'd got heated once again, turned towards Sarutobi. "Well, for now those introductions will be more than enough. Next time we'll begin reviewing the initial plans."

The eldest Uchiha offered his hand to Sarutobi and shook it. "Once again, it is my pleasure to meet you after many years, Hiruizen-san."

"Oh, likewise." Sarutobi smiled, accepting the handshake as Sasuke repeated the same motion afterwards together with a polite bow.

Fugaku quickly approached the young architects, pausing for a moment in appraisal. Both young men grew a little bit apprehensive under such scrutiny when, also raising his hand, Fugaku declared. "I'm looking forward seeing the project."

He first offered to shake hands with Shikamaru. "Nara Shikamaru." The young brunet acknowledged with a nod.

And with another long pause staring towards the blond, Fugaku shook Naruto's hand. "Uzumaki Naruto."

"Ah…thank you very much." Naruto muttered timidly, attempting very hard to not fall into his longtime habit of scratching the back of his head.

Sasuke just finished shaking Shikamaru's hand and was walking towards the door when his father called. "Shake hands with Uzumaki-kun too."

For everybody inside the conference room, Fugaku's suggestion appeared to be a very bad idea , as everyone stared at Naruto and Sasuke with growing apprehension.

"Well, Sasuke?" Fugaku repeated with an apparent unruffled tone; however, his narrowed eyes told otherwise.

Sasuke acquiesced and took the few steps ahead and raised his hand.

Naruto glared at the offered hand for a couple of seconds and before he accepted it, squeezing with all his worth. "It was a pleasure…to meet you. Sasuke." Naruto grinned in triumph towards the seething onyx eyes. "Uchiha."

Sasuke frowned before giving his own copyrighted smirk. "Likewise. Uzumaki . Naruto." The mischievous beam quickly vanished as the blond tried to match, as much as possible, Sasuke's glare with his own.

The apparent friendly handshake continued on and on as they increased their strength in their hands, the electricity created from the traded glares was enough to supply a whole city. Shikamaru simply rolled his eyes, opening the door for Fugaku and Sarutobi as they slowly walked towards the exit.

Not wanting to give up the competition but inwardly admitting that his hand was beginning to feel a little bit sore, Naruto started to pry open his fingers when suddenly, before he could react, Sasuke pulled the blond closer to himself and whispered in his ear:

"Next time we meet do try to improve your vocabulary. Usuratonkachi. " The brunet quickly released his hand and turned around to follow his father.

Naruto snarled. Now he had to find out what the f*ck usuratonkachi meant! The bastard!

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

After his usual afternoon nap right after lunch, Shikamaru strolled through sluggish steps inside the office, ready to refill his coffee. Naruto's work table was in the way of the kitchen, so he’d always stop by to chat with his bubbly blond friend.

However, instead of seeing the usual sight of Naruto researching something from books or using his Wacom Cintiq, the blond was furiously typing something on the computer, inside the google translate website.

As Shikamaru approached his friend for a closer inspection, he saw the typed word "f*ck you" displayed on the monitor, following by the provided translation in Japanese.

"Um. Naruto. What are you doing?" Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow.

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "I'm looking for curse words in Japanese, can't you see?" He answered while he typed the word 'asshole' this time.

"Oh yes." Shikamaru looked at his empty cup and continued. "Why?"

His friend made a frustrated groan and replied. "Because I don't know any curse words in Japanese. Or anything rude, actually. In the Japanese school that I used to go, they only taught me the honorific style of wording, and whenever I talked with the Japanese clients I also spoke politely."

"I see. Hence, the failed insult towards Mr. Sasuke Uchiha." Shikamaru smirked.

"Way to rub the salt in my wounds Shika." Naruto grumbled. Shikamaru simply shrugged. "But next time, I'll be prepared." The blond now stared at the extensive list of translated words he pasted to Microsoft Word and smirked.

"So which words do you already know in Japanese?" Shikamaru asked.

"Well, I already know 'bastard', 'idiot', 'stupid', 'asshole', 'f*ck you', 'damn' and I have to remember more." Naruto counted with his fingers.

"Congratulations." The brunet said dryly.

"Thanks!" Unfortunately, Shikamaru's sarcasm flew straight through Naruto's ears, completely oblivious about the remark. "I'm also finding another type of speech. You know that there are tons of different versions of 'you' in Japanese, but there's one version where I can call him and insult him at the same time!"

"Oh? And which one would that be? Shikamaru muttered.

Naruto crossed his arms and inflated his chest in satisfaction as a wicked grin slowly hitched one side of his lip. "Teme."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, too used to Naruto’s excitable nature to feel any kind of exasperation. "I don't understand why you would hold such strong grudge over someone, anyways."

"You think I know?" Naruto whipped his head towards his friend. "That f*cker was the one who started all this! You heard it! He insulted me first!"

"And yet, I never saw you getting so riled up, especially in front of Sarutobi." Shikamaru retorted with a tone of disapproval towards his friend.

That made Naruto deflate a little, feeling guilty for placing his kindhearted boss into a possible delicate situation. "Yeah, I know I shouldn't have done that." He lightly rubbed the back of his neck before knitting his eyebrows in indignation. "But that Bastard sure got on my nerves; he's such an arrogant, inconsiderate, mother f*cker Satan's spawn raised from hell!" He blinked twice before returning to his keyboard. "Gotta know how to say that in Japanese…"

Shikamaru refrained from the urge to plant his palm on his face and muttered. "You should have simply ignored him, Naruto."

"Yeah, but he kept taunting me the whole time dammit!" Naruto shouted, his rage returning full-blown. "All the time! That arrogant f*cker! Seriously, what the hell is his problem? I bet his ego could cover the entire state of Texas, no, the entire country of the United States! And he had to show it off and I had to hear all this crap!"

Naruto continued his enraged gibberish but at this point Shikamaru had already tuned out all the exclamations and promises of murder. With someone with excess stamina like Naruto, he'd rather wait until this almost unlimited source of energy wore down to slowly subdue the strong display of emotions. Shikamaru nodded nonchalantly while Naruto chatted non-stop, then excused himself for some seconds to refill his coffee and upon returning, glanced as the blond took some minutes to recover his breath.

Naruto restarted his rant.

"And that Bastard called me usuratonkachi! That f*cker! Usuratonkachi! Do you have any idea what usuratonkachi means in English?" Naruto howled in indignation.

Personally Shikamaru didn't give a damn about all this, but he figured that if he expressed his indifference, his blond friend would surely chew his ear until he'd get the appointed answer. So he only shook his head while he rolled his eyes inwardly.

"Total dumbass!" Naruto growled as if he just received the most foul insult in his entire life. "I mean, what kind of asshole would call anyone he met for a grand total of a half an hour total dumbass, huh? Huh? Only one Bastard that goes with the name of Sasuke Uchiha! The next time we meet, I swear that blood will be spilled, justice will be served or my name is not Naruto Uzumaki! Believe it!"

"I've heard that Makoto is a quite charming name, in any case you want to change it." Shikamaru replied, drinking his coffee in lazy gulps.

"Shika, you're not helping." Naruto glared towards his friend.

Shikamaru simply shrugged. "I'm just saying that you better be prepared with for those so-called 'battles'. After all, you're the one who's going to see him at every meeting regarding the project we're responsible for."

"…" For someone who practically spilled his soul a few moments ago, Naruto managed to lose his voice for a grand total of thirty seconds before hissing flabbergasted. " What?"

"Chief's order, not mine." Shikamaru took another sip.

This time the hiss turned into a shout. "What?"

"He said that after this display of immaturity, it’s your duty to engage a positive conversation with Mr. Sasuke Uchiha afterwards and smooth this whole ugly mess that occurred today."

Naruto groaned. "Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat…No. f*cking. Way…" Cerulean eyes stared unfocused towards the computer monitor until he curled another mischievous grin. "Well, at least I already know a bunch of curse words so I can use against that conceited bastard!"

"Whatever…" Shikamaru sighed.

Naruto beamed. "And now I know that 'retarded' means 'ahou' in Japanese!"

"Live and learn, I guess…" And once again, Shikamaru's sarcastic statement went unnoticed by Naruto, too enthralled to type more insulting words than to properly listen to his friend.

Shikamaru used this time to take a peek at his friend. Frankly, he was a little bit apprehensive about Naruto's outburst and hostility towards the young Uchiha guy. Generally, whether he was on good or bad terms towards anyone, Naruto wasn't so fixated over them, obsessing or holding any kind of grudge. It looked like Sasuke managed to get under Naruto's skin, and now Shikamaru hoped their interaction wouldn't end up with many wounds and broken bones. The young brunet prepared to gulp down the cold coffee only to frown at the empty cup. He glanced at the agitated mop of golden hair to see Naruto rapidly typing 'douche bag', only to receive a negative answer in the google translate. With another roll of eyes, Shikamaru returned to stare at his empty mug, musing about the situation.

Actually…to tell the truth…the first few seconds he saw Naruto staring at Sasuke he thought…

Shikamaru frowned, a headache beginning to emerge inside his head. At least Naruto was simply acting antagonistic towards Sasuke, no other emotions whirling around. It was already troublesome as it was without adding any other possible feelings into the mix that would only result in a deadly explosion.

Unbeknownst to his friend's thoughts, Naruto cackled, his lips twitching into a very dark grin. Though really, it’d have been truly impressive this display of evilness, if only he didn't contradict himself with childlike bliss glinting in his eyes, as if he was a kid looking at p*rn behind the mother's back.

"Hey hey hey, Shika, look at this! Do you want to know what 'son of a bitch' is in Japanese? It's—"

Shikamaru figured it was about time for him to refill his cup of coffee, turning around away from Naruto's babbling.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 02: Introduce me to predictable problems.

AN: Lol, no, I don't know what's 'son of a bitch' in Japanese. Or better, I know, but I didn't ask any Japanese linguist to confirm it.

Neeways, I'm too lazy to put "codes" like italic would mean they are speaking in Japanese, underline in English…it's all too troublesome for me. I'll warn beforehand, but you guys already noticed that when Naruto speaks politely, he's using Japanese, when he's cursing and yelling everywhere, he's using English. Most times.

Chapter 3: Report 03

Chapter Text

"Naruto!" The secretary approached his work table while the blond was drawing sketches with his tablet. "Mr. Sasuke Uchiha has arrived." She blinked confused when his concentrated face morphed into a scowl and he continued on his task, undeterred. "Naruto…?"

"Yeah, got it." He muttered, drawing another line on AutoCad, writing the correct coordinates. "Just need some touch ups, I'll be right there."

"Oh, I see." The secretary nodded. "He's already in the conference room though. Should I warn him that you'll be a few minutes, or…?"

Naruto shrugged, his cerulean eyes still fixed on his monitor. "Yeah, whatever, just keep giving him coffee or something like that." He paused and then added afterwards, "Give him the strongest coffee and keep refilling for him." Surely someone as annoying and fussy as the Bastard wouldn't be able to tolerate the bitterest flavor on his prissy tongue. Then, the blonde grumbled to himself. "I hope he dies from overdose of caffeine." Naruto refrained the urge to suggest she drop some poison in the coffee, opting to wrinkle his nose in distaste.

Perhaps the secretary heard Naruto's mumbled threat or maybe she noticed the darkening expression on his face, because she whispered a frightened 'thanks' and turned around. Naruto stared at the finished plan and selected the document to be printed in A0, sighing and stretching his arms as he heard the noise of the printer. Normally he wouldn't let his clients wait too long for his arrival, but it's just that he wasn't in the mood to meet that frigid, conceited, son of a bitch Sasuke Uchiha. If possible, even though he knew that the meeting was inevitable, he wanted to delay this as much as he could.

Naruto picked up the printed plan and examined it slowly, not bothering to check the time. There wasn't any kind of mistake written there; he already checked thrice, but it wouldn't hurt checking for the fourth time, the blond mused wearing a wicked grin on his face. It's not that he was doing this on purpose…but admittedly he wouldn't be so slow if Sasuke showed him the minimum of courtesy. Too engrossed with his hated-filled thoughts, the young man didn't notice Sarutobi arriving and clearing his throat loudly. He raised his head to see his boss quirking an eyebrow towards him. Naruto's evil smile instantly disappeared as he felt his blood draining away from his face.

"So…I've heard that Sasuke-kun is here." Sarutobi smiled indulgently towards his employee.

"Yeah…about that…" Naruto placed the gigantic piece of paper on the table and mumbled. "I just need to make sure all the details are correct, I just need few more minutes."

"Is that so?" The older man calmly combed his beard and muttered. "But I've heard from Shikamaru-kun that you already finished the initial proposal yesterday so you probably are more than ready to talk about it with Sasuke-kun right."

"Well…" Naruto squeaked, unable to meet his eyes towards his superior.

"You can't let him wait for too long huh? So pack up and go." Sarutobi spoke in a tone of finality.

Naruto sighed, picking up the papers and grumbled. "'kays, I'm going."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

When Fugaku mentioned Uzumaki Naruto before they arrived at Sarutobi's office, Sasuke at first expected to see a regular Japanese young man, short in stature, shy, not an outspoken type. Probably be wearing thick-rimmed glasses, with a face filled with pimples and a standard hair style, an overall average appearance and a belly. Yes, definitely a huge belly, after all, Naruto meant fishcake in Japanese; that surely would have some kind of influence on the man in question right?

"Excuse me, Mr. Uchiha." The secretary approached him with a cup of coffee. "I've already let Mr. Uzumaki know you've arrived and he will be here shortly."

Sasuke nodded as he drank the hot beverage and much to his surprise, it was his favorite strongest blend of coffee. Working inside such a big company as Uchiha Corporation inevitably forced him to pull overnights almost every day, so strong coffee became a necessary tool for his survival when the normal strength already lost its effect.

"Is there anything else that I can get you?" The secretary purred as she batted her eyelashes rapidly, with a sweet smile directed at him.

"No." Sasuke replied monosyllabic, taking another sip of coffee while the woman huffed and shifted away from his vision. Ten minutes had already passed, the usuratonkachi surely was taking his sweet time to arrive in the conference room. The brunet shrugged, already expecting that the blond would act like that just to spite him. At least the coffee tasted good.

Thinking about that hyperactive idiot, Sasuke had to admit that Naruto acted totally opposite than what he had imagined. Sasuke was picturing he would be the type that he could easily chastise in any occasion, who would simply duck his head while Sasuke would use him to vent his frustration; the typical employee that would tremble with fear upon hearing his surname, all obedient and meek.

As he finished the third cup of coffee, he heard the door being pried open and raised his head to see who had arrived. Azure and onyx eyes met and Sasuke noticed a scowl instantly forming on the tanned face.

And despite his distaste towards the blond, Sasuke couldn't help but to smirk seeing the rebellious expression directed at him. He didn't expect that Uzumaki Naruto would end up being an attractive blond man with brilliant blue eyes, sporting a healthy tanned, 'beach boy' type of skin. Unlike his predictions of meeting a chubby guy, Naruto had a nice toned body, not an inch of fat displayed on the lean stomach, evident beneath the thin shirt he was wearing, with rolled sleeves that showed his muscled arms. Sasuke shook his head inwardly while his eyes roamed all over Naruto's body. Indeed, completely unlike his expectations.

Not to mention that the blond immediately protested the moment Sasuke bad mouthed him for the first time. Never in his life had someone ever dared to open his mouth whenever he would insult him, much less complain and raise his voice against him. Naruto managed to do all this plus he also insulted Sasuke back, the brunet found himself entering in this childish banter, totally uncharacteristic from his usual nonchalant persona.

All in all, Naruto was someone who was the complete opposite of Sasuke's initial predictions. He had to admit that he was slightly frustrated by the fact that the blond moron went against his previous plans of finding the victim that wouldn't protest with his undermining attitude, but this way he kept Sasuke further entertained with his unpredictable behavior.

Well, it was also amusing to hear the blond man speaking in Japanese. With the globalization and internet, it was easier to learn new languages in comparison to the past, but it was still unusual to see someone with typical Caucasian characteristics speaking in almost perfect Japanese (almost, he still had a slight American accent).

The blond turned around to loudly close the door, huffing as he carried a lot of rolled papers with his hands, glaring towards Sasuke as the latter simply crossed his arms waiting. When Naruto reached the brunet, he placed all the objects on the table and grabbed the closest chair to sit. After some tired breaths, Naruto muttered:

"Good afternoon, Mr. Uchiha." The tone wasn't as offensive in comparison to the first time they had met, but it still held some bitterness behind the polite words. Sasuke answered in Japanese:

"Call me Uchiha-san, I dislike the mister in my name." It made him sound centuries older than he looked.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Fine, Uchiha-san."

"And speak in Japanese, I dislike the way that Americans always keep mumbling their language, it's atrocious and hurts my ears just listening to it." Sasuke said as he examined some papers, knowing all too well that the blond would automatically protest back.

And he wasn't disappointed. "Hey!" Naruto shouted, waving his ruler in front of the brunet. "There’s nothing wrong with the American accent, you bastard! And whenever someone visits a foreign country, they gotta get used to that countries' habits and everything so they could have a pleasant relationship with the native citizens! So you should use English with me since you know how to speak it!"

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and snorted. "Such hypocrisy. Whenever a foreigner arrives in the US they have to speak in English to communicate with anyone here. However, when an American goes to some other country, the citizens are expected to adapt and learn English to help them out. I don't see the need to follow this pattern."

"Well, English is an international language that everyone learns worldwide. It's convenient in case you don't know the local language you're visiting, you can try out English instead." Naruto answered. "It's inevitable ‘cuz everyone knows how to speak English, it's easier for them to help us out while we’re learning their language."

Sasuke smirked. "No wonder Americans are known for being the arrogant, self-centered bunch."

Naruto growled, how dare this conceited asshole call him arrogant!

The brunet continued, undeterred. "You're just afraid that you don't have a decent Japanese vocabulary to discuss about this project."

"I do too!" Naruto instantly protested in Japanese, Sasuke felt his smirk hitching higher. So easy... "Well then, just you wait until I completely humiliate you with my awesome Japanese! Let this be a lesson for you to learn then!"

"I shall be waiting for your grandiose speech then, Uzumaki-san." Sasuke mockingly retorted in polite Japanese, while he looked at the papers placed in front of him.

Naruto narrowed his eyes for a moment, before picking up one of the plans and opening the rolled paper. "I'm sure Sarutobi already explained all the details about Mitsukoshi right. We'll be responsible for the demolition of the old building and the reconstruction of the new one retaining a similar style with its former."

Sasuke nodded. "Should I already be in contact with the demolition company and begin this operation in advance?"

"No…The photos your company have provided are useful as well as Sarutobi's infos regarding the current building sketches, plans and all but…" The blond glanced at the technical drawings and said. "I prefer taking a look at the place, to see its current state to make a proper decision regarding which material we should use to construct the new one."

"…why?"

"Because Sarutobi said that the area where Mitsukoshi is located has a long history of earthquakes leaving us to conclude that there's a constant seismic activity nearby. So Sarutobi said that he used several technologies to guarantee elasticity to dissipate the impacts of seismic activity combined with reinforced steel structures and other rubber materials to absorb the wave frequencies. We also have to take care of the friction between the joints that…" Naruto noticed that Sasuke was frowning from the explanation and quickly amended. "The joints are the connection between each end of the structure and—"

Sasuke interrupted impatiently. "I know exactly what you're talking about, no need to explain it to me."

The brunet observed as the blond architect quickly changed his former concerned face with an annoyed glower as he proceeded further on. "So, I wanted to check myself how the material Sarutobi had formerly used had reacted to the seismic impacts through the decades to see if I should choose the same ones. We should also research the neighboring area, such as the usual public consumer, their behaviors and—"

"We already did this before." Sasuke interrupted. "Here's the report, and Mitsukoshi is located in Ginza." He opened his case as he offered a stack of papers.

"Well. That surely helps me out." The blonde picked up and flipped through the pages. "I've already scheduled my flight to Japan anyway, and I prefer seeing it with my own eyes."

"Fine, when did you schedule your flight then?"

"In two months. Till then we'll have plenty of time to create the whole design and style, we also have to make sure to do a mock-up in 1 per 10000 meters scale." Naruto picked up several thick folders containing various samples of different types of material. "Several companies have already contacted us with samples of their materials and since it's going to be built in Japan, we can choose from some neighboring countries and plan carefully the logistics over which material is the most viable one and present the best quality too."

Sasuke nodded, logistics definitely was his area of expertise.

The blond continued, opening many pieces of rolled papers, all of them sprawled around the gigantic conference table. "Well, Russia produces some good quality minerals, and we'll find sturdy steel with reasonable prices, China on the other hand, we'll have to carefully choose the best brand of porcelain, as the type of quality inside that country varies too much depending the region…"

Sasuke simply stared as the architect began pointing out some specific places on the first floor plan, blue eyes immersed on his task as Naruto spoke:

"Well, I've noticed that Sarutobi used 32 main pillars on each floor, the shape of each floor is adequately structured although the overall floor plan made need to be modified to improve flow…"

Naruto paused, tilting his head upwards and Sasuke quickly schooled his slightly puzzled expression into a suave nonchalant one. Shrugging his shoulder, the blond resumed:

"Then, although high functionality is imperative inside Japan, I think we can still innovate with subtle curves on the basic structure of this building…"

Sasuke attempted to focus but eventually he'd lose one word or another, not being able to cope with the rapid explanation and structural plans. The blond picked up one of the photos showing the front of the old building and said:

"We may need some analyzing on how to distribute well all the proper entrances since the old one only consisted of a main one. So…"

And it appeared that even if the Uchiha was labeled genius by many, one can be genius in only one certain area of expertise. Although Sasuke had an overall knowledge in architecture and held some meetings with other architecture companies, what Naruto was throwing at him was way too fast for him to cope with the speed in absorbing all the information. The brunet expected that the architect would stumble in some explanation or another, seeing he wasn't a native Japanese speaker and all the technical terms were too specific for a middle-advanced linguistic to know, he thought that it was the perfect opportunity to ridicule the usuratonkachi somehow.

Also, he knew that Naruto started working in Sarutobi's office only recently, even though this project would ensure a good promotion for him. Perhaps the idiot was used to talking with Japanese clients…? And since Sasuke had already arrogantly said that he didn't need any explanation in the first place, asking now was almost like pleading for an early grave. Sasuke frowned as Naruto spoke Japanese fluidly:

"—therefore, since Sarutobi used those two distinct styles, I prefer asking which one you are going to take. So which one do you prefer?" Naruto turned his head waiting for Sasuke's answer.

Graphite eyes widened a fraction before Sasuke immediately readjusted to his usual expressionless self. "…wh—Excuse me?"

"The two main styles Sarutobi used to build Mitsukoshi. Which one are you going to use as the main one." Naruto repeated impatiently.

Shoot. Sasuke was struggling to remember which styles Naruto was asking about, but his (supposedly) genius self wasn't able to clear his muddled mind. He managed to come up with an answer:

"The second one…would be fine."

He succeeded maintaining his cool detached expression, even under Naruto's meticulous scrutiny. The electric blue eyes kept staring with a perusal that frankly, unnerved Sasuke a little bit, as if they were searching, piercing directly to his soul.

Suddenly, a mischievous grin appeared. It twitched so rapidly on Naruto's lips that, by the time Sasuke was preparing to launch his patented Uchiha Glare ®, it disappeared to another professional smile. The brunet furrowed his eyebrows, staring suspiciously.

"I see, Art Deco right." Naruto said, as he picked up the photos of the entrance and showed them to Sasuke. "I guess it's understandable why you would choose this style, after all, the current Mitsukoshi has this distinct style that stands out against the other buildings around it. It'd be foolish if we used another style that will lose the original identity Mitsukoshi portrayed."

Sasuke took several seconds to absorb the information, before he nodded slowly, still glaring in suspicion towards the blond. Naruto continued unruffled.

"As you can see that Art Deco was previously inspired by the ideals of Art Nouveau, however, it also held the intent of finding the perfect geometric shapes, studying many ancient cultures such as Babylon, Aztec and many others."

Sasuke shrugged, not paying full attention to Naruto's explanation. Even though he had the basic knowledge in art history, the subject was too boring for him.

"But Art Deco's main inspiration is the Greco-Roman Classicism. Like in Art Nouveau, they wanted to resurrect this movement and make the previous glorious civilization influence our lives once again. I say we should also do the same. And to revolutionize this whole concept, we should take one bold step and make it clear our intentions to resurrect this culture!"

Boring…Whatever…Sasuke glanced at his watch, wanting this explanation to be over as quickly as possible.

"We should put statues of Venus de Milo in each pillar in the new building! No, even better, we should put a 32 foot long statue of Venus de Milo right at the entrance while we create a sacrificial altar around her. All the employees will be dressed in costume, wearing Greek clothes, with white fabric draped around the body and stopping a little bit below the crotch. It'll definitely attract lots of customers, I guarantee it."

"If you say so…" Sasuke replied monotonously, his mind wandering too far away from the current issue that he took some several moments to notice something wasn't quite right. Wait what?

"We'll attract million of tourists from all parts of Japan, and every visitor will donate money in appreciation of Venus de Milo. Those who can't, obviously, will be sacrificed for her sake, the blood spilled occasionally will make her satisfied that we're such devoted followers."

"Usuratonkachi, what exactly are you talking about now." Sasuke cut in between with a sharp glare.

The innocent confusion that Naruto displayed on his face could almost guarantee a nomination on the Academy. "What are you talking about? You agreed with all this right? Don't worry about it, I know exactly the best company that can create an identical statue with the best price on the market! It's going to be goooorgeous—"There, Naruto made an excellent imitation of a stereotypical gay artist showing off his works, even waving his hands dramatically and sighing dreamily. "Just fabulous, I can already envision the beautiful entrance with that magnanimous statue and—"

Sasuke quickly grabbed Naruto's shirt and snarled. "Cut the crap, you dumbass. This was a stupid joke, and you should just shut the f*ck up. What the hell is wrong with you, moron."

Naruto gaped for a few seconds enraged before also fisting Sasuke's expensive suit and growled in English. "What the f*ck is wrong with me, you Bastard? You were the one who started all this! What did I do to get your panties in a twist, asshole?"

"Wh—What?" Sasuke dragged Naruto closer to him and sputtered. "How dare you accuse me of wearing panties! You're an annoying idiot, irritating me right at the start!"

"Well, you're a f*cking bastard too! Prissy ass, icy oohime-chama!" Naruto glowered as he also dragged Sasuke closer next to him.

"Usuratonkachi!" Sasuke snarled, decreasing the distance between them.

Naruto grabbed closer, smirking. "Yarou!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Congratulations for knowing one curse word, ahou."

"Shove it, Teme!" Naruto growled so close to Sasuke that he felt the bastard's breath on his face.

"Wow, two words, I'm impressed, baka." Sasuke snorted.

"You—you—"Naruto protested as he could see in full detail graphite eyes narrowed in annoyance. They were so close that their noses would bump to each other if anyone moved right now.

The blond saw a smirk hitching on Sasuke's mouth and quirked an eyebrow in response. "You know, anyone with a little bit of intelligence would think twice before picking a fight with an important VP from a multinational company." Sasuke spoke, the smooth voice involuntarily made Naruto stare at Sasuke's perfect lips moving and forming the words. Wait, why was he staring at the bastard's mouth now?

"That's because normally, people with common sense knows that we shouldn't give any special treatment to inconsiderate bastards like you."

Sasuke raised an impressed eyebrow. "Hn. Weren’t you supposed to be afraid of the fact that I could ruin your life completely with a simple snap of my fingers, usuratonkachi?"

It was Naruto's turn to snort. "You're a bastard. And a proud arrogant asshole to boot too. I bet that if you really wanted to ruin my life, you'd prefer doing it by yourself so you can gloat everywhere that it was done with your own hands. Quite the pointless idea, but that's just expected from a bastard like you."

Sasuke scowled, drawing Naruto closer. "So what if—"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Sarutobi said: "Hey boys. How is it going with you two right now?" He opened the door and saw the young men looking intently on one plan placed between them.

"Hi Sarutobi-jiichan!" Naruto chirped, a wide grin straining on his lips.

"Good Afternoon, Sarutobi-san." Sasuke spoke courteously, bowing his head slightly.

The old man nodded in greeting, satisfied with the apparent amiable atmosphere between them. "I see that you both have settled your differences at last." The young men nodded a little bit too eagerly but Sarutobi didn't notice. "I'm glad. Do you need any help about the project?"

"Well, you could remove some bastardish asshole out of my way and everything will be fine, thank you." Naruto muttered to himself though he almost howled in pain when he felt a painful jab on his knee. "Owww—"He groaned as he glared daggers towards Sasuke's smug eyes.

"Everything is in order, thank you for your concern, Sarutobi-san." Sasuke spoke politely, succeeding to hide his wince when Naruto pinched his arm in retaliation.

"Good. Sasuke-kun, your father and I were thinking of going out for dinner right now and I thought it'd be nice if you could go with us. Are you done for today then, boys?"

"Yes." Both answered at the same time, with the same aloof tone that made the old man raise an eyebrow.

Sasuke raised himself from his seat while Naruto began rearranging the papers, rolling and collecting them into one place. As the brunet was about to exit the room, the blond called:

"Oh yeah. Mr. Uchiha." Naruto grinned at the subtle glower aimed at him from his client. "I hope you consider my idea of using architraves, totems and sacrificial pits since it was your decision about this in the first place. Right?"

He could barely muffle his chuckle as the glare darkened and Sasuke exited under Sarutobi's confused expression.

Fine. If that's how the usuratonkachi wanted to play. Sasuke mused and smirked evilly, already crafting another plan in his head.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

"Here." Sasuke said as he threw a book on the table. Naruto stared at the thick book presented to him and grunted.

"What is this?" The blond narrowed his eyes suspiciously, picking it up and opened the book.

"You wanted me to decide a major style for the new Mitsukoshi. The answer is in this book."

"Say what?" Naruto snarled as he glanced at the glossary.

Oh god. Kanjis. And more Kanjis. And even more Kanjis. An ocean of Kanjis—

"I thought that the best way to reconstruct Mitsukoshi would be by embracing our Japanese roots. Therefore, I picked up the best book that depicts correctly the spirit and philosophy of Japan to provide a common ground in understanding on how we can apply it in the design of the new building." Sasuke said haughtily as he glanced with satisfaction at the look of desperation that took on Naruto's features.

Naruto glanced at the book cover; "Oku no Hosomichi", before opening the first chapter. More kanjis. The book was probably written in Archaic Japanese. And, by the way the letters were organized, it also appeared to be a poem. Even though Naruto had an advanced knowledge of the Japanese language, he was only limited to the modern vocabulary. There wasn't any katakana written inside it, leading him to believe that this book was written before any interference from outer countries. Holy crap~~~~~

Naruto growled "Didn't you decide last week that we should go with Art Deco?" The word 'bastard' went unsaid, but was grossly implied anyways.

"I have changed my mind. Art Deco is something from the Western world, inspired in western civilizations. We should respect our own culture instead of copying from others. You can mix with constructivism, as Sarutobi-san had also chosen this style in the current building, didn't he?" Sasuke crossed his arms as a challenge.

Naruto wrinkled his nose, but otherwise didn't say anything. Regardless his prissy behavior, Sasuke was his client nevertheless and therefore it wasn't in his place to complain. Except. "Can't I simply research Japanese architecture, Buddhist and Shinto temples and Japanese castles instead of reading this book?" The blond growled, returning the book to Sasuke.

The brunet pushed it back to Naruto. "No. You could research to aid your ideas, but the essence of Mitsukoshi's whole style will be based on this book. I don't want to see any cheap imitation of something already existing; I want a whole new concept with the same ideals and tradition that the Japanese culture has."

Naruto hissed lowly. "Bastard."

"What was that?" Sasuke quirked an eyebrow.

"Looking forward to seeing this m'a—sir." Naruto replied monotonously in English.

"I already said that you'll use Japanese with me, usuratonkachi."

Naruto continued to mutter in English. "Why don't you shove an icicle deep inside your ass, you…" he continued to grumble as the brunet rolled his eyes.

"See, that's why I said that Americans only mumble incoherently in their own language."

Naruto didn't reply, preferring to glare as venomously as possible at Sasuke. He glanced back to the book. "What is 'washi'?"

The Uchiha chuckled darkly. "I or me." He felt his smirk opening so wide that his mouth was going to crack. "Used in feudal times." The grin was hitching higher as he saw Naruto's gaping mouth; any wider he'd be able to catch flies. "I guess we can call this meeting over right?" He spoke in a tone of finality.

The blond simply couldn't answer, opting to browse through the book as his blue eyes kept widening considerably with each turn of the page.

"Oh yes. I'll want the resolution with good sketches and ideas in the next two days. After all, I'm extremely busy and that's the only available time I have for you." Sasuke spoke as he prepared to leave.

"…" Naruto closed his mouth to bare his teeth into a threatening growl.

"See you later usuratonkachi." Sasuke replied smoothly, thoroughly ignoring the killing intent emanating towards him.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Naruto stared at the long pages of the book before throwing his head back with a sigh. He. Was. Sooooooooooo. Screwed. His brows immediately knitted into an indignant frown. The Bastard. That ass was making sure he'll be humiliated just because Naruto played a small prank on him. Sheesh, bitter much?

The blond contemplated for a moment about buying the English version before discarding the idea. The prick was challenging him and he surely was not someone who'd cowardly back off such a test.

Google translator obviously wouldn't be able to translate such complex kanji characters; his only alternative would be buying a dictionary then. Blue eyes steeled with resolution, Naruto jumped off his seat and went to talk with Sarutobi.

He knocked lightly on the door. "Sarutobi-jiichan."

"Yes, is there a problem, Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi glanced through his papers when he saw the young blond scratching the back of his head.

"Actually, I wanted to ask if you have a kanji dictionary."

Taken by surprise, Sarutobi quirked an eyebrow, questioning. "Kanji dictionary? What for?"

"I need it to read a book that Mr. Sasuke Uchiha lent me that will be the main guideline to create the design of the new Mitsukoshi building."

"Oh really? What book?" Sarutobi asked confused, since he was sure that Sasuke had a graduate degree in Administration, right? He wouldn't lend any book regarding architecture; an area that he wasn't specialized in.

"Oku no Hosomichi."

"…really? Isn't that…a poetry book?"

Naruto shrugged back. "He said that I should use it to understand the essence of the Japanese Culture."

Sarutobi nodded in agreement. "Well, he is correct in this regard. Sasuke-kun was always such a clever child."

Naruto scowled at the 'clever' part. He then, blinked in recognition. "You already read it boss?" Naruto asked hopeful.

"Oh yes. It is one of my favorite books too. First read while I was doing my PhD."

Sarutobi was his GOD. "Really?" Naruto beamed, practically hopping towards his table.

"Of course. I have even re-read it many times since it's such an interesting book." Sarutobi answered, brushing his beard.

"So can you help me out in analyzing this book?" Naruto replied, already placing the book on the table.

"Sure, I wouldn’t mind at all Naruto-kun." Sarutobi said with a benevolent smile, the blond almost felt a rush of oncoming tears.

"I'll raise a shrine in your name and give you offerings every day. Not that I'm implying I want you dead, oh God no." Naruto involuntarily shivered and promptly knocked on the wooden table thrice.

"Is there any problem Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi looked towards his subordinate, further bewildered.

Naruto grinned wide. "Of course not! Let's begin."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Sasuke drummed the table with his fingers as the secretary placed another cup of coffee, glaring before she could offer any 'extra-service'. She meeped frightened, disappearing from the room in an instant.

The usuratonkachi is making him wait, once again. Ten whole minutes. Usually Americans should be punctual right? The brunet frowned as he glanced at his watch. Eleven minutes. Perhaps the dumbass had cowered in fear and now was secluded in a faraway place while the other architect was fixing his mistakes? Sasuke snorted, for some reason, even though he didn’t know Naruto well enough, he had a nagging feeling that this idiot would be too stubborn to yield.

He heard the noise of a door opening and once again saw Naruto carrying a lot of rolled papers. This time however, a gleeful smile was plastered on his face.

"Why, good afternoon, Uchiha-san!" Sasuke narrowed his eyes, the tone of Naruto's voice was way too teasing to not arouse any suspicion.

"Hn. Where are the plans?"

Naruto threw everything in front of his client. "Here. I've designed three styles, you're free to choose which one you prefer. For now, we're focusing more on the entrance as well as the basic structure of the building; once you approve the style, we'll get to do the rest." He picked one of the rolled papers and offered it to Sasuke. "Here's one of the ideas for the entrance."

Sasuke picked it up and opened it cautiously as he glanced at the contents inside. The drawings had clean, smooth lines, not too sketchy neither too clinical, it revealed a little bit of the artist's style. However, what truly impressed Sasuke was the design. As he already worked with other architectural companies, he could already evaluate which would be an innovative idea and which was only recycling an old one. Naruto's, although based on constructivism with a hint of minimalistic style, still incorporated soft curved lines. Above all, he succeeded to attain the Japanese ideal. Somehow, as he stared at the drawing, it had some kind of cozy familiarity too.

He picked up another drawing, opening it he saw some sketches of the corridors, details of the pillars and many others, everything following the Zen way of life. Sasuke frowned. Maybe the usuratonkachi simply gave up and looked for references everywhere and came up with this idea instead of reading the appointed book.

"Cool huh?" Naruto grinned with unveiled pride as he pointed at the corridor. "I wanted to depict it just like the personality of Gozaemon the Buddha. Strong, simple and straightforward."

Then again, maybe he did read the whole thing.

Sasuke perused him, determined to find any faltering smile or apprehensive expression. None. Naruto merely continued with his professional smile, though it was bordering to a smug grin as Sasuke kept looking at the other drawings, without any further complaint.

It was becoming increasingly frustrating for Sasuke the fact that the blond had executed the plans flawlessly and in such short time too. So maybe his father had the correct impression of the usuratonkachi. Maybe he's simply unwort—

Sasuke shook his head, but the inevitable feeling of something dark suffocating him had already lodged in his heart. He grumbled, pointing to one of the pillars:

"Well, I dislike this style, it's too crude. I expect a more elegant one."

However, contrary to his expectations of Naruto bristling in indignation, the blond just approached him and asked:

"Is that so? Is it because it's too thick or you didn't like the base of the pillar?"

The sincere question that was devoid of any bitterness caught Sasuke off-guard, as he muttered with less enthusiasm:

"Too…thick."

"Ok." Naruto got up from his seat and turned on the computer that was placed inside the room. "I have several other ideas I'll sketch to see which one you prefer."

He picked up a blank A3 paper and a mechanical pencil, and with quick lines he came up with three other styles. "So, which one do you prefer instead of the original?" Naruto asked.

"The third one…" Sasuke said, as he observed blond eyebrows knitted in concentration, adding more details on the chosen pillar.

"Like this?" Naruto questioned and received another nod from the brunet, as he moved his chair around and stopped in front of the computer. He selected the archive with the appointed sketch he wanted to modify and opened it.

After a couple of minutes, the architect was already erasing the old pillar inside the computer and adding the new one inside the overall drawing, blending the colors again and adjusting the styles. Not having any other choice except waiting for the sketch to be done, Sasuke watched Naruto using the tablet skillfully, every trace of goofiness void from his face. Guilt inevitably crept to his stomach. It was to be expected that Naruto would act professionally whenever he met demands from any client, Sasuke wasn't any different. And add the fact that the blond could put aside his personal vendettas to execute his job flawlessly, made Sasuke feel a smaller man in comparison to Naruto.

"There! So, see if it's any better." Naruto called the brunet as the latter approached him to evaluate the new correction.

The differences were subtle, even though the new one was better than the old design. Sasuke pursed his lips, uncomfortable with the fact that he wasted Naruto's time just to fulfill his selfish and resentful emotions.

"Yes…I guess." The brunet muttered approvingly.

Naruto quirked a small smile of gratitude and that made Sasuke feel increasingly inferior to the blond. Perhaps he shouldn't use his trump card to further humiliate the usuratonkachi…

They heard another knock on the door and Sarutobi's head peeked inside, in appraisal. "Oh, how are the things going with you two?"

"Everything is going fine Sarutobi-san." Sasuke acknowledged with another polite bow.

"Good, good! And Naruto-kun, you're not having any problem with working with Sasuke-kun right?"

Naruto snorted, whispering in English to himself. "Please. Working with this bastard is almost like being between a rock and a hard place." He felt a steady gaze prickling his spine and to his shock, Sasuke stared at him as if he heard Naruto's mutter. The blond gulped dryly, already waiting for the lash out.

But Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow questioningly, perhaps because he couldn't fully comprehend what Naruto had just said or maybe the brunet simply chose to ignore it. Who knew?

"Ah…I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that you chose 'Oku no Hosomichi' as a reference for the new concept of Mitsukoshi. It’s one of my favorite books, and I'm impressed that a young lad like you had already read it!"

Sasuke replied to the old man. "Well, it’s a classic that should be cherished through all generations and centuries, and I'm also honored that I could comprehend such impressive poems even with my inexperienced life."

Sarutobi hummed in approval. "But for someone as young as you to be interested in an old book is rare indeed. I'm happy that Fugaku-san has raised both of his sons well." Sasuke's expression darkened slightly but nevertheless, nodded politely.

"It was nothing. It's my dream however, to make this philosophy widely known to others."

"I understand…Which by the way, made me extremely satisfied when I helped Naruto-kun to comprehend this book." Sarutobi smiled back.

Naruto immediately stiffened as the words were processed by Sasuke.

The brunet cleared his throat. "Come again?"

"Well, sadly Naruto-kun is not a native speaker like us, so he asked for help when you lent the book to him."

Naruto felt his blood running cold, Sasuke's face becoming steadily expressionless. Oh…craaaaaaaap…

"So, since I had already read this book several times, I thought I wouldn't mind sharing my knowledge with him." Sarutobi concluded, unnoticing Naruto's inner turmoil.

"…is that so." Was Sasuke's short answer.

"Yes. I trust he gave you some nice results right?"

Sasuke didn't reply instantaneously, maintaining his nonchalant face as the silence echoed in the room, although Sarutobi didn't feel it; unaware of the issue at hand. Naruto was feeling gradually more nervous from the impassiveness, when suddenly, an evil smirk broke inside.

"Of course. He gave me excellent ideas for this project, Sarutobi-san." Sasuke spoke smoothly, the smirk never leaving his face. "In fact, I wanted to congratulate him for those successful designs by inviting him to a party held by Uchiha Corporation next week."

What? Was Naruto’s thought as he let the conversation slip out of his control.

"Oh really? Those are excellent news right Naruto-kun!" Sarutobi nodded cheerfully. "This is a great opportunity for you, once you mingle with people who can help boosting your career!”

"I'll make sure I’ll introduce him to important sponsors, Sarutobi-san." Sasuke guaranteed, his wicked smirk never faltering. Naruto only gaped, his jaw definitely dropping to the ground.

"I'm glad that you're here to help him out Sasuke-kun. Don’t worry about it, I’ll do everything in my power for you to attend that party Naruto-kun!" Sarutobi gave some healthy pats on the tanned shoulder, although the latter couldn't react, his body still frozen from utter shock.

As he finally regained some sense and glanced at the brunet's infuriating expression, Naruto paled as Sasuke's eyes gleamed with a knowing smirk.

That. Baaaaaaastaaaaaaardd…

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 03: Problems onboard!

AN: *coughing awkwardly* before you guys try to kill me for being an anti-american, I'm saying in my defense that the whole dialogue I've heard from other people, not coming from me. So yeah, I'm simply paraphrasing! (even though I agree with some points…*coughing again*)

…it's kinda weird studying about earthquakes when your own country doesn't have any. *laughs*

In any case anyone wants to ask, Oohime-chama means Great Princess-chama (sama + chan)

Oh GOD! I hate the punctuation in ff . NET! I can't put a lot of them, actually, I can only put on max two, can't put interrobang, can't write a long word...*grumbles*

A special thanks to my betareader Belledragon that fixed so many mistakes...*sweatdrop* I'm so glad that she has the time and enormous patience to help me out. :)

Chapter 4: Report 04

Chapter Text

Fluffy, floating in midst of a beautiful blue sky…Shikamaru sighed contently as he lit another cigarette; his body sprawled on the ground, gazing at the clouds mostly hidden behind skyscrapers obstructing his view.

The brunet seriously missed the old days when he could return to his home town every college vacation, idyllic days of green pastures and indefinite moments of cloud watching. Even though he'd been living in New York for years, he still held on to this kind of hobby, having the luck to find a decent place to gaze from one of the building's emergency exits. He found it as a good way to relax whenever he was forced to face problems, stressful things like—

"SHIIIIIIIIIIKAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" A thunderous noise of a door opening rumbled from inside, followed by the usual desperate shout of his colleague.

Yes, stressful things like this hyperactive loud blond. Shikamaru already felt like groaning but realized it'd be too troublesome to waste his vocal chords.

"What now Naruto?" The brunet tried not to cringe at the pitiful teary blue eyes directed at him.

Naruto muttered. "The—the bastard…" His voice slowly died, as the blond cast his eyes to the ground. Shikamaru placed each hand on his ears, already expecting the inevitable explosion.

"WHAT AN ASSHOLE! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! NOT ONLY DID HE GIVE ME THAT IMPOSSIBLE PIECE OF CRAP BOOK TO FINISH BUT HE HAD TO FIND SOME WAY TO HUMILIATE ME IN PUBLIC! I WANT TO PUMMEL THAT GIRLISH FACE SO MUCH AND SHOVE MY FOOT RIGHT THROUGH THAT f*ckING ASS BECAUSE THIS BASTARD MUST COME FROM THE NINTH CIRCLE OF HELL!"

Shikamaru idly saw the birds flying away from their building; he was sure that even the clouds fled from the screeching sound of his friend yelling. No one was entitled to have some calm and quiet moments for themselves lately it seemed…

"What did he do this time Naruto? I thought we finished all the primary sketches he asked for?" He asked.

"Yeah, we did and yeah he was satisfied with it." Naruto grumbled.

Shikamaru was puzzled. "So…?"

"So…" Naruto inhaled deeply and Shikamaru resumed his previous position of his hands placed on his ears. "THAT f*ckER INVITED ME TO A PARTY 'CUZ OF IT!"

"So yes, this was supposed to be a good thing right? You did a good job, you were rewarded for this." Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"You don't understand! Sarutobi-jiichan told about the fact that he helped me out with the project and that is WHY the asshole decided to do that! HE DID IT ON PURPOSE!"

"How can you be so sure about this?—"

"That's 'cuz you didn't see his sh*tty face when he invited me to that f*cking party! The bastard was smirking!" Naruto growled. "Yeah, he was doing that creepy, smug, arrogant face of 'I'm better than you, blablabla, usuratonkachi, blebleble, blond moron, blobloblo' that I f*cking hate! I can see that kind of expression miles away!"

"Oh really? But if this party was supposed to improve your career, why would he invite you in the first place then?" Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"What? Obviously, he knows! He probably asked his company to do all those kinds of creepy stalkerish investigations and that's why he knows my weak point! The jerk! He knows that I hate going to these kinds of formal parties - that's why he invited me on purpose, just to humiliate me!"

"Naruto, you're being irrational about all this—"

"No, I'm not! You saw how he treated me the first meeting! And you heard whenever I complained about him! You really believe that this jerk would suddenly be all nice and goody-goody just 'cuz I succeeded in doing the primary sketches?" Naruto knitted his eyebrows together with a groan.

Well…he had a point. "Then just go to the party Naruto. It's not that traumatizing." Shikamaru shrugged.

"You obviously forgot…" Naruto shivered, disgusted. " That incident."

As memories suddenly rushed back, Shikamaru laughed instead, much to his friend's indignation. "Oh yes, Naruto the tanned blond Snow White. I had fun rescuing you."

" You had fun with it because you weren't the one who was almost molested by a wrinkly 70 year old crone!" The blond sputtered back.

"Yeah well, who'd have thought that an elegant old lady would spike your champagne with a rape drug?" Shikamaru chuckled again. "Luckily I was nearby so there, just a small prank, no harm done in the end right?"

Naruto twitched his left eye, still not satisfied with his friend's laidback reaction. That experience was extremely traumatizing for him. In one of the usual parties representing Sarutobi's company, the hostess saw this as an opportunity to taste some 'young meat' expertly choosing Naruto since he looked the brightest and healthiest if not the hottest.

Out of politeness to fill the usual protocol, Naruto accepted the expensive champagne once she raised as a toast, gulped it down in less than 10 seconds, and then passed out in an instant as her bodyguards grabbed the fainted body and carried him to the nearest bedroom. Fortunately, Shikamaru noticed the sudden disappearance of his friend and went to investigate the issue, until he found the hostess half naked with a drowsy Naruto, which promptly made him scream in disgust. Naruto snapped out of it as a consequence and also screamed with all the saggy flesh presented in front of his eyes.

Then, the hostess tried to cover herself up, whilst shaking her wrinkled breasts, as the bodyguards arrived to protect her. Shikamaru and Naruto continued screaming and covered their eyes to recover the few last bits of their lost innocence, while all the screeching noise actually gave her a small heart attack, which made the bodyguards join in the scream fest, which led the doctors to rush inside - Naruto still out-of-it from the after effects of the drug, curious onlookers and paparazzi in search for a first page news, all resulted in a great commotion inside the room. Traumatizing indeed.

In the end, the hostess was wealthy enough to bribe away all the possible hoax or gossip about the events that happened that night; however, she couldn't do the same with Naruto since he was under Sarutobi's protective wing (who was thoroughly enraged with the incident and terminated his ties with the woman). The only reason that he didn’t take any legal action against her was his incessant desire to forget this whole nightmare, leaving her unscathed.

However, after the dust had settled and heads had cooled down, Shikamaru concluded that this whole experience was too hilarious, much to Naruto's aggravation, though he wouldn't tease his friend since it wasn't his nature. He would laugh whenever the topic would be raised, however, such as now:

"Sheesh, thanks for being such a good friend Shika." Naruto muttered, crossing his arms. "Seriously, with friends like you, who needs enemies?"

"Well, if it's that traumatizing, you could simply refuse any kind of drink offered, and stay away from innocent looking old ladies, that's all." Shikamaru offered.

"But overall I simply don't like going to those kinds of events." The blond placed his hand on his chin and muttered. "I mean, it's annoying, I have to watch myself how I should behave, what I should wear, talk, walk, probably even how I should pee, there'll always be a nagging moron wanting to say that I'm an impolite ruffian with no refined manners." He made a face. "Bleh."

"Well, you did appreciate all the attention in the beginning right? After all, you used to be the attention-whor* of our high school class."

"C'mon Shika" Naruto rolled his eyes. "That was a long time ago, and I grew up ok? In the end it's kinda obvious that it's a waste of time to do this when everyone is just looking for your popularity or your money. I don't like getting involved with this kind of fake people. If I want to be recognized by someone, I prefer getting recognized between my friends."

"Well, won't argue against that." Shikamaru smiled back.

"Great! So, we're back to the main point about why I was looking for you in the first place!" Naruto grinned wide, making his friend narrow his eyes in suspicion. "Please go with me to the party." He spoke, serious gaze emphasizing the low tone of his voice.

"Oh. Sorry Naruto, I'm taken." Shikamaru smirked with the cigarette playing on his lips.

"No you moron, I'm not gay!" Naruto protested back, and then proceeded to approach him with shimmering teary blue eyes, using his famous kicked puppy expression. "Help me out and go to the party."

"I'm going to the party." Shikamaru sighed tiredly.

"Really? Man, Shika, you're such a great friend!" Naruto patted his back, the latter coughing from the force of it.

"I said I'm going to that party, doesn't mean I'm going to be next to you the whole time." Shikamaru grunted.

"Huh?" Naruto gaped incredulously. "What other reason you’d actually go to this kind of event? You don't like going as much as I do 'cuz you think it's troublesome!"

Shikamaru sighed once again, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. He tried to gather the correct words to explain to his friend and muttered:

"Well…You know…that—well…I want to marry Temari right?" The words were hushed and there was a slight tinge of pink on his face.

Naruto raised his eyebrow, urging him to continue. Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck.

"Soooo…I wanted to, before popping the ultimate question, see if I could talk with her father and Temari mentioned he was going to that party and well…"

Naruto completed the sentence, lowering his voice in a conspiratorial tone, a mischievous grin on his lips. "Oooooh, I see there, you're trying to gain some points with the future in-laws before you close the deal, huh. Always the strategist, well done Shika."

Face red, Shikamaru tucked his head between his arms in mortification, though he still had the wit to return with a middle finger raised towards the blond man.

"Wait a minute, so that means that you're going to abandon me in the middle of those vultures and crazy old crones while you're trying to get on your future daddy's good side?" Naruto realized, complaining loudly.

"Yes, exactly like that. Somehow, I don't feel guilty about this." The brunet smirked while his foot crushed the remnants of the cigarette on the ground.

"What? You can't do something like that to your friend! You're so heartless Shika!"

"Emergency situations require emergency decisions. I have to stick with my priorities, especially when Temari…comes from a rich family." Dark eyes were fixed to his foot that kept grinding the butt of his cigarette.

Naruto deflated, feeling sympathetic to his friend. After almost 4 years dating her- Shikamaru had met his girlfriend during college - he discovered out of nowhere that not only Temari was a daughter from a wealthy clan but this clan also had distant ties with a noble family in Egypt. And even though Shikamaru had secured a respectable house, had an excellent salary in one of the most prominent architecture offices in New York, with distinguished achievements in comparison to people of his same age, he feared that he wouldn't be on par with Temari's father's demands for a decent son-in-law. He hoped he could at least leave a positive impression at the first meeting.

Not having the heart to pressure him into helping him out any longer, it was the blond's turn to sigh loudly, groaning. "Well…maybe I could fake sickness or—"

"Naruto, I don't think it's a good idea…" Shikamaru interrupted. "You do realize you're not allowed to refuse the personal invitation from Mr. Uchiha, since he is, after all, the heir of the most important company in the world."

The blond slumped his shoulders. "And it's not like I have a suitable tuxedo for the occasion, I'll be a laughing stock when I arrive there."

Shikamaru blinked confused. "Don't you have the tuxedo that Sarutobi gave to you when you had your birthday, back when you also won New York's Annual Architecture Competition for the design of the Hilton hotel?"

"What?" Naruto instantly rebutted indignantly. "I can't wear that! That tux was expensive and tailored in Italy! I'm not going to waste it on an annoying party like that!"

The brunet rolled his eyes exasperated. "Naruto, it's a suit, you're supposed to wear it, you know. And not simply let it decorate the inside of your closet, accumulating dust and time."

"B-but…" Naruto wrinkled his nose. "I don't want to use it, it was my first expensive present, and from Sarutobi-jiichan too." He whispered to himself. "And you know how much of a klutz I am. What if I eat something that will dirty the tuxedo, or spill some wine on the shirt or—"

Shikamaru sighed in a good-naturedly way, seriously, his friend was such a sap. "And that's the magic of dry cleaning Naruto, I'm sure that they'll remove any stain you may stumble upon and return the suit to you all sparkly new."

"Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut…" The blond whined.

"Just go Naruto, remember you're still representing Sarutobi's company, it won't be good for his reputation with your absence." Shikamaru added. "I'll try staying at your side as much as possible, ok? So you won't feel all abandoned and lonely too." He mocked.

Naruto grumbled back with a smile. "Oh f*ck off."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Finally seeing the oasis of his home after long hours of work, Naruto quickly fished out his keys from his pocket and opened his door, sighing blissfully as he dumped himself on the coach, haphazardly taking off his shoes and smelly socks. The day of the party had finally arrived, so Sarutobi allowed him to leave earlier to get a decent shower, dress up and go to the appointed place.

He still wasn't in the mood for this, so he dragged himself to the bathroom as slowly as possible, scratching his belly with a large yawn as he unbuttoned his shirt, turning on the shower. Just as he was finishing his bath, he heard a phone ring.

"Dammit." The blond scrambled to grab the nearest towel and ran towards the gadget, clicking the on button to hear a boisterous voice:

"Finally! What took you so long to answer the phone? I almost gave up from waiting so long!"

"You only waited one minute long you impatient old man! Why can't you act like a normal parent? Does it hurt you to say 'Hi, long time no see Naruto, how are you doing lately?' huh, ero sennin!" Naruto replied with the same loud tone.

Jiraiya laughed heartily over the phone. "Fine! Hi, long time no see Naruto-chan, how are you doin—"

"Ok stop it, I'm going to throw up now." Naruto conceded defeat. "Now confess the reason behind this sudden and totally suspicious call out of nowhere."

"What? I'm not allowed to catch up with my adopted son now? Is there a crime in doing something like that?"

"Spill." Naruto rolled his eyes, grabbing a pair of boxers from his drawer.

"Hm. Fine." Jiraiya grumbled until he returned to his rowdy mood. "I'm just giving you my best wishes for tonight's party held by Uchiha Corporation, am I right?"

"Please don't tell me you heard this from Sarutobi-jiichan. I swear, the whole city probably knows about this 'cuz of him."

"He's proud of you Naruto, and so am I for achieving such a feat. I'm actually disappointed you didn't mention it to me."

"Well, it was nothing worthy of mentioning ero sennin." Naruto shrugged. Not to mention the Bastard didn't invite him out of gratitude, it wasn't anything to be proud about.

"Not worthy? Brat, being invited to a party held by one of the most important companies of the world is something worthy to tell the whole Earth about!"

Naruto snorted, using the towel to dry his hair. "'Guess I wasn't in the mood to tell ya 'cuz you'd pester me about all the sordid details of this party tomorrow."

Jiraiya instantly protested. "I wouldn't!"

"Yeah, and you'll probably ask if I saw a famous actress inside, if her boobs are as big as they look in the movies, if a fashion model really has those long lean legs and—"

"Well, it's my obligation to ask about those things, they are important references to use in my novels someday!" Jiraiya didn't wait for the usual sardonic reply and continued. "So you have to go and help me collect this information! I think it's a good opportunity for you to use that expensive suit Sarutobi-sensei gave you on your birthday."

Naruto glared at the phone. Seriously, that was the third time someone recommended he use that tuxedo, the second person was Sarutobi himself. Is this some kind of conspiracy they planned altogether to force him to wear that tuxedo against his will? "Whatever." He muttered, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Oh, and also, just the usual reminder we always do whenever you go to these kinds of events." Jiraiya cleared his throat, his tone suddenly serious. Naruto felt dread burbling in his gut but shook it off with an uneasy chuckle.

"What, drink lots of booze, flirt with lots of hot women and make sure you have one in each arm by the end of the party?"

"Naruto, you know what I'm talking about." Jiraiya pressed on, voice solemn.

Naruto scratched his head infuriated, protesting. "Oh, c'mon, this is ridiculous—"

"Naruto, you promised."

"I don't see the point of doing this—"

"But you promised. Recite it to me."

And there it was, the real reason why Naruto despised going to social events. He could tolerate the annoying fake people, put up with their snobbish attitudes and even ignore the subtle molesting from old women but what he loathed the most was this promise he made to Jiraiya.

It all started when Naruto was finally employed for the first time as an architect, though not in Sarutobi's company. Jiraiya had pulled some strings in hopes Naruto could convince a possible client to accept his project and the blond man ended up getting into this client's birthday celebration somehow, with his proposal and laptop ready to talk with him. It didn't go well as originally planned, unfortunately.

Although Naruto's ideas were excellent and didn’t require a high amount of funding to build it, the client rejected it, scoffing that anyone raised by an erotica writer couldn't possibly make anything on a decent level, let alone something as complex as a high end building design.

Naruto never felt so much satisfaction in breaking his front teeth, nose and almost dislocating the moron's right shoulder in retaliation.

However, like many pampered, snotty children from rich families would react, the man was set to ruin Naruto's whole career and life in revenge. The news about Naruto made itself known to the company Naruto was working for, resulting in him being fired on the spot. The situation didn't worsen due to the fact that Jiraiya knew the man's father and begged him to drop the offense.

And although Jiraiya and Sarutobi were old friends; Sarutobi being Jiraiya's former teacher or something, Naruto prided himself for earning his position in that company through his own efforts. It was only during the official hiring process when Sarutobi realized Naruto's identity. Jiraiya, on the other hand, never mentioned this incident to Sarutobi, fearing that this knowledge could change Sarutobi's positive impression of his adopted son.

And thus, this case was only known between the involved parties, and it'd have been forgotten in the long run if only Jiraiya hadn't come up with an idea to prevent anything similar happening in the future. Since Jiraiya knew his son's stubborn and impulsive nature, automatically retaliating if Naruto encountered any other person mocking his father, Jiraiya decided that the best solution would be to cut to the root of the problem, thus, forcing Naruto to promise to hide the fact that Jiraiya was his adopted father.

Naruto loathed the very idea, but conceded his father when Jiraiya continued to be concerned over this situation. However, whenever the issue came up, they ended up arguing about it; Jiraiya thought that Naruto was an immature boy who would never understand the cynicism of the world; Naruto thought that the lie was ridiculous and pointless. Their relationship had deteriorated a little bit ever since.

Naruto drew a long pained groan, throwing himself on his bed while he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Naruto." Jiraiya called on the other side of the phone.

"Fine." The blond gritted his teeth. "I f*cking promise to carry on this moronic idea of lying through my teeth that I was raised in an orphanage, living alone till now."

"I don't understand why you’re so against this. Do you have any idea how many women like men with troubled pasts? Something like they dig being able to heal their emotional wounds, so I've heard."

Naruto chewed his lower lip to prevent giving a snappish response. He knew if they discussed it any further at this point it wouldn't do them any good. "Whatever." He muttered.

"Hey, cheer up ok? I don’t wanna see any frown coming from you. Go have fun, flirt with many ladies and enjoy the expensive champagne and don't even think of returning before the sunrise!" Jiraiya laughed loudly, shaking off the somber atmosphere and soothing Naruto's bad mood.

"Sure, will do old man."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Sasuke glanced his watch for the ninth time, in between many shakes of hands and polite smiles to everyone at the party. Shikamaru followed him around representing one of the chief architects in charge of rebuilding Mitsukoshi. As much as Sasuke despised the usuratonkachi, at least the moron could keep him entertained at this boring party. He was almost thirty minutes late. Again. Is this some kind of irritating habit that this dumbass had or did he do it especially in order to annoy him?

"Hey Shika!" As if he was answering his musings, a loud voice called the ponytailed brunet and both men turned around to see Naruto wearing a grin only to vanish instantly once onyx and sapphire eyes clashed together.

"You're late usura—Uzumaki-san." Sasuke quickly corrected the pet name as the guests next to him studied the new arrival.

Naruto scowled. "You invited me to this party. I didn't know there was an exact expected arrival time, Mister Uchiha." The blond schooled his expression when he noticed some raised eyebrows looking his direction.

Sasuke cleared his throat to catch everyone's attention, as he 'accidentally' bumped his elbow into Naruto's back. He couldn't help but to throw an appraising glance at the blond. He noticed the way that the fine cut of the formal clothing revealed a sophisticated presence to the usually unruly man. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, wondering how Naruto managed to own such an expensive suit. Well, the dumbass looked ho--…decent.

"I believe I haven't introduced the other chief architect on the Mitsukoshi project, Sasaki-san." Sasuke spoke while the blond politely bowed to the old couple. "This is Uzumaki Naruto. Uzumaki-san, Sasaki Kojirou and Sasaki Nanami, his wife."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sasaki-san." Naruto spoke in Japanese, shaking both hands with a polite smile.

“Oh, I like this!” She said, promptly yanking his cheeks out of nowhere. “It's so fascinating whenever Westerners learn our wonderful language, is it not?"

"Uuuuuh…" Was what Naruto could mutter while his cheek was being bullied left and right. He heard a snort and glanced to his left, an amused smirk hitching on Sasuke’s lips. The blond glared back.

Nanami released him at last and then patted his reddened cheek. “It’s very impressive that your Japanese doesn’t have a heavy accent too, congratulations.”

"Uh…thanks?" Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"Maybe he’s a mixed race." Kojirou spoke to his wife, before turning to Naruto. "After all, your name is fully Japanese, you probably have a distant Japanese relative, then again you surely don't have any strong Eastern features, right…" Kojirou said.

Naruto laughed uneasily. "Yeah, it's something like that…"

"I'm sorry, Sasaki-san, Naruto, Uchiha-san." Shikamaru suddenly interrupted, bowing slightly. "There are some pressing business at hands, I need to take my leave now. It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, of course." Kojirou acquiesced with another shake of hand.

"I guess we should also go, Sasaki-san." Sasuke spoke, bowing in apology. "Uzumaki-san." The brunet narrowed his eyes with the clear message of 'you better go with me or else.' Naruto glowered back, though turned toward Sasuke's direction.

Shikamaru moved close to the tanned ear and muttered. "Hang in there Naruto."

Naruto snorted, whispering back. "Beam me up, Scotty."

"Sorry, no can do. Maybe later." Shikamaru patted his friend's shoulder before moving away from him.

Naruto sighed, grumbling as he followed Sasuke's direction. When he raised his face to glare towards Sasuke, he noticed the brunet's confused expression.

"What's wrong?" Naruto raised an eyebrow.

Caught in the act, Sasuke immediately schooled his facial expression. "Nothing."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto shrugged his shoulders. As they were moving closer to the table with the drinks, he heard a quiet cough.

"Yeah?" This time, both blond eyebrows furrowed suspiciously.

"Well. Is Nara-san's nickname Scotty? And why did you want him to beam you up anyways?" Sasuke inquired, glaring to hide his discomfort.

Blue eyes blinked confused. "Huh? No, it's—"Then, suddenly a light bulb went off. All the previous times Sasuke misunderstood whenever he said an idiom it was because he couldn’t understand these idiomatic expressions. So the bastard wasn’t this proficient with English…Naruto laughed inwardly with the unexpected turn of events. Oh, sweet sweet Karma.

Sasuke darkened his glare. "What?" He asked once again.

"Oh, nothing." Naruto smiled pleasantly. "Just wanted to say that 'Beam me up, Scotty" is an English idiom, ya know. Shika was going to fulfill an important duty, so I was giving him my best wishes, 'beam me up' is like 'I hope you'll bring good news that will make me smile'. Scotty is a name that usually brings good luck and fortune. You should try it out someday - it's quite a popular idiom." Naruto spoke chuckling inwardly.

Sasuke stared back, narrowing his dark grey eyes considerably, though the rest of his expression remained apathetic. "Hn." He grunted while he grabbed a glass of champagne.

Naruto grinned, his gaze fixed on the delicious appetizers placed far away from him. "Well, since I already showed my awesome presence to your bastardish self and you already introduced me to some people, lemme go to that interesting looking table, ogle famous actresses, have fun anywhere like every guest in a party shou—"

"You're not going anywhere without my permission - you'll follow me while I continue to welcome all the guests, usuratonkachi." Sasuke interrupted, sipping his drink.

"What? Why!" The blond protested.

"Because I said so. Shut up dumbass."

"Why should I obey you anyways huh? You Bastard!"

"You're one of the architects responsible for the rebuilding project that this party is celebrating. It's your obligation to welcome the people present here and clarify any questions that may arise on details about the reconstruction of Mitsukoshi."

"Well, I can do this without following your icy ass around!" Naruto complained.

"And allow you to slack around instead of giving the necessary introductions? Please." Sasuke finished his drink and placed it on the table. He moved to return to the crowd, not before throwing a backwards glance in warning.

Naruto huffed angrily, muttering. "Oh, go fly a kite."

Sasuke glared. "What?"

The blond immediately smoothed out into another pleasant smile, explaining. "Nothing. Since you insist so much in being so uptight, I'm just saying that you're under too much stress, you should do some leisure activities to remove your tenseness, you know, like strolling on green meadows, admire colorful butterflies, having some picnics, fly a kite…"

"…hn." Sasuke grunted back unconvinced, though he let it slide for now.

"Oh, I finally found you Sasuke-kun!" An old woman approached the brunet and smooched him forcefully on his cheek. "I thought you were avoiding me since you didn't greet me yet!"

" I was avoiding you so I wouldn't be molested by you, old woman." Sasuke thought though he only offered a small smile, avoiding the subject. "It's been a long time, Chiyo-sama."

Chiyo snigg*red then noticed the blond next to him. "And this young man…?" She smiled happily, offering her hand to Naruto.

"Uzumaki Naruto, one of our chief architects responsible for Mitsukoshi's reconstruction." Sasuke spoke on Naruto's behalf.

"It is a pleasure to meet you m'am." Naruto kissed the back of her hand, and Chiyo used this opportunity to approach him and caress his toned arm.

"It's so impressive that you're able to fulfill such important projects at such a young age. Sasuke-kun, you didn't bully him with your usual cranky and perfectionist way, right?"

Sasuke snorted, but otherwise didn't say anything in his defense. Naruto’s mischievous nature niggled the back of his mind, urging to make a smart-ass comment. "Oh, he surely caused a ruckus the moment he arrived in our office. You know, all Johnny-come-lately like."

Well, he knew that all the afternoons he spent procrastinating while reading an idiom dictionary would pay off one day.

When Naruto saw two questioning glances appearing before him, he continued with a wide grin. "You know, immediately marking his presence, drawing everyone's attention (negatively, Naruto added in his mind) and engaging an interesting conversation with me. I have to confess that I had quite a few bones to pick with him in the end."

"I see…you meant bones as in…?" Chiyo inquired curiously.

Naruto cupped his hand next to the old lady's ear and whispered in a conspiratory tone. "Well, it's something too vulgar that a refined young lady like you shouldn't understand, Chiyo-san."

Chiyo laughed in response. "You're such a charming young man Naruto-kun. I like you already."

The blond grinned back before straightening himself and glanced towards Sasuke to see any sign of suspicion.

However, there was a slight reddening around his cheeks, until Sasuke schooled it with another Uchiha Glare®.

" Huh. So he knows the 'other' meaning of bone huh…" Naruto mused as one side of his lips twitched upwards.

It didn't take long for Naruto to notice after some cheerful chat from Chiyo and the monosyllabic answers from Sasuke, that the old woman knew the young Uchiha enough to criticize and tease him whenever she wanted, and Sasuke didn't return with any sharp words back, probably in respect for her age [and position] or something like that. And although Naruto was still leery about crazy perverted old women, Chiyo showed a considerable interest in him, however, she was mostly leaning next to Sasuke and making him completely uncomfortable. The blond quickly concluded that the enemy of his enemy will always be his ally no matter what circ*mstances and as long as he avoided any beverages offered to him (Naruto instantly shivered at the thought) it's a good opportunity to use and get rid of the Bastard.

"Well Chiyo-san, how about accompanying me to the terrace. I've heard there's a fantastic view over there." The blond declared offering his arm.

"I'd definitely appreciate that Naruto-kun. Such a gentleman." Chiyo accepted, placing her head next to his shoulder.

"Wait. Who said you could do this, Uzumaki-san." Sasuke growled crossing his arms.

"Are you saying that you're prohibiting me from escorting this charming lady, Uchiha-san? Such an inconsiderate man." Naruto retorted with a fake snobbish tone.

"He's correct Sasuke-kun. Let him enjoy the party a little bit, he deserves it." Chiyo spoke too, dragging Naruto away from the Uchiha heir.

The blond waited until they were safely some meters away from him to glance backwards and see Sasuke’s outraged glower. He chuckled to himself.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Convincing the old lady that he couldn't follow her throughout the night was easy too. He only declared that he drank too much champagne and wasn't feeling very well, as Chiyo frowned warily, patting his back in dismissal.

Now that Naruto had finally gotten rid of bastardish assholes and groping old ladies, nothing stood in the way of that long table full of delicious dumplings, Hors d'œuvres, deviled eggs and canapés. Licking his lips, his fingers finally reached one appetizer that he gobbled in one mouthful, moaning blissfully.

He accidentally crossed glances with a man next to him and blinked when that man kept staring back coldly. The blond tried to ease the tense air by offering a grin in response, his cheeks puffed since the food was still lodged inside his mouth. The man just continued to stare in appraisal, until he raised his long nose with an imperious sniff and picked up a canapé delicately with the tips of his fingers, promptly walking away from Naruto.

Naruto rolled his eyes as he gulped down the appetizer, typical. And then people wondered why he hated going to these social events. He glanced his watch, hoping that this party was almost over and groaned noticing that he still had a few more hours to go. Sheesh...He'd do anything to be with his friends at home talking and drinking beer instead of being inside such a boring place. Grabbing another appetizer, he decided to look for Shikamaru. As he stepped forward, someone grabbed his arm.

"You are Uzumaki Naruto right?" A young woman in her early twenties beamed brightly in his direction, her perky breasts brushing his arm, the fabric of her dress leaning away to show her ample cleavage.

"And you are…?" Naruto asked surprised, he was sure he had never seen her in his entire life before.

She giggled with a high-pitched voice, long manicured fingers cupping his jaw. "Mimeko, feel free to call me Mimi. Oh, Sasuke-kun told me about you." Cerulean eyes immediately narrowed at the mention of that name. "He said that I should look for a blond man that can easily stick out in the crowd, and I found you!" She squealed, hugging his arm tightly. "Mmmm, my girls will get so jealous that I caught you first~"

Naruto stared silently to evaluate the situation, not comprehending why Sasuke would suddenly throw an attractive woman in his direction. This definitely sounded odd and highly suspicious.

"Mimi!" Another young woman, wearing a long Chinese dress approached, her hands already sliding through Naruto's chest. "Who's this gorgeous blondie you lucky slu*t?"

"Oh shut up Xiaomei, get your slimy hands away from him. He's the blondie Sasuke-kun was talking about before." Mimi retorted back.

Xiaomei wrinkled her nose, drawing closer to the blond. "I'm sure he likes me better right, Na-ru-to-kun." She fluttered her long eyelashes, squishing her breasts towards his chest.

Naruto raised his eyebrows, the feeling of soft breasts pressed closely to his body was absolutely wonderful. (his hormones conveniently forgetting that Sasuke was the one who planned all this). Determined to keep this positive situation for as long as possible, Naruto said. "Young ladies, please don't fight, I find you both equally adorable."

Apparently, this answer didn't satisfy either of them, as Mimi slid one of her hands around his back whispering sultrily. "But Naruto-kun, I'm sure you'll find me better…I have many many talents that you'll surely appreciate."

"Well…" Naruto murmured, her words fully gaining his attention.

"Mimi, Xiaomei!" Another shout came from the crowd and a curly haired girl whined. "I can't find Uzumaki Naruto that Sasuke-kun told us about…and who's this handsome man?"

"I am Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto offered with a sheepish grin.

"Really? Kyaaaa!" The girl quickly grabbed his freed arm, while Mimi glared in response. "Glad to meet you, I'm Hitomi. Can we have sex now?"

"W-what?" Naruto sputtered flabbergasted.

"Hi-chan!" Xiaomei protested, her arms hooking around the tanned neck. "Get out, he's mine for tonight!"

Mimi shrugged. "I'm sure we could take turns."

Hitomi giggled. "Or better, a foursome~! You wouldn't mind this, right Naruto-kun?" She asked tilting her head cutely to one side.

Before Naruto could answer her, he squeaked when he felt Mimi's hand pinching his ass. "Oooooh, you have such nice ass~~."

"I like his arms, they're all muscled and firm." Hitomi replied, though one of her hands also slipped to grope the other side of Naruto's butt. "You're right, his ass is so sexy—all soft and firm!"

"Hmph." Xiaomei sniffed, ghosting her fingers around his body. "You all have such crude tastes. Obviously the best part of Naruto-kun is his torso, can't you feel his washboard abs?"

"Um…" Naruto whimpered, completely uncomfortable with the free groping all over his body. Any man in his position, normally, would be in heaven with three beautiful girls pouring all their attention towards him. Actually, he'd be in heaven if only they weren't looking at him like he was some kind of scrumptious meat.

"If it's a foursome, I demand that I get to have his behind, squeezing his ass." Mimi demanded, pinching Naruto's backside as emphasis.

"Uh, wait a minute…" Naruto muttered back, although he was ignored by the trio.

Hitomi hummed in approval, her hands roaming all over his chest. "Oh yes…his chest is so firm too!" She found one nipple hidden behind the thin fabric of his shirt and pinched it, Naruto squawked shocked. "Can't wait~~" She giggled happily.

Xiaomei continued to feel up his stomach until she slid lower, cupping his groin. "The equipment appears to be the right size too. Maybe I should take a close inspection though…" She opened Naruto's shirt slightly to glide her hand inside his trousers and—

"I HAVE TO PEE!"

All women (and some people around them) stopped dead to look at the blond man.

Xiaomei was the first to recompose herself. "Um, what?"

Naruto repeated again, regaining some of his wit. "I said I have to take a leak. Uh—yeah."

Hitomi beamed happily, rubbing her cheek on his arm. "Oh, it's ok, we can wait until you return—"

"No, you don't understand. I—have to go and—Uh. Well. I think I ate something weird just now. Maybe it was the shrimp. I am allergic to shrimp. So you see, I have to go to the bathroom because I'm going to have diarrhea right here right now."

All women immediately freed his limbs, cautiously stepping away.

"So yeah. I'm sure I'll start farting non-stop because I'm feeling the gas bloating in my stomach, and everyone said my farts smell ."

Now, the distance between them definitely increased by a couple more meters away.

Naruto sighed relieved, walking away. "So, if you'll excuse me…"

He had a Bastard to find and kill.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Since he was the host of this party, it was difficult to find some free time to rest a little and recover his legs, away from any annoying interruption. Fortunately Sasuke found a secluded place with a comfortable chair, twirling his glass of champagne with a smirk, just waiting for the moment that the usuratonkachi would arrive raising hell.

"YOU ASSHOLE!"

Well, that was fast. Sasuke raised his onyx eyes just to meet a seething blond stalking menacingly in his direction.

"I can't believe you!" Naruto growled, closing his hand into a fist. "What kind of a ridiculous joke was that throwing those crazy bitches on me?"

The brunet just shrugged with one shoulder, drinking his beverage in calm gulps. "Just to warn you that you shouldn't just be wary of old women, young ladies can be pretty predatory too."

The blond instantly dropped his jaw. "How did you know about –"

"Oh please. You weren't her first or her last victim, so it was easy to connect the dots about the time you went to her party and the time Sarutobi-sama cut his ties with her." Sasuke murmured.

"So you did invite me for some kind of evil scheme you jerk!" Naruto shouted enraged.

"Not exactly. I wasn't going to use this card if you didn't use that trick to get rid of me, usuratonkachi." Sasuke smirked, oddly satisfied with those piercing cobalt eyes entirely concentrated on him. "The original plan was just to make you uncomfortable, that's all."

"Whatever, doesn't change the fact that you still invited me for some kind of evil plan, you Bastard!" Naruto threw his arms to the air, angry.

Sasuke snorted, finishing his glass of champagne. "Though you could also blame your poor communication skills for not being able to control better the situation." They saw Mimi, Xiaomei and Hitomi in the distance and the girls waved their arms to Sasuke. He closed his eyes calmly while crossing his arms, eliciting a string of girlish giggles from them. When the group saw Naruto, they scrunched their noses in disgust, moving farther away from the blond. "See." Sasuke smirked back to Naruto.

Naruto knitted his eyebrows together, grumbling. "Well, beauty is only skin deep I guess."

Sasuke stared back, asking. "Excuse me?"

"It means that I think your skin is cracking a little bit, you need a moisturizer to keep your pretty complexion, Uchiha- san ." Naruto supplied readily.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, snarling. "I know what that idiomatic expression means. I just wanted to test out if you were going to explain it correctly."

Oh, busted.

The onyx eyes narrowed even further. "Which automatically makes me conclude that all your previous explanations you described were incorrect too…"

Naruto suddenly turned around with a boisterous shout. "Whoa, is that Gisele Bündchen? I must have her autograph, bye!" He said before instantly disappearing into the crowd.

Sasuke also straightened from his chair, following the blond. "I'm not done with this conversation usuratonkachi, get back here!"

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Naruto made sure he couldn't hear Sasuke's voice from a couple of yards away to catch a little bit of his breath. Damn, for a spoiled rich kid, that bastard could run…He searched for any kind of possible escape route or deserted room or anything like it…

In his haste to find a safe place away from Sasuke, it happened.

He instantly bumped into one of the waiter's arms, resulting in tumbling the plate he was carrying, the glasses of champagne wobbling until one was falling in his direction…

Desperate blue eyes almost captured, frame per frame, the liquid spilling out and almost touching his suit. He jumped backwards to prevent from dirtying it, but he ended up colliding with someone's back. Sounds of glasses clashing and breaking to the ground echoed, as well as an enraged shout reverberated in the middle of the mansion. Naruto turned around to see the long-nosed man that he had previously bumped at the food table.

"What is your problem, you uneducated savage?" The man yelled, taking out his handkerchief to dry the spilled champagne from his shirt.

"I'm sorry! I am really really sorry for all this, I—"Grabbing the nearest napkins he could see, Naruto reached to help clean up the mess when the man violently slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me with those disgusting hands, you filthy brat!"

Naruto’s heart instantly froze.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

On the other side of the mansion, Sasuke was still looking for the dumb blond, ready to give an earful when he heard ominous murmurs and a large crowd circling around a point. Deciding to investigate the issue, he walked towards that place when he quickly identified a mop of golden hair in the midst of it.

He instantly rolled his eyes, hastening his steps. The blond probably created some kind of confusion with another guest which was fortunate for him, since it made the whole chase easier. Sasuke now was wishing that this confusion would prolong as long as possible, until he could reach Naruto and personally strangle him for all this.

However, as Sasuke gradually approached him, he noticed that something was off. The offended man kept gesticulating wildly and yelling at Naruto, but the latter didn't respond back. It was in that moment the brunet noticed the terrified paleness imprinted on the whiskered face. As much as he enjoyed teasing Naruto, Sasuke never passed over the point of giving him any kind of emotional trauma, so seeing this was unsettling for him. The usual bright eyes were drawn, scared, completely petrified. This atypical expression tied a knot in Sasuke's throat as he was almost running towards him, opening the crowd with a determined glare. If anything, no one is allowed to tease the usuratonkachi except him.

"What is happening here? What's with all this commotion?" Sasuke growled, drawing everyone's attention to him. Naruto widened his eyes in recognition.

The long-nosed man quickly used this opportunity to complain. "Uchiha-sama! I'm so lucky you came to help me out. You see this", he pointed towards Naruto. "ruffian has completely ruined my suit because he's too careless and violently shoved me to the ground!"

However, instead of trying to defend himself, Naruto kept quiet about all this, his eyes fixed downwards, the unusual silence somehow unnerved Sasuke. He expected some kind of reaction from the blond.

"Such a rude man, he deserves to be thrown out of the party! I even bet he just slipped inside illegally, escaping from the security, because no one with a little bit of common sense would invite such an unruly brat!" Murmurs of approval gathered around, everyone staring with contempt towards the blond though Naruto didn't react in response.

Sasuke snorted, replying with an irritated tone. "Strange, because I'm sure that I was the one who invited this man to this party. Are you saying that I don't have any common sense, Takao-san?"

The murmur died in an instant. If anyone was surprised by the sudden turn of events, surely they wouldn't top with Naruto's astonished expression, his eyes increasing to the size of dinner plates.

Takao tried to amend his words, stuttering. "O-of course not! But I-I guess that e-even great minds makes so-some mistakes, and o-obviously this young m-man needs—"

"Oh, of course, Uzumaki-san may have accidentally stumbled into you, but aren't you being too unreasonable in condemning him over a simple mistake? And making such a ruckus too, how unbecoming on your part." Sasuke continued, merciless.

"Y-you're r-right, I g-g-guess I exaggerated a li-little bit, a-a-fter all, this was o-only an accident, r-r-right."

"I apologize for ruining your suit. In the name of Uchiha Corporation we'll offer you a free dry cleaning, and we'll give you a new suit for this occasion. You surely can't complain about this, am I right, Takao-san?"

"Y-yes, Uchiha-sama." Takao bowed, completely bending his upper body. "Your generosity is greatly appreciated…"

"Don't worry about it and just follow one of my security guards; they'll guide you to the appointed room. Now go, this annoying issue has already gone on long enough, and you're disrupting the schedule of this event." He turned around, almost everyone fled away from his piercing glare as Takao gulped, sputtering more apologies as he scurried away.

Glancing with a mild satisfaction all the crowd dispersing, Sasuke walked back to his secluded spot and suddenly felt a hand grab his shoulder.

"Wait, Uchiha."

The brunet turned around, retorting slightly annoyed. "What?"

Naruto almost looked apologetic towards Sasuke until he muttered embarrassed. "Why did you defend me back there, you Bastard."

Sasuke snorted, answering haughtily. "No particular reason. That man was simply irritating, I wanted to find an opportunity to humiliate him in public and you were convenient, that's all."

Naruto lifted his eyes upwards, losing all previous awkwardness and gratefulness towards him. "So I guess you had your fun right?"

"Hn."

"You're seriously a bastard from the start of your duck butt hair to the tips of your manicured toes, huh."

"Hn." With a raised eyebrow.

"God!" Naruto frantically messed his hair with both hands and groaned. "You're seriously the most irritating guy I have ever met in my whole life! Why do I even bother talking to you?"

"Because after all, you’d rather tolerate me than face those deceitful people, usuratonkachi." Sasuke replied with his usual arrogant smirk on his lips.

Blue eyes blinked owlishly, before muttering in agreement. "Yeah well. I surely prefer having at least one person acting sincerely with me than having lots of people faking their friendliness around me."

It was Sasuke's turn to widen his eyes in astonishment, taking time to absorb Naruto's words. Onyx eyes slowly softened at the admission, revealing an unusual expression, an undistinguished fire simmering in the depth of his gaze, making Naruto's heart leap from that impenetrable stare.

"Wh—what?" The blond grumbled, unsettled.

As if the question broke his stupor, Sasuke blinked and the fire instantly disappeared beneath his eyelids, like it was forcibly extinguished. The brunet muttered. "Nothing, I just wanted to tell you to come with me on stage since I’m going to give a speech to all the guests."

"What? You never warned me about this Bastard! I didn't prepare anything for this!" Naruto protested.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, directing his steps towards the stage. "I said I’m going to give this speech. I never mentioned that you need to do this too usuratonkachi. All you have to do is stand right behind with Nara-san. As if I'd trust you to explain correctly without stumbling once or twice with your poor Japanese vocabulary."

The blond rebutted in Japanese. "Such untruthful words, Uchiha! I have already proved myself that I am capable to explain the whole project entirely in Japanese, you're simply provoking me without any concise reason!"

Sasuke for once had decided to concede an explanation. "I noticed that you used 'teme' in your vocabulary usuratonkachi."

"Yeah, so what." Naruto replied confused.

The brunet chuckled. "You do realize it's the rude term of 'you' correct? However, since your whole speech uses a polite speech, it defeats the whole purpose in insulting me, not to mention that it sounds completely odd, dumbass."

He continued chuckling, while Naruto protested at his back. "Well, I am trying, so shut it you ass!"

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 04: Lost in translation?

AN: Shikamaru's and Naruto's friendship turned out to be something REALLY amusing to write. It wasn't supposed to be that long, but well…whateva.

8000 words…*sigh* I hope the next chapter will be a short one…*sigh*

Many many many thanks to my betaread Belledragon especially taking in consideration how much she had suffered to correct this chapter...*hides in shame* Please give her a round of applause!

Chapter 5: Report 05

Chapter Text

The black socks. Where the f*ck were his lucky black socks? Naruto ran across the room, stumbling through report papers, plans, clothes, anything in the vicinity in hopes of finding that specific piece of cloth. Wardrobes were pried open, drawers were pulled all the way out, chairs fell to the ground, the basket of laundry was thoroughly inspected…ah, the joyful life of a bachelor…Naruto made sure he cursed every foul word in existence from the English language, and some Japanese ones that he still remembered from google translate while he was looking for the aforementioned socks. He even checked inside his washing machine, blindly touching around the corners in hopes of finding his beloved socks.

It was only when he accidentally kicked an empty ramen cup while running, making the cup roll below his bed and forcing Naruto to pick it up with an impatient grunt, when he touched a soft fabric. With one exuberant shout, the blond was ready to pull it out when he heard the doorbell ring.

"Who's there?" He shouted, raising his head by reflex and bashing it against the mattress. Few more curses later, he succeeded extracting himself from the ground, running towards the entrance. Once checked, he opened the door surprised. "Shika? Why are you here?"

Shikamaru usually wasn't someone who wasted the effort to wish a safe trip to any friend, not even sparing a phone call since he was too lazy for such things. So it was weird he would make an effort to visit someone out of nowhere.

However, the brunet couldn't point out why, but his intuition felt that he should visit his ditsy blond friend before Naruto went to Japan. Call it a hunch or something, there was something unsettling in letting his friend travel to such a far away country. But since it was just a baseless perception, all Shikamaru could do was to go and check to see if the blond was really ok with all the preparations while he made sure his friend didn't forget anything essential about it.

Unfortunately, it appeared that his mother noticed his sudden visit to Naruto too. "My mom wanted you to help her out with those things." Shikamaru grunted, while he was carrying a heavy carton box with his hands.

Naruto blinked, clearly not understanding this predicament. "Um. What?"

Shikamaru sighed. "We have several relatives in Japan, so my mom wanted you to send it to them once you're in Japan through the mail office."

"I'm sure she could do that here too, couldn't she?" The blond raised one eyebrow.

"The international shipping is extremely expensive, so she said 'if Naruto-kun is going to Japan now, it wouldn't hurt him to do a small favor for us right?'" Shikamaru grumbled. "So here." He dumped it in Naruto's arms, entering inside the house, hearing an 'oof' in response.

"Wait what. And why is auntie so sure that I would have empty space to place this heavy thing here?" Naruto complained while he followed his friend.

"Cue to 'Oh, Naruto-kun is just a regular young man so I'm sure that everything he'll put inside his suitcase would be the usual clothes, some important suits and that's all. The underwear he could buy disposable ones, the plans he can print once again in Japan and the important papers he'll carry around inside his briefcase right?'"

Naruto opened and closed his mouth several times before grumbling in mortification. "Auntie knows me a little bit too well for my tastes, seriously."

"I guess. Which is why she already asked our relatives to give you an extensive list of the best Ramen restaurants in Tokyo." Shikamaru flipped out a piece of paper from his pocket and gave it to Naruto.

"Whoa, cool, say thanks to Auntie about this later ok!" The blond immediately brightened while he checked the list. "Hm, actually, I did research on the internet, but it's nice to compare all renowned restaurants too."

"Ramen freak." Shikamaru muttered, already opening the fridge and taking out a can of beer. They went to the bedroom, where the center of all the chaos was situated. He frowned. "Isn't your flight scheduled for tomorrow morning? Aren't you done organizing your suitcase already?"

Naruto immediately protested, placing the box to the ground. "I'm finished already! I just—forgot some things here and there." He muttered to himself, hearing a soft snort in response.

"Have you checked all necessary documents in your bag? Your laptop? Checked if the amount of clothes fits with the amount of days you'll be in Tokyo?" Shikamaru asked with a laidback tone.

"Awwww Shika." Naruto laced his fingers together and placed them next to his left cheek, fluttering his eyelashes mockingly. "Are you worried about me darling?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, not losing his composure. "Perhaps. After all, you're such a spastic klutz that I have to make sure you won't make any ridiculous mistakes while you're in a foreign country. Lord knows how much trouble you have already created here anyways."

"Heeey—I can take good care of myself ya know." Naruto grumbled, reorganizing the stuff inside his bigger suitcase. He frowned, removing the haphazardly placed clothes to put the box. Bah. That just sucked, he used to have so many empty spaces that he didn’t need to organize the suitcase all neatly, but now he'll have to bother himself to fold all his clothes correctly. His suits were already contained in a separated place away from the chaos, as the blonde tried to find a matching sock in between the bundle of an unrecognizable knot of clothes. "After all, I went to Japan with ero-sennin before."

"Really?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, picking up the sock and throwing it towards his friend.

"Yeah, when I was a kid, he used to visit his relatives once in a while, and I even went to Tokyo once I think." Naruto started to fold his sweater and paused to contemplate. "And then we kinda had some money problems, so I couldn't go with him and…" He shrugged, in an attempt of showing nonchalance. "I got busy too with school and stuff so, whatever."

"Well, then there’s lots of places to explore, since you haven't visited Japan and Tokyo for a very long time. You plan on seeing any tourist attractions or anything like that?" Shikamaru asked while drinking his beer.

"Yeah! I already scheduled all the main attractions in Tokyo and it was so nice that Sarutobi-jiichan gave me a few days off to sightsee! First, I'll go to the Tower of Tokyo, and then go to the main station of Tokyo subway, I've heard it's huuuuuuge—" Naruto said excitedly.

Shikamaru nodded in agreement, speaking. "You should also go to Asakusa, go to Sensoji temple."

Naruto waved his hand in dismissal. "Yeah yeah yeah, I'll do that. But what I'm really excited for is going to Harajuku!"

"Any…reason…why?" Shikamaru asked slightly confused.

"To see all the guys dressing with those flashy, totally crazy gothic costumes wearing heavy make-up while the girls dress up like European dolls! It's not something that you see every day. And they also don't mind being photographed, so it's going to be fun to share the pics with everybody later."

"Hm…well you could also go to Ginza, which is also widely known for—"

"Blah blah bla, high fashion center, with billionaire madams and their rabid poodles, we also have those in New York. Well, I'm going there anyways since Mitsukoshi is located there." Naruto shrugged uninterested. He picked up some papers, his eyes brightened with mischievous enthusiasm. "I've heard that in Kabuchiko you can see the craaaaaziest things happening there. The prostitution is almost legalized there, think of all the fun I can see while passing there! Maybe they give special discounts to American guys?" He asked.

"I don't know…" Shikamaru shook his head tiredly. "Didn't know you're interested in those."

"No, but it's a Japanese landmark and it's my duty as a tourist to visit such landmarks." Naruto said imperiously, raising his head.

Shikamaru grumbled to himself, taking one glance at Naruto's itinerary. "Um…you have…sumo. On Tuesday?"

Naruto nodded vigorously.

"…" Shikamaru took some time to recompose himself after blurting out with a strained tone. "Are you saying that you're interested in watching…two almost naked, overweight guys fighting—"

"Bumping into each other and sweating all the while, wearing a thin thong and some weirdo hair, seeing the fat undulating every time they move and their saggy tit* bouncing when they collide with each other? Yeah! It's going to be awesome man!" The blond grinned wide, flashing a double thumbs-up pose to his friend.

Shikamaru nearly groaned. He knew better than to try to argue with Naruto's asinine tastes.

"So anyways, since I'm going there, do you want me to buy anything for you?" Naruto asked.

"No, I'm fine."

"Really? Well, at least you didn't ask for the craziest requests I heard today."

"Like what?"

"Give me a geisha." The blond rolled his eyes. "One of our clients said. Well, not that ero-sennin was any better. He wants me to buy some p*rn movies."

"And what's the difference between those and American ones? I mean, aside language and nationality."

"He said that the Japanese ones are kinkier. Whatever THAT means. He could buy them all on the internet, but noooo…I have to do all this! And he also asked me to go to Akihabara and buy some hentai games. Maybe I should buy some nasty hom*o ones to freak him out." Naruto chuckled, his lips widened into an evil smile.

"And did you really succeed in booking a room at the hotel Sarutobi designed?"

"Yep! And Sarutobi-jiichan also helped me get a better room with special discount, can you believe it? I mean, it's even kinda strange…I always admired him when I was in college, I studied his building style as my master thesis and now I'm working in his office. I'm even rebuilding one of his famous buildings and I'll be living in one of his designed hotels! It's all so bizarre…I can't believe I'm that lucky."

"Or maybe you're not that lucky considering that you'll have to endure Sasuke Uchiha all the time." Shikamaru smirked.

"Don't. Even. Mention it. Just his name ruins my mood." Naruto growled through gritted teeth, a dark cloud looming around his head. "But I have to admit, working with him during these last two months made his presence more bearable." He frowned and shook his head. "Nah, I probably got used to his assholeish personality for so long that I developed immunity against it." He patted his suitcase, closing it. "Done! Now I'll just go check all the files in my computer, the backup in my pen drive…"

"You better carry around a copy of the softwares you'll use, just in case." Shikamaru reminded, receiving a nod of approval as Naruto's hands roamed inside the drawers. "I guess I'll be going then. Sorry I can't go with you to the airport tomorrow, I have to meet Temari's parents."

"Oh yeah! How's it going anyways?" Naruto asked flippantly only to be received with a silence in return. "Whoa, that bad?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Not that bad. But I guess they didn't approve of the fact that I come from a humble family. But at least Temari is supportive about all this."

"Huh? You already proposed to Temari?" The blond asked confused.

Shikamaru groaned. "No…not exactly." He cleared his throat and recited in embarrassment. "When you're looking for an engagement ring for a girl, you lame-ass genius, try asking someone for help who definitely wouldn't be Ino or else she'll spread the news faster than Swine Flu you idiot!" He grumbled. "is what she said."

"I guess. Whoa, I can't wait to see your ass so whipped by her once you've tied the knot. I mean, more than it is already 'neeways." Naruto snickered.

"Shut up."

"I think I'll buy some sadomasoch*st kit with whips and a full dominatrix costume as a wedding gift. And maybe some candles, depending on the type of your kink."

"Shut up." Shikamaru raised his tone in exasperation.

"Or maybe I'll buy a strap-on dild* so Temari can mount you! After all, everyone and their mommies know you're her bitch." Naruto concluded brilliantly, a solemn nod before quickly breaking down to loud chuckles, clutching his stomach.

Shikamaru groaned as he exited the room, hearing Naruto's hysterical laughter, off to grab another can of beer, severely wondering what was wrong with his head to actually waste his time worrying over thankless friends.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Clearing customs was surprisingly more difficult than expected, but Naruto could only blame himself. The moment he opened his mouth to happily chat with the counter lady, he was called to explain himself in the immigration office. Something about his ability to speak Japanese made them suspicious he would try to immigrate illegally to Japan. It took almost half an hour to show the documents, his residence in New York with his yearly income, the hotel reservation where he would be staying, as well as the ticket to go back to USA before they let him pass. Naruto moodily picked up his suitcases with only one thought lingering in his blond head. He'll never speak Japanese in the custom service area ever again.

Narita’s airport was bursting with people walking around during these business hours. As he strolled around the place wondering if he should call a cab or use Narita's train, Naruto spotted one familiar duck butt hair.

"You're late." Sasuke glared, already turning around, not sparing a glance to see if the blond would follow him.

Naruto gaped wide, why a billionaire like Sasuke would actually waste time to personally wait for his arrival. "Why are you here?"

Sasuke made an unintelligible grunt, turning on his cell phone to talk with someone. Somehow, Fugaku deemed it important that he should meet Naruto once the usuratonkachi arrived in Japan, so he was infuriatingly obliged to take this lowly task.

Naruto rolled his eyes from the obvious display of dismissal. "Hey, if you're supposed to be welcoming me, I'm just saying that you're doing a pretty crappy job so far. How about offering to help carrying my luggage or anything like that?"

"Don't push your luck dumbass." Sasuke retorted back, walking in broad steps towards the exit. Not only was he expected to personally receive Naruto, but Fugaku also made sure cancelling all Sasuke's appointments, leaving the whole day to accompany Naruto on his inspections. Sometimes he seriously didn't understand his father.

They stopped just in front of the exit, Sasuke's limousine parked in front of them, the chauffer had already picked up Naruto's suitcase before he could raise any voice in protest. The blond looked at the vehicle, glinting with a lavish design, and then noticed Sasuke entering the backseat before he threw a warning glare to Naruto. The blond frowned, already dreading this awkward trip; not to mention he still couldn't comprehend the whole situation he was facing right now.

But it was a free ride after all, and Naruto wasn't someone who would refuse such a good offer, even if it was given by a questionable bastard like Sasuke. Also, if nothing else, it probably wasn't a good idea to decline when Sasuke was his client. So the blond thanked the driver and cautiously entered the limousine, relieved that the seat was big enough to maintain a safe distance from the Uchiha heir. Naruto gingerly placed his rather worn backpack on the floor, the slightly dirty fabric making a great contrast with the black leather seat.

Several minutes passed without any words being exchanged inside the car, Naruto thoroughly distracted admiring the landscape of Tokyo as Sasuke was busy with his smartphone. Naruto squirmed, not being able to tolerate such long silence as he babbled:

"Hey, so...where are we going anyways?" Naruto inquired, only to be ignored once again by Sasuke. The blond furrowed and repeated his question, this time in Japanese. "Do your ears need to get cleaned? Where. Are. We. Going. Noooowwww?" The blond heard an annoyed grunt in response and he also sagged back to his seat with an impatient huff. "Damn, I'm already regretting accepting this ride with you."

Naruto paused to stare at the gigantic LCD sign displayed in front of a building filled with colorful advertisem*nts and muttered to himself. "I hope you're not planning selling me off to some underground mafia that will chop me up and sell my organs to the black market."

That statement roused an amused reaction from Sasuke, in which he replied with a smirk. "Don't worry about it, I won't. After all, who would want to have some organs infected with usuratonkachi virus and usuratonkachi brain?"

"What the hell! Of all the moments you could actually say something, you have to use it to spout bastardish ideas, huh you a—" He felt a steady gaze coming from the driver and quickly changed tracks. "Aaaa—errr—Huuuh—Uchiha." Naruto could be an impulsive person, he may dislike Sasuke but he wasn't suicidal. Cursing one of the richest people on Earth in front of a stranger that may leak this to the press was not a good idea.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, he guessed he tortured the dumbass long enough. "We're going to your hotel."

"Oh…" Naruto slumped slightly to absorb the information, guessing he should express his gratitude towards the brunet, before quickly brushing this idea away. As if.

"Once you're settled and all your bags are delivered, we'll go to Mitsukoshi to inspect the place." Sasuke continued, his eyes still focused on his smartphone.

"What?" Naruto immediately reacted. "The hell? I thought we scheduled this for tomorrow morning!" When he received another glare coming from the brunet, Naruto grumbled. "Fine, then at least let me take a bath first."

"No." Was Sasuke's monosyllabic answer.

"The f*ck, you B—"Naruto sputtered, interrupting the onslaught of dirty words. He inhaled and exhaled heavily. "You know, I have been inside a plane for almost 20 hours. I'm tired, my legs are numb, I'm smelly so I deserve some kind of—any kind of decent bath!"

Sasuke sighed, not wanting to concede but admitting he could sympathize with Naruto's problem. "Fine. I'll wait for five minutes."

"What—"

"Five minutes, better than nothing Uzumaki. You seriously aren’t going to make me wait, are you?" Sasuke turned his head to lift a steady gaze towards him.

Naruto grumbled and huffed, but otherwise didn't express any kind of vocal protest. Sasuke smirked to himself. The dumbass was always so entertaining to tease.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Fortunately for Naruto, he could take his time admiring the hotel he had studied through all his years while writing his master degree, taking photos and analyzing the structure he only used to see it through plans, grinning brightly all the while. It was only when the receptionist politely coughed that he concentrated on signing the papers, following the bellboy and arriving in his room, where he took a quick bath and readied himself to visit Mitsukoshi.

He spent five minutes more than what Sasuke had stipulated, though oddly enough, the brunet didn't complain loudly, opting with one acknowledging grunt when Naruto returned to the lobby. Naruto would've scratch his head if his hands weren't occupied holding the blueprints and papers. The bastard was hard to be read most times.

To their luck, Mitsukoshi was located so close to the hotel that they went on foot, not wasting much time. Naruto smiled broadly, placed all the papers in one hand and picked up his Canon SLR camera with the other one. He stumbled for a moment to grab the camera properly with all the objects wobbling around in his arms and armpit. When one of the plans was threatening to fall, Sasuke picked it up with a sigh.

"I'm pretty sure we already gave you all the necessary pictures of Mitsukoshi, why are you bothering to photograph it yourself?"

Naruto mumbled, steadying the camera so he could take the picture. "I'm not taking it for the project; I'm taking it for myself as a memory. Plus, this building is going to be demolished one day, so it's an opportunity to have this photo before it ceases to exist."

Sasuke snorted, not wasting his voice to express how much the blond sounded like a sap but still waited patiently until Naruto took his photos till he was completely satisfied.

And that was how a disaster would infiltrate you. Unexpectedly, shockingly, taking you off-guard and leaving scars that would linger in your life.

They entered the shopping mall, the blond architect already opening the blueprint from his cylinder before pausing to stare at the entrance. Most shops were closed and the people strolling inside were scarce. Naruto lifted one eyebrow. "Well, the business surely is running smoothly here."

"From what we've investigated before buying Mitsukoshi, it hasn't been running extremely well for a number of years and hasn't maintained well. Not to mention that once we said we were going to rebuild it, many of the clients stopped coming here and shops temporarily moved somewhere else until we finish the reconstruction." Sasuke answered.

"Ok then. Probably it's better this way, we can calmly inspect the place and look for any kind of small fissure or crack." Naruto picked up some papers from his folder and glanced at the contents inside. "Well, let's start looking for the biggest number of complaints filed about some portion of this building. Tomorrow the electrical, mechanical and plumbing team will arrive with the necessary equipment to give a more accurate examination of the structural damages but for now we'll just review the overall problems."

"You can give me some of those papers. I remember some of the most common complaints, and we can start from the lobby's floor first." Sasuke said as Naruto, with a questionable glance, gave several papers to him.

The first complaint the brunet read was regarding the emergency exit off the 8th floor, the main pipe was leaking and slowly corroding the walls and main pillar. He turned another page, looking for more complaints regarding the lobby. He felt slightly embarrassed following Naruto around, looking at the blond that was snapping pictures everywhere and carrying many rolled papers, thus attracting attention from many onlookers, especially considering he was a tall blond American man in midst of Asian people. Sasuke sighed; he hoped they would end this whole thing as soon as possible so he could get rid of this weird responsibility his father had thrown at him. Naruto on the other hand, didn't seem to notice all the curious glances aimed towards him, fully engrossed with his work.

They had inspected some peripheral pillars, in which Naruto perused whether they were kept in good condition or not. They also went to the bathrooms, seeing if the walls had any leaking that would compromise the building. While Naruto was filling his report to analyze it later, they were quickly reaching towards the 7th floor.

And.

Naruto had to admit, till now the whole task was going smoothly, Sasuke was aiding with an efficiency of a swiss clock, pointing the most visible problems and carrying some plans. Naruto, sighed, just in a few days this whole building will be completely destroyed. It felt weird being attached to a place that he only entered once, but considering part of his Master thesis was based in this place, he should be thankful that it helped him in granting this fortunate life he has now.

In a few seconds, it'll crash inside, disordering your whole self, destroying your ordered life.

Sasuke glanced curiously at the blond, who was wearing a fond smile over nothing, still looking at the documents and walking around the floor. Naruto asked, turning around:

"How many floors do we have left to investigate?"

Three.

Sasuke answered: "Aside this one, the 8th, the office floor and the terrace, then we'll be done."

"Really? That was really quick." Naruto quirked an eyebrow, already rolling the 7th floor plan and placing inside his cylinder.

Two.

Deafening sounds of flapping wings, followed by squeaks and squawks from the birds, startled all the humans inside the mall, some people shouted in surprise, most of them were covering their ears with their hands, ducking a little bit from their seats as they waited for the noise to subside.

Naruto was also covering his ears, exclaiming when it was quiet enough to hear his own voice. "Whoa, what was that? Is this some kind of re-run from the movie 'The Birds'?"

Sasuke, however, quickly assessed the situation and ran towards the exit alarmed, grabbing Naruto's arm. "We should go now."

"What?" The blond asked confused, trying to pick up his things but with no avail.

Sasuke shouted. "We should go, because sooner or later an earth—"

One.

It happened too abruptly. A loud buzz pierced his ear, and before Naruto could fully comprehend what was happening around him, he felt his whole body shake, completely out of his control. One millisecond later, the whole floor shook, leaving him disoriented, removing his primitive notion of gravity and stripping the feeling of security away from him. Lights flickered ominously; the ceiling rumbled loudly as dust fell to his eyes, panicked shouts orchestrated the beginning of a realistic nightmare that seemed endless.

He dazedly felt someone pulling him towards a pillar, in which Naruto finally fell sitting on the ground and placed his hands above the nape of his neck, shielding it from any possible fallen objects. The earthquake didn't subside, glasses shattered, light bulbs exploded - he fully realized that he wasn't in a safe place but he knew he shouldn't move, because fleeing would probably only make things worse. He had this utter feeling of helplessness that something was greater than him - that was also completely out of his control – which only made his stomach curl unpleasantly, creating a nauseating desire to hurl his insides.

He glanced everywhere and there was only one single expression that was stamped in every face encountered. Fear. Shouts and yells and cries coming from everywhere and echoed too loudly inside his soul and yet it was too small in comparison to the rumble of the earth shattering. If this was an accident of nature or an act of God, no one had the heart to reflect it or was too afraid to remember, because that would force them to face every mistake they did in the past, every sin that was calling for judgment now. A baby wailed loudly in distress, but nothing, not even the pitiful coos from her mother would soothe the pain at this very moment.

Seconds turned into endless eternity, a pillar finally crumbled and fell with another deafening rumble, whimpers followed right after. Naruto briefly wished that no one was wounded because of this, but for now he couldn't help but to desire his own safety, wishing that the pillar next to him wouldn't lean away and crush his body, ending his life just like that, without any warning or farewell. And suddenly, he realized that after seeing all the disasters he watched from behind the TV, he was actually experiencing one right now. There wasn't anything secure at this time, in any second he could die. In any moment. He could die.

So everyone's thoughts gathered into a single prayer, pleading for this to end.

For this torment to end.

Please. End.

Please.

Tears prickled his eyes and he blinked furiously, trying to maintain some sanity or else he would crumble under desperation. Naruto turned around and also met distressed onyx eyes, and in those brief minutes of madness, they formed a bond, sympathizing with the same pain they were both feeling. The earthquake made everyone lose their sense of time, stretching the suffering forever as they continued to pray it would end.

And although it had began abruptly, the shakes were diminishing gradually, bit by bit until all that was left were some scarce rumbles that caused some dust to fall from the ceiling. Some people were already standing up and crying relieved, other were still dizzy, unable to shake off the nightmare they just witnessed.

However, it was when three pillars fell at the same time, the loud reverberation sounding as an alarm signal that everyone inside the building began shrieking and running, trying to escape from this place.

"We should go now! This building is too old, it may crumble any minute!" Sasuke yelled, pulling Naruto away from the crowd.

"Uh—Yeah! Let's go to the emergency exit!" Naruto shouted back, pursuing the brunet from behind.

Sasuke tsked, the emergency sign was completely busted so he couldn't see where it was, this way they would run blindly just like that crazed crowd. He felt a large hand clasp his wrist. Naruto yelled:

"I know the map of this place, follow me!" They ran towards the appointed place, only to realize it was blocked by rubble.

"Let's go to the 8th floor, maybe the exit is clear so we can escape!" Sasuke shouted and Naruto nodded, both ran against the tide of screaming people. Several people were blocking the way, so Sasuke was shouting and grabbing anyone he could to direct the crowd towards the correct place.

Naruto helped as much as he could, but he was too busy trying to see any emergency exit in midst of many people, depending only on his memory and dearly wishing he wasn't making a mistake. A good number of people were following the blond, but the majority were still running aimlessly.

They soon reached towards the emergency door, opening it easily and thankfully, the place was clear for an effective escape. After they guaranteed the people around them that it was a good escape route, they were the last ones left. Sasuke shouted. "Let's go!" He tugged Naruto's arm though the blond didn't budge.

"Wait, I have to warn everyone else about this! The entrance is now too dangerous to escape through; it's safer to use the emergency exit! You go first!" Naruto turned around, freeing himself from Sasuke's grasp.

"What? Are you crazy?" Sasuke grabbed Naruto's arm once again, increasing the strength. "You might die! Let's go first and let security take care of this, you've already done whatever you can in this situation! We'll warn any firefighters about it later when we're safe!"

"No! They probably already ran away, I have to guide them to a safe place! Don't worry 'bout it, it'll be quick! Go first Uchiha! I'll be fine!" Naruto already sprinted away, disappearing in the midst of clouds of dust as the brunet gasped for air, staring at nothing.

Sasuke briefly glanced at the empty Emergency Exit and then once again towards the chaos presented in front of him. He turned his head back and forth, torn between security and running after that usuratonkachi that had some impulsive hero complex that he wasn't in the mood to try and understand.

Suddenly a sharp memory pierced his brain and he remembered words of complaints about leakage in the 8th floor emergency exit. He quickly looked to the one next to him, it was completely dry. However, instead of being relieved about this, a cold sensation crawled up his spine and contaminated his whole body.

Oh f*ck.

On the other side of the building, Naruto was dutifully guiding all the people to the proper destination, trying to calm them down in order to prevent any unfortunate trampling of an unlucky victim, while making sure there wasn't anyone left on the floor.

At the moment he was following behind, walking down the stairs, sounds of concrete crumbling alarmed him. Fearing that another earthquake was arriving, he approached the middle pillar and crouched to safety.

Horrible miscalculation.

Naruto stared in sheer horror as the whole stairs cracked and divided apart, before it crumbed to the lower floor, the landslide threatening to engulf him and suffocate him while he didn't have anywhere to grab onto to maintain his balance. He stumbled over a piece of building material and he closed his eyes, ready to suffer the impending disaster when hands grabbed one arm and an armpit and yanked him away from danger.

Blue eyes blinked wide from the unexpected help, only to realize that Sasuke was the one who was holding him securely in his arms. Naruto shouted bewildered. "Sasuke? But I tho—"

"We don't have time for this conversation, stand up, we have to escape." Sasuke interrupted, quickly standing on his feet, grabbing Naruto's wrist and yanking backward. The blond looked at the pile of rubble, the whole staircase was completely destroyed and a painful knot gathered in his throat.

"Ohmygod…" He muttered. "Did I just—send those people to their d—" Sasuke dispelled him with a violent shake, rebutting.

"No, you didn't. We should go before it's too late." The brunet pushed Naruto forcibly away, arriving at last to the main floor as they gasped for air. "Let's go to the other exit so we can get out." Naruto nodded meekly, leaning on the wall. Sasuke called. "Uzumaki?"

"Yeah, wait a minute." All those lives he wanted to save…Naruto gulped down the urge to vomit and with a long shuddering exhale, he willed his legs to work. This wasn't the right time to mourn or to wallow in guilt that he made a mistake that sent many innocents to die…for now he had to concentrate on his own survival.

The path for getting back to the other exit was oddly long and tortuous, now that nothing was left but some noises of pebbles rolling to the ground and a thick cloud of dust drying his throat entirely. The blond coughed in reflex, following the only solid shape moving in the middle of hazy forms. He wasn’t aware of how long he has been walking until he heard an uncharacteristic frustrated shout that made his insides curl unpleasantly, already expecting an ominous scenario.

Naruto had reached Sasuke at last, though the dark-haired man just stood glaring fixedly towards one point. Naruto also followed with his gaze, the vision however, dimmed his hopes for a safe escape from the building.

"sh*t…" He murmured, two broken pillars stood in front of the door, completely obstructing the pathway.

Sasuke turned around. "Let's go to the main entrance. Maybe it's still in one piece so we can try getting out through there." Naruto nodded mutely and both young men walked towards the center of Mitsukoshi.

However, the situation there wasn't any better. The moving staircase was completely destroyed, only a fraction of the side structure was left on the upward floor.

"What should we do?" Naruto groaned in frustration.

"Let's go to the 9th floor. Maybe the emergency door is clear so we can escape through." Sasuke suggested.

"No…" Naruto coughed again, and added. "Some of the pillars that sustain the 8th floor were destroyed, so the 9th floor was crushed as consequence. Do you have any cellphone, can we try contacting anyone about this?"

Sasuke picked up his cellphone and muttered. "No signal. And yours?"

Naruto shrugged. "Not with me. Probably lost it in this confusion. We can keep looking for other exits. But we better grab some wet towels or something like that, all this thick dust will dry our throats."

The brunet nodded quickly with another cough and they went to the nearest bathroom. Unfortunately, one of the pipes had collapsed and broke most urinals; the water was leaking and spraying everywhere, the smell of stench permeating inside the room.

"Ugh, gross…" Naruto groaned, taking a few steps back. Inwardly, Sasuke agreed with the blond, but outwardly he muttered.

"We don't have any choice right. You go first."

"Huh?" The blond immediately interjected. "No way, I'm not going to put this disgusting water anywhere near my nose or my mouth!"

The brunet rolled his eyes. "Do you have any better idea moron? It's just some water, if you don't inhale sharply you can ignore the stench."

Naruto wrinkled his nose. "Well, aren't you all bark and no bite."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "What was that?" He asked. When the blond was opening his mouth to happily explain the idiom, Sasuke interrupted him, walking away. "You know what, nevermind. You're probably going to offer me some kind of distorted explanation that doesn't have anything to do with the original meaning so I pass."

"Well, you bloody asked bastard." Naruto muttered, following the brunet around. "Oh hey, a vending machine!" He shouted when he spotted the object in question.

"…so?" Sasuke quirked an eyebrow.

Naruto snorted, the bastard clearly couldn't follow his ingenious mind and brilliancy. "So we could at least drink some liquid to quench our thirst, asshole." He quickly assessed the contents inside the machine and grinned. "Oh hey, they have beer! Maybe we could use it to substitute the water and we'll be perfectly fine!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes towards the moron's idiosyncrasy. Nevertheless, the idea of wetting his dried throat sounded heavenly so he moved to one side of the machine, grabbing both sides of it. "Usuratonkachi." The brunet smirked slightly when he saw cobalt eyes narrowing at the call. "Let's throw this machine to the ground so we can open it. Help me out."

With another shrug, Naruto imitated Sasuke's former action and with one coordinated action, the machine crashed loudly to the ground, the metallic noise made both wince in response. They both opened the lid after some great effort, staring in relief at the great amount of cans still intact and ready to be opened. They grabbed their favorite flavor at once, drinking with gusto.

"I noticed something." Sasuke was the one who broke the silence surprisingly, getting a raise of eyebrow in response. "When we were throwing the vending machine to the ground, the plug snapped and there was a popping sound of electrical current. So that probably means that this floor still has electricity."

"And that help us in…?" Naruto asked in bewilderment.

"We could look for a TV to get some news on the situation. Think about it, we already have supplies for almost one week…" He pointed to the vast amount of drinks beneath them. "And we could simply wait until the firefighters come to rescue us. The fact that this building didn't collapse yet works in our favor. They won't have to dig dirt in search for survivors, they'll only have to break some doors and climb some stairs to reach us."

"Well, this is the 8th floor, which is convenient, it has houseware and furniture. Maybe we'll get lucky." Naruto agreed, picking up some extra cans and stood up.

After taking some time roaming inside the floor and blindly searching for any sign of electronic store, they were passing through the furniture area and Naruto called for Sasuke's attention, explaining.

"Hey, most times those stores have some showroom complete with bed, table and TV. Maybe we'll get lucky and find one."

Shrugging with one shoulder, the brunet followed in midst of almost total darkness, the fact the building didn't have many windows made matters worse. They heard a buzz of static signal and quickly followed the only source of light inside the place.

"Hah! Am I a genius or what?" Naruto grinned widely, and Sasuke didn't bother himself to curb another roll of eyes. Seriously, this was a serious situation here and the dumbass was busy gloating with his over-inflated usuratonkachi ego.

Sasuke crouched in front of the plasma TV, opening the lid so he could stabilize the signal. It took a while for them to get a signal, as Naruto was frantically trying to use the remote control and Sasuke was adjusting the sound. They succeeded after some trial and error, watching the fuzzy screen declare the sentences that would change their lives…forever.

"Attention, attention (bzzt…)…kyo citizens… (bzzt…)ttention, Attention, Tokyo (bzzt…)zens."

Naruto smacked one side of the TV several times, grumbling. "Sure this sh*t could be a little bit better, I still can't hear a th—"

"Shh!" Sasuke complained, putting his hand on Naruto's mouth. "Just be quiet or I won't be able to hear what they're saying idiot!"

"Attention(bzzt…) the Japan government declared full evacuation (bzzt…)kyo city"

"What? You're talking too loud asshole, I didn't hear the last sent—" Naruto moved the offending hand away from his mouth and groaned.

"No, you're the one who's being loud, you—" Sasuke grumbled as he fought to muffle the blond's voice once again.

"We repeat, full evacuation of the citizens of Tokyo, full (bzzzzzzzt…) zens of Tokyo"

They briefly halted their skirmish, their eyes and ears tuned to see blurry images of ruined buildings on the TV.

"There will be another incoming wave of earthquakes, repeating, (bzzzzzzzzt…) Another wave of earthquake is (bzzt…)ly likely…"

Both young men stopped dead.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 05: Interferences…eliminated.

AN: This is not a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger is when the author has purposely stopped the chapter in the middle of an important event, and thus leaving the readers in suspense while not knowing what will be reserved for the future. Dear readers, you know what will happen in the next chapter and thus, this is not a cliffhanger. *nods resolutely*

…

Though I guess I could be blamed for delaying the lemon for one more chapter. *cautiously taking few steps back*

So, time for explaining. *Oh noes!*

Mitsukoshi is a real international department store chain and tah dah! There's one in Ginza. Although the one I based on is in Nihonbashi.

en.wikipedia wiki/Mitsukoshi

Since Japan (as well as Taiwan) are pretty small countries, and as consequence they have to properly use the few land they have, most shopping malls are tall, ranging from 8 floors to 12. Yes, it's weird. Usually they organize like this:

1st: cosmetics and shoes

2nd: Shoes, kids clothes, etc. Or maybe expensive brands.

3rd: Young girl clothing

4th: Young women clothing.

5th: Working women clothing.

6th: Men, suitcases, etc.

7th: kitchen utencils.

8th: either library or Furniture things.

I wanted to put Naruto and Sasuke stuck in the 5th floor since it made more sense in the plot but since there it won't have any bed *cough*, I changed to the 8th one. But hell, why am I being so faithful to details when this is a work of fiction? I should have wrote in the 5th floor and declare that this is my shopping mall and those are my rules. *sigh* Too late.

One of the places Naruto mentioned that he was interested to visit is Kabukicho. It's a district for "entertainment", the pretty word for whor* houses. Well, although the "level" of "entertainment" will obviously depend with the money you'll have.

en.wikipedia wiki/Kabukicho

Other places I've mentioned:

wikitravel.en/Tokyo/Harajuku

wikitravel.en/Tokyo/Ginza

Asakusa is a must go if you ever go to Tokyo. More specifically, the Sennoji temple, that has tons of interesting goodies before you reach the temple. Is particularly famous for being the largest temple of Tokyo, and has an interesting story behind it. According to legend, two brothers suffered for several days not being able to obtain any fish for food. Then, the Goddess Kannon (or Guan In in Chinese) orientated them in a dream to go to a certain place in which they found enough fish for the whole year, together with her statue in which they erected a shrine in her honor. wikitravel.en/Tokyo/Asakusa

en.wikipedia wiki/Sumo

Sorry for the long explanation. :/ Also, many thanks for my betaread belledragon that made this fanfic readable...XD

Chapter 6: Report 06

Chapter Text

"The what?" Naruto screeched breaking the silence, grabbing the television with his broad hands.

The television promptly answered as if it was listening to his question: "Repeating, another wave of earth(bzzt) is highly likely…" Flashes of destroyed houses, commotion on the streets and firefighters entering in crumbled buildings were shown on the screen. Another announcement was made. "The government of Japan is now asking all inhabitants of Tokyo to evacuate immediately for safety. (bzzzt) Neighboring towns are also moving away to avoid the second wave of (bzzt)"

"They are kidding right? They must be. I mean—"Naruto started to blab until the voice inside the TV interrupted him:

"According to specialists, the estimated time (bzzt…) second wave of earthqu(bzzt…) will be in the next 5 hours. The first (bzzt…) reached the magnitude of 7.7 Richter scale. Although the second wave is an Aftershock of the (bzzt…)st earthquake thus being weaker than the first one, there's still an expectation that it'll still reach the magnitude of 6.5 to 7…"

Both young men stood petrified, their eyes glued on the screen as colors flashed gloomily across the room. No words could come out at this moment. No one dared to move, even to breathe properly, still incredulous from this revelation.

"Public safety aid reinforc(Bzzt…) strength to find any possible survivors and (bzzzt…) all destroyed buildings, but the mayor of Tokyo alrea(bzzt…) issued an order for evacuation in the next 3 hours (bzzzzzzzzt…)"

These news was slowly absorbing into their skin, becoming a frightening poison, penetrating their hearts and filling them with the sensation of complete and utter helplessness. The fear increased their heartbeats, hammering loudly in their ears as they were more and more acutely aware of this unfortunate situation they were trapped in. Naruto felt a cold sweat travelling the entire length of his spine and shivered, rubbing his palms in frantic desperation to dry them up.

"This…" Sasuke muttered in such a hushed tone that Naruto almost couldn't capture those words. The blond whipped his head around to see Sasuke staring at the TV with widened eyes.

"That's…may-…maybe it's a mistake…" Naruto spoke softly, attempting to grasp some sort of reassurance. "After all, the measuring tools could be broken, and anyways, it's only an estimate. What if…"

"All citizens lament for all loss (bzzt…) and the victims that are still buried between collapsed skyscrapers. The prime-minister of (bzzt…) already expressed his condolences over the lost lives (bzzzt…)"

"We should get out now. Maybe go to another area. What if there's another exit or—"Sasuke declared, standing up and sprinting outside.

"Okay, there's the chance that the destruction may open a path for us to escape. We barely explored this floor anyways." Naruto agreed, following the brunet. "There's still enough time for us to find some kind of escape route and exit Tokyo."

"No wait." Sasuke stopped, turning around. "We should focus or we will go around in circles instead of finding something useful."

"Ok then…we should find something to light our path or—is your cell phone bright enough?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke clicked one of the buttons to light the screen and fortunately, it brightened well the path in front of them. "The battery is almost full, so I guess this will be enough."

"However, this building is too huge so we better decide a place as our main point of direction. We'll first go to a corner and memorize the direction from there, and then begin exploring. It's not very far from the Second Emergency Exit, so most likely we're inside the Second Section. We'll first explore this whole section and then return to this place to explore the First Section."

Sasuke acknowledged with a quick nod, it was advantageous having Naruto as the architect that studied this building's plan. "Since you know this whole place, it'll be better if you lead the way while I light the path."

They began exploring the Second Section, quickly finding a stairway. Unfortunately, huge pieces of column blocked the entrance completely. They both frowned, mulling the possibility of moving those pieces.

"Let's try pulling it together." Sasuke motioned to the back of one of them and the blond swiftly moved to the other side, straining themselves into pulling it away from the rest. It was too heavy and they didn't have any patience left because of the state of emergency, so after several minutes, Naruto grumbled.

"We don't have enough time, there are still two stairways left. It's better if we try those that might have a clearer path instead of this." Naruto walked away, going in another direction.

"Just remember, we already wasted 20 minutes now." Sasuke warned.

Naruto grumbled, he was already nervous from all this and he seriously didn't want to be reminded about the limited time left in this whole nerve-racking situation.

"Walk faster dammit." Sasuke hissed, staring at his watch. He didn't know how far they were from the other staircase, so this sensation of insecurity while being acutely aware each passing second made him restless.

"Will you quit being so—" Naruto couldn't finish his sentence, every part of his mind going blank from seeing the scenario placed before their eyes.

The whole ceiling was destroyed save for a few sections showing a metal frame. Every column fell, adding with the rubble that filled the place. There were some dead bodies crushed in between, the stench of blood and decay curled unpleasantly in their stomachs as the sensation of uneasiness increased their tingling nerves.

"That's—"Naruto mumbled in short breaths. The blond saw Sasuke turning around and frantically blurted out. "It's ok, we still have another stairway to explore—"

"Yes, that's why we have to hurry up and go—"Placing his arm so he could block the smell coming to his nose, Sasuke tried not to gag in disgust. He grabbed Naruto's arm with another hand and continued. "We don't have any time to waste."

"Yeah…" Naruto imitated Sasuke's motion of blocking the smell, while he walked further to guide the steps. "It's—it's in the First Section, it's a little bit farther."

They returned to the TV room, picking up more unopened cans to alleviate any sign of thirst even though their bodies were still too numb from shock. The walk was long and torturous; no words were exchanged, the heavy silence hanging between a precarious hope and anxious anticipation. Just a few more meters would reveal the answer to their prayers; they could practically count each step taken. They passed through broken shops, other fallen columns and shards of glass scattered on the floor until Naruto faltered a little bit, passing through the first emergency exit. From the corner of his eyes, he saw a crumbling wall and the nauseating guilt was coming back.

He suddenly felt an arm dragging him forward, forcing him to focus his eyes towards the front. Sasuke muttered close to Naruto's ear as he maintained pushing the blond. "We're getting closer right? Concentrate on it." Naruto nodded, feeling somewhat calmer at hearing Sasuke's low toned voice.

However, as they approached the designated place, their heartbeats increased by each second, their steps staggered with the narrowing distance.

"Ok…" Naruto inhaled deeply and spoke. "Just turn around and we'll be able to see it."

Sasuke slowly responded with another nod, closing his hand into a fist. "Let's go." They turned around, the cell phone lighting their path.

A piece of broken wall lied on the ground.

They stood dumbfounded, staring fixedly at the foreboding piece placed in front of them. Any remaining thread of hope was washed away to install a cold dread inside their souls, not even daring to take a step further to witness the last chance of survival crumble before their eyes. They felt their thoughts spinning…still unbelieving they would be thrown inside such cruel fate; such an unfortunate deadly situation.

Steeling himself, Naruto walked forward, ignoring that Sasuke's cell phone didn't light his pathway. Sasuke followed after, but with a ragged breath expelling:

"Do you really want to see…?"

Blue eyes closed briefly, the cold sweat running along his body. He heard the sounds of Sasuke's shoes stopping, so Naruto also halted his movements, staring forward to confirm what he wanted to deny with every fiber of his being.

The last staircase was completely destroyed, somehow in a worse state than the previous staircases they had walked through, the amount of rubble piled made the entire floor unrecognizable. Every disastrous scenario that was only replayed in TV news that they used to watch inside their comfortable homes became morbidly real, even if their eyes still refused to see this cruel truth. Every wall crumbled, the stairs now reduced to chaotic blocks of cement that weighed heavily on the ground to the point it formed a small depression, making it hazardous to walk and inspect any further.

Naruto didn't know how long he took to stare at that place, his heartbeat almost leaping out of his throat and the warm blood leaving his body, but a deafening noise of concrete falling from the ceiling broke them from their stupor. The blond was first to mumble, stepping far away from the place:

"So, what we should do now…?"

Sasuke was desperately analyzing all the possibilities, which current option would be the quickest and most efficient; the adrenaline speeding up his thought processes and clearing the fuzzy state of his mind. They were walking back to the showroom, both young men musing over any kind of alternative possibility, or new ways to escape from the building - as they were passing through the First emergency exit that caught Sasuke's attention, a sudden clarity fell on his mind as he declared:

"I know." Naruto stopped to listen with a curious glance. "We could try this emergency exit, although the stairs are destroyed, we can probably walk through the rubble and reach the lower floors."

The blond immediately stared back at determined onyx eyes and gulped dryly, glancing at what was left of the stairway and then peeking back towards Sasuke, an excruciating agony stamped all over his face. Sasuke's expression became incrementally softer watching the torment clouding Naruto's azure eyes so he murmured in a slow tone.

"I'm sorry." It was the first time Naruto heard a sincere apology from Sasuke and the blond looked up, slightly surprised. Sasuke however, turned away to stare at the entrance, even though the sympathetic gaze still maintained in his eyes. "I hoped that we could avoid this alternative but—"

Naruto shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. "No, it's alright, it can't be helped right? It's not my place to complain when we don't have any time left for it. It's a good available chance to find an exit, we should try it out."

Sasuke stared quietly back, waiting until he could see a sign of reassurance in Naruto's eyes. He nodded, muttering as he offered his cell phone to the blond. "Let's switch tasks then, you illuminate the path while I look for the more viable paths to go down."

Naruto grabbed the gadget from the pale hand, and with a long intake of air, began following Sasuke as he illuminated the ground. The crushed stairs were tricky to walk through and there were some slippery parts where it was risky to put a foot on it; however it was still manageable if they were cautious with each step taken. Obviously, there were some wide gaps between the heights from one place to another, though since they were adult men made it easier while they also cooperated with each other whenever it was someone's turn to walk down.

The smell of coppery blood was faint but still constant, reliving unwanted memories and awakening his feeling of guilt, spreading like poison through his body and making his heart throb painfully. As Naruto started to detect the familiar stench of burnt skin and decayed corpses, his stomach curled in disgust and formed a strangled ball lodging in his throat.

The whole process of descending that floor proved to take an endless time. Aside the hushed noises of their own breathing coupled with crumbling pebbles rolling to the ground, there wasn't any sign of a living human, not a moan or groan of pain or a call for help. This fact just escalated further the feeling of guilt in his stomach twisting his insides, though Naruto continued lighting the floor, his eyes following and making sure Sasuke wouldn't step in a dangerous area or wound himself.

A strong smell of rotten corpses rushed to his nostrils and his hand faltered in holding the cell phone properly, his fingertips trembling a little. The light of the cell phone moved around and revealed a glimpse of a limp arm hanging in the middle of a mountain of rubble. Naruto's first reflex was to flinch and close his eyes from the scene in front of him, the urge to vomit ready to launch from his guts.

"Naruto?" Sasuke turned around to see the blond with a cupped hand blocking his mouth with terrified cobalt eyes. He held Naruto's arm with apprehension. "Are you alright?" He saw a weak nod coming from the blond though his eyes saw the fallen arm, swiftly coming to understand Naruto's source of distress. He gently took the cell phone away from Naruto's grasp as he turned back to his previous position, mumbling. "We're almost there, this will be over quick. Since it won't take too long till we see an unobstructed door you..." Onyx eyes glanced backwards in an almost uncomfortable fashion. "You don't have to pay attention to your surroundings, so you can concentrate looking down while I guide you through the way."

Naruto blushed and grumbled. "Thanks, but I'm fi—"

"Stop being such a stubborn dumbass and grab my back, it's better." Sasuke interrupted, concern and impatience both laced his tone.

Blue eyes glowered towards the lean back until, with a resigned sigh, Naruto awkwardly grabbed the expensive fabric of Sasuke's suit, the desire to vomit and remorse slowly being washed away from his body. Even the odor of blood and death had dimmed down as a scent of cool mint surrounded him; every discernible sense was focusing on Sasuke's close proximity, calming Naruto.

However, as soon as they reached the 6th floor, another pile of rubble was blocking their way and the entrance to the main floor. They frowned at the situation until the brunet noticed some parts of the door showing from behind the debris and began picking up the nearest boulder away from it.

"Hey wait. What are you doing?" Naruto asked slightly concerned from the rapid but careless way Sasuke was grabbing the wreckage and throwing it anywhere.

"I'm moving things so we can reach the entrance, can't you see? Now help me up here." Sasuke replied with a snap.

"No, you can't! Stop it-it's dangerous to move it right now!" Naruto replied, grabbing and pulling Sasuke's arm away from the rubble.

"What? We're so close to the door, are you saying that we shouldn't do this? We already wasted time screwing around, I've had enough of going everywhere and meeting a dead end!" Sasuke raised his voice as his arm harshly tugged away from Naruto's hands to grab another piece of concrete.

"You don't understand, this whole floor is also compromised, if you move that debris, there won't be anything supporting the ceiling so it'll collapse from the given weight!" Naruto used both his arms to shove Sasuke forward, managing to unbalance the brunet for a moment. Sasuke immediately retaliated by grabbing Naruto's front shirt and snarling with a barely controlled voice.

"How can you be so sure about it? We haven't even tried much and there hasn't been any sign of the floor collapsing yet!"

"I am sure dammit!" Naruto retorted heatedly. "Look at the cracks forming on the ceiling, the way that they are already tilting below caused by gravity, so it doesn't help the fact that you're trying to remove the main pillar that is sustaining it!"

Sasuke shook his head, maintaining his inflexible resolution. "There's still the possibility of succeeding in moving them without risking the upper floor, we should try it."

"What the f*ck, I already said it's impossible! I don't want to try it and die here crushed when the ceiling falls on our heads!" The blond yelled.

"And what's the difference at this point? Either we die when the earthquake arrives or we die now. I'd rather try risking my life right now!" Sasuke rebutted also raising his voice.

"Because this way is not worth risking our lives for it goddamn it!" Frustrated, Naruto replied while he punched any nearby piece of rubble, growling. "I don't want to die yet, I don't want to die right now, right here, while trying a hopeless alternative that will kill us in the end!"

"Then, tell me!" Sasuke shouted with a raging panic, his fist also colliding with a broken column. "Time is almost running out and every path is blocked, now what we should do to escape from this place then!"

"I—"This time, Naruto faltered for a few seconds, dread instilling his nerves. "I—I don't know, but I definitely don't want to die this way, right now. We still have a few hours left, we should calmly think—"He breathed in short gulps, until he remembered and suddenly blurted out. "Wait, what about the first staircase we found?" Naruto widened his eyes as he stared towards Sasuke's confused expression. "The first staircase wasn't as bad save from some broken pillars blocking our way and there were still others sustaining the ceiling. Let's try it out!"

When comprehension finally dawned on Sasuke's face, the brunet narrowed his eyes determined and swiftly began climbing back to the 8th floor. "Fine, let's go."

"How many hours do we have left?" Naruto followed, asking.

"Roughly, three." Sasuke answered speeding up his steps.

"And how many hours will it take for us to exit Tokyo?"

"One and a half, two hours more or less if we use a car." They quickly reached the 8th floor, almost running to the appointed place.

"Then…we definitely have to do this as fast as possible."

"So…" They arrived in front of the blocked staircase and Sasuke turned to glance at Naruto. "How we should do this?"

Naruto paused, not expecting the Uchiha to be awaiting orders instead of barking some. Though he guessed that in these circ*mstances, Sasuke couldn't help but to rely on a more professional hand. The blond architect quickly assessed the scenario and pointed to one of the broken pillars. "Ok, let's try moving that one. More to the right, so it won't compromise the debris next to it."

It took some time to move it properly in the direction they wanted, the heavy weight compromising the speed though luckily both were young men, built enough to support and push those type of objects, their brain working non-stop to give the added strength to act upon this critical situation.

But alas, after many minutes, they were starting to wear out from all the physical exhaustion altogehter with their emotional trauma, so slowly but surely, they began decreasing the speed of their movements. At this point, concentrating was straining Naruto's brain to analyze and calculate the proper placement of each fallen object, not to mention he also had to use all his energy to help move the heavy broken pillars, every muscle protesting and desiring to rest even if he knew logically they didn't have the luxury to waste a second.

"Alright, that's the last piece of junk we should move and it should uncover enough for us to slip through and go to the lower floor." Naruto spoke, a smile finally blossoming on his face, the relief also mirroring on Sasuke's tilt on his lips.

"Let's get this done then." With one nod, both united their strength and began moving the pillar.

Inch by inch, they locked their knees and pushed forward, unraveling a broken but still usable staircase from below. Hopelessness was transforming to expectation, all negative emotions were being swiped away as they stared in awe, the glee brightening their eyes until—

Alarmed, blue eyes saw another piece of concrete moving as a consequence and falling dangerously close to a column so he shouted. "Stop!"

Sasuke obeyed with a confused blink and asked. "What? Why!"

"No, wait, we can't move it yet! If—" However, the current piece that they were moving had at last rolled away, no longer sustaining a broken pillar from below. This broken pillar swung and clashed full force to a precariously standing pillar, rumbling the whole floor, tilting the pillar till it was divided in two, both pieces falling to the ground forming a thunderous echo that shook their entire core.

"Damn it, back off, back off!" Naruto instinctively grabbed Sasuke's arms and pushed away from the destruction, as graphite eyes watched incredulously the whole ceiling crumbling and falling to the ground. Fearing they wouldn't be able to escape on time from the all the destruction, the blond used his body to propel forward, jumping haphazardly some feet away from the site.

The rumbling sounds slowly quieted down until there was once again, only Naruto's and Sasuke's short breathing reverberating the entire place. Naruto moved away from Sasuke's fallen body and rolled around to lie down and stare at the destroyed staircase, coughing from the raised dust.

And now, the place was more haphazard and hazardous than the previous ones they'd be in.

Naruto continued to gaze upon the ruination, waiting for another arrival of anguish or other desperate emotion. However, what slowly infiltrated his heart wasn't any kind of apocalyptic distress, it was overwhelmed by one feeling that he didn't want to yield to yet:

Resignation.

Making a fist, the blond frantically tried to silence the loud buzz in his head and attempted to will his numb body to work, as he voiced out -

"Okay…um." He turned around to identify any sign of resolve from Sasuke, any type of encouragement but only met an empty expression. Gulping dryly, Naruto continued. "So maybe we should continue exploring this floor or—maybe we really should try moving the—"

"That's enough." Sasuke stood up and began walking, Naruto following behind confused. "I…" His voice trembled slightly, and the blond man didn't know if Sasuke was talking to himself or trying to finish one sentence.

"Hey, where are you going…?" Naruto asked, trying to understand Sasuke's emotionless expression. "Maybe we could…if there's any exit…" Those words sounded hollow even to his ears so Naruto pursed his lips, craving for any kind of encouragement coming from anyone, anybody to pull him outside from this helpless feeling.

What surprised the blond was that Sasuke arrived at the vending machine that they had previously opened hours before, crouched in front of it and grabbed one can of beer, opened it and emptied it in seconds. Widening his blue eyes, Naruto approached and grabbed another can before Sasuke could open it and hissed. "What the hell are you trying to do now?"

"Can't you see moron?" Sasuke grumbled, tugging his can away from the tanned fingers to open and downed half of it.

"Wait, you—why are you doing this? I—we should try looking for another exit instead of wasting time like this!" Naruto interrupted once again, knocking the can out of Sasuke's hand, as it landed on the ground, the metallic sound making loud echoes inside the deserted floor and gurgling noises of liquid followed after, intensifying the tense silence between them.

"I've had enough." Sasuke sighed. This "All exits are blocked, anything we tried ended up as a disaster, this whole earthquake—this earthquake…" He paused and hissed lowly. "This, everything, it's like we shouldn't find a way, if this is some kind of punishment for what I've done—or maybe…" The brunet shook his head and continued to mumble incoherently. "Or maybe because I never succeeded to be or…never fulfilled any expectations so—so maybe this is fate and we should accept it in the end—"

Naruto placed one hand on Sasuke's shoulder and whispered. "This isn't right… whatever circ*mstances we're in, we shouldn’t just accept it without questioning and not fight against this fate."

Sasuke snorted weakly. "Of course you would say something like that."

The blond blinked confused. "What?" He watched the Uchiha pick up another can of beer. "Hey, I said…." Blond eyebrows shot up to the hairline when Sasuke shoved the can in front of his face.

"Now stop nagging me and drink up already. It's boring drinking by myself." Sasuke said as he dropped the beverage unceremoniously into Naruto's lap and grabbed another one.

Naruto actually picked it up and stared at it for a couple of seconds before snapping to reality. "We shouldn't do this. Like I've said, maybe if we find any hole or anything like that and—"The blond suddenly realized one detail. "How…how many hours do we have left now?"

Sasuke shrugged inelegantly, the alcohol already working on his system as he finished another can. "Probably not enough for anything now."

Azure eyes looked down to the unopened cap, with a hesitant and pensive expression casting shadows on the usual bright color. Naruto was still unsure whether to press into more accurate answers and find another uncertain route that could make hope linger for a few more minutes or if he should join in this despair. One sound of metal being crushed brought his attention as he stared as Sasuke threw away another empty can. The brunet slumped onto a nearby wall, forfeiting the last fragments of willpower when he looked at a far away point, the same lost feeling that kept rattling at the back of Naruto's mind. The blond could feel cold shards of panic surrounding him, breaking any remaining fortitude of his fighting will. He didn't want to hear the words that his heart was screaming up till now. "We're…we're really going to die." Sasuke breathed out in a hushed whisper.

"We're not…I don't want to die. Not like this." Naruto replied immediately, though there was a constrictive sensation around his throat. Having nothing else to soothe this feeling, he opened the cap and downed one gulp of beer, satiating his thirst for a moment.

"I don't want to die either…" Sasuke answered so softly, in such a pained tone that made Naruto close his eyes, inevitably gulping down at this realization. "But…but I can't see any alternative either…"

"Is this because I've done something wrong in the past…?" Naruto opened another can and finished it quickly. "Is this some kind of punishment for being a burden to anyone or…"

"If there's anyone guiltier that would be me, from all the financial damage I did to my competitors." Sasuke snorted and drank more.

"Maybe because I committed sins that are prohibited by God…? Did I masturbat* too much, surrendered to all kinds of mundane temptations, said God's name in vain…? Almost killed someone?" Naruto wondered to himself.

Sasuke stopped for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "You almost killed…what?"

The blond rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed, muttering. "Well, it wasn't on purpose. It was a dare in one of those stupid games back in college. Me and a crazy friend of mine had to run naked in front of an old lady's house."

The raised jet black eyebrow slowly descended to a frown, urging the blond to continue his explanation.

"So well, we thought that the old woman was sleepin' or somethin', so it shouldn’t take too long. But she was still awake, and was actually patrolling inside her house, thinking we were thieves. So we went to the living room, that had a huge glass window at the front and she saw us completely naked and screamed." Naruto paused for a moment to recollect details of this memory and downed another gulp. "Ok, well, we also screamed a lot with her and we were ready to flee away from that house when we heard a loud thump! She fainted." Naruto shivered and readily opened another can in an attempt to forget the horrible remembrance.

Sasuke snorted, thoroughly amused by this piece of information. "Color me unsurprised that you’d always get into trouble with old ladies.”

"Heeeeeeey—you don't know the amount of sacrifice I had to go through to fix it up—!" Naruto protested, his lips coordinating slower than expected. The blond blinked confused, he didn't drink that many cans enough to make him a little bit dizzy, did he? He stared at the growing number of empty cans displayed in front of him and shrugged, picking up another one to drink as he continued his narration. "We had to break into her house by forcing the door open, and I was the one who had to give her mouth-to-mouth rescuing." Blanching, Naruto's healthy tanned complexion morphed into green tinged ones and for the first time that night Sasuke feared that the blond might puke now.

"That's all?" Sasuke rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "If there's anyone who would deserve to burn at the stake, this person would be me."

"What, why?" Naruto asked curious.

"For falling into sinful temptations and being misguided in choosing wrong and abnormal behavior of being attracted to someone of the same sex and whatever..." Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly. "All those kinds of annoying things that religious fanatics like to preach about."

It took several seconds for Naruto's alcohol-induced brain to process this information until he voiced astonished. "You're gay?"

Sasuke yawned and shrugged once again, drinking another can.

"Huh. Are you sure?" Naruto asked as confirmation. As far as he remembered, that icy bastard never expressed interest in anyone he met, regardless if they were female or male, so Sasuke definitely looked asexual at best.

The brunet answered readily, annoyed. "Yes, I think I'm pretty sure the moment that I traded blow j*bs with an upperclassman I met when we were on a school- sponsored camping trip."

Naruto froze and violently shook his head in an attempt to block the impending images generated from this confession - too late, it was already seared inside his mind. He also desperately attempted to erase a very creative scenario his libido happily provided of Sasuke's usual stoic features flushed with pleasure and speculating whether they did the 69 position.

The blond rubbed his eyes with a displeased groan. Now he's sure he’s going to be scarred for the rest of his life! And no, he was not curious how talented that mouth was, neither was he wondering how it would feel to have those thin lips wrapped around his own co*ck.

Unbeknownst to Naruto's turmoil, Sasuke muttered with apparent detached interest. "And you? You're definitely straight right?" It had been obvious to him when the blond practically salivated whenever he was surrounded by pretty women.

Usually, the automatic answer for Naruto would be agreeing with the statement. But, if he was honest with himself, he did feel a somewhat attraction to Sasuke for some brief seconds the first time they met and did consider his sexuality at that moment. Plus, it wouldn't hurt admitting the truth at this point right? "Nah, I'm probably bi." He declared, emptying another can and throwing it haphazardly to pick another new one.

"…really?" This time, Sasuke looked even more surprised with this sudden revelation as he added one more question with a quirked eyebrow. "Probably?"

Embarrassed, Naruto mumbled directing his gaze somewhere away from probing onyx eyes. "Anyways, there’s no point believing you’ll go to hell just because society said so. Any Holy Scriptures from most religions are based from an old different mindset and they are all outdated conceptions shouldn't stop the evolution of mankind." Clear blue eyes fogged upon a distant memory and Naruto added. "It's not right to judge someone just for his appearance, his origins or any essential feature that defines any man."

The sentence ended abruptly, though instead of continuing, the blond preferred to drink his beverage slowly while Sasuke stared at him with scrutinizing eyes. Each second was ticking, but fortunately all the alcohol had numbed any sign of urgency while it let loose any kind of inhibition, as they were gradually becoming more comfortable in confessing personal issues out loud.

Naruto gave a short snort to stop the brief silence and spoke. "So anyways, I don't think that the problem of you being gay is anything worthy for a quick trip to hell. If anything, it'd be me, 'cuz I did so many pranks that I was almost expelled from my middle school thrice in one year."

"That's all?" Sasuke gave a half smirk. "There was once when I didn't study enough for a math test, so I purposely ate shrimp, a food that I'm allergic to, and puked on my mother's favorite skirt so I could be relieved from school that day."

"Hmpf - that's nothing." Naruto declared, raising his chin and crossing his arms. "Lemme tell you that I succeeded in photographing a teacher jerking off while he was watching p*rn on the school's computer. Then, I sent the photos to every student so they could mock him for the rest of the year." Plus that perverted teacher deserved that prank, the blond remembered well. He always treated Naruto horribly, gave lower scores than what Naruto really deserved, underestimating his intelligence and capacity. Just because he wasn't the top student of the class didn't mean that he would be a nobody in the future, dammit.

Sasuke frowned, aside the shrimp incident, he was always the well-mannered and model student so he could impress their parents. Though in the end, he only received the usual praise coming from his mother. Just thinking about this soured his mood. He grunted then. "Well, in college I used the excuse that I had to do homework to escape from business meetings, when instead I was relaxing in one of our summer houses in Europe."

"Pft, that's nothing." Naruto smirked once again. "I did the same thing so many times that sometimes I wondered how the heck I managed to graduate. And there's also once when I cheated on one Ergonomics test. There was so many formulas, so many numbers that I forgot completely what I studied the night before." Thank God he had Shikamaru to back him up.

"I secretly chose 'Studies in Eastern philosophy', a subject that my father hated."

"Pft, I chose 'Primary Studies in Psychology' just to impress the girls."

"Girls, what an annoying bunch. I succeeded in rejecting over 30 women in my first year of college. How about that?"

"…Whatever, as expected from an icy bastard like you. Well, I’m the awesome genius that left my passed out drunk friends in front of a gay whor* house with the sign 'currently unemployed, accept any kind of work'."

"Well then, how about—"

They continued bantering, revealing more secretive memories and remembering shameful details from their past, their bodies fully absorbing the alcohol that erased any personal boundaries and encouraged their mouths to speak up whatever was coming through their minds. Details of their childhood, clumsy problems in their teens and frustrating recollections as adults, every buried emotion resurfacing.

Their conversation was slowly taking a somber tone, as both went deeper into each other’s path in life, digging out resentments that suffocated them from inside. Sasuke could not remember how or why, but after few hours Naruto was crushing another empty can and threw it in an angry fit. He shouted.

"And then, the next thing I knew, I was fired! Fired dammit! My first job as an architect and they fired me. Just because I punched that conceited son of a bitch. I barely worked for more than one week and they fired me…I'm sure ero-sennin was so disappointed when that happened." Naruto sighed, trying to find another can of beer only to realize that none was left so he picked up a random drink.

"What happened next?" Sasuke asked, curious despite himself.

"Ero-sennin knew his father…" Naruto gulped down the orange juice, his fingers tightened around the metallic can. "So he asked that arrogant asshole son to stop trying whatever he was trying to do to ruin my life. I don't know…it makes me so frustrated that maybe ero-sennin had to plead or beg or whatever humiliating thing he had to do…for my sake." He felt a knot forming in his throat and rasped out, his voice slurred. "And it was so f*cking frustrating because it was my time to finally get a salary, be useful instead of being a frikkin' freeloader, to have money so I could return all the presents he gave me, being able to pay for a nice trip or restaurant, anything to show gratitude for all the things he had done for me…but I screwed up at the first opportunity! He must have been so disappointed with me." Naruto repeated the last sentence once again, dejected.

Sasuke sighed troubled, he was never good at comforting people. "He wouldn't be. After all, it wasn't entirely your fault, that childish client was the one who said untruthful words about your adoptive father."

"But still…I wanted to live up to his expectations. And I ended up doing everything wrong at that time." Naruto murmured, staring at the colorful orange can, suddenly wishing it was another can of beer so he could drown his sorrows once again.

Sasuke didn't bother to contain a sneer coming from his mouth. "Fathers. You won't ever live up to their expectations because you'll always be inferior, you will never be able to be worthy in their eyes." He said bitterly, finishing the last can of beer in one gulp.

"Maybe…maybe you're right, but still…I wanted to do something for him. Instead…I'm dying. Today." Naruto swallowed the thickness gathering in his throat and muttered. "I wanted to thank him for everything he had done for a brat like me, when he could easily have ignored me and moved on with his life but he actually took care of someone who is not blood related to him. He provided food, housing, decent schools…gave me a whole new life. Hell, he even gave me a new name and I'm stuck here—"

"So your adoptive father was the one who changed your name? I always thought it was strange that an American like you would have your whole name in Japanese." Sasuke marveled out loud. "Even someone from a mixed race usually has one or another surname from the other culture."

Naruto chuckled meekly, answering. "Yeah, actually I used to have a full western name, one Japanese surname coming from my great-grandmother, maybe. I don't know lots of details because I lost my parents when I was young." Another beverage was gingerly picked, this time peach flavored. "They died in a car accident that I survived, but I have those scars…" He pointed at the six long lines adorning his cheeks. "as a result. The accident happened on a road that’s famous for all kinds of creepy accidents, and I used to live in a small town, so they all pointed at me as some sort of demon child that made a pact for my survival and the scars were the proof of this deed. f*ckers." A loud metallic crack from the empty can being kicked away was heard and the blond spoke in a dark voice. "I ended up in an orphanage where the director was too lazy to provide us a decent education, so he sent us to a public school, and my entire middle school was hell. Even if the parents didn't explain clearly why they hated me, the kids could understand that I'm unwanted so they always bullied me, always made me a target for mocking, humiliating and isolating me."

A sweet odor reached his nose and Naruto felt a liquid sensation sticking to his fingers, noticing that he was holding the juice so tightly that it even cracked in some places, dribbling down his hand. Dismayed, he carelessly threw it away before cleaning his dirtied hand by rubbing it nervously on his pants. For a long time he had bottled up those negative thoughts and emotions to himself, for too long he kept them hidden even to himself… but why was he confessing so easily to Sasuke right now?

Wordlessly, the brunet found one last can of beer and calmly opened the cap, silently offering it to Naruto. He didn't voice any kind of disapproval, or said some cheap words of sympathy, simply listening attentively to every word Naruto uttered or whispered. This odd feeling of empathy compelled the blond to continue talking.

"Then…my adoptive father arrived." Naruto spoke, the tone of relief barely restrained in his voice. "He and my biological father used to be very good friends and he was even appointed to be my godfather, though he used to live in Japan. I think I had seen him twice or thrice before, but I'm not sure. They kept in contact as much as possible, so it was weird for him that he didn't receive any news for over five years. At that time the only available communication was through letters or telephone. So even if he didn't have much money, he paid for one trip to America to investigate…" Naruto remembered the moment Jiraiya arrived at the orphanage, an enormous white-haired man, eyes full of grief and relief as he hugged the young blond boy closely all of a sudden. "and discovered what happened with my parents, searching for me and he ended up knowing about my situation in school. Back that time Japanese aren’t very welcoming to foreigners in their schools, so he decided to move to New York almost the same day to start a whole new life."

Naruto paused for a few seconds in recollection and drank some beer to wet his throat.

"Hey, do you know the famous Japanese legend of Naruto, a young ninja that revolutionized the ninja system and succeeded in bringing peace all over the Nippon country?"

Sasuke raised his eyebrow in light astonishment. "So your name was really inspired by this legend?"

"Yeah, my biological and my adoptive father were huge fans of this story; they collected everything they could find - any book, any old weapon from that time and any rumor concerning this legend they were there to investigate. So it was also natural that they knew every detail of the story, and that's why my current father was inspired to change my name to Naruto Uzumaki."

"Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke corrected.

Naruto waved his hand in dismissal. "Whatever. He said that the story of Naruto was similar to mine, that he had to fight against the conventions of that time and change the minds of many people until he was crowned as the hero of his village and later on, a legend of their country. So that's why he hoped…that by using the name of this respectable hero, I could use his story as inspiration, giving me a new beginning in my life…being able to conquer the past and find a bright new future—"His vision turned blurry but Naruto no longer wanted to stop the incoming of tears, letting them drop freely through his long eyelashes. He was so frustrated… "I'm going to die in the next few hours! I will never have the opportunity to thank him for everything. I can't leave any words of gratitude of how much I'm happy he helped me, how much I love him for being such a great father and I—dammit…Dammit!" He let a scream of frustration as he buried his face between his arms.

"At least…" Sasuke finally let a sentence escape from his lips as he stared at the blond hiccupping and sniffing by his side. "At least…you had a father who cared and loved you, unlike me."

Naruto gradually diminished his hiccupping to retort. "What? Why wouldn't he …care or love you…?"

"Because I'm not the son he's always wanted; I could never fulfill his expectations of me. I'm…an unwanted child." Sasuke declared lifting a bitter smile. "Whatever I do is not enough, whatever achievement I succeeded in getting wasn't worth mentioning, I would never…ever be able to get his recognition."

"This…this can't be." Naruto shook his head in disagreement.

Sasuke snorted. "How so?"

"Well, maybe I don't understand much of your relationship with your father, but from the few moments I saw…he does get worried about you. He also respects you. I'm not someone who can easily pick up emotions around me but I know…" Naruto rubbed his eyes with the back of his arm to remove the remnants of tears and said. "Your father has the same concerned eyes my father had on me. It's just that he conceals better than normal, but it's there."

"Hardly." Sasuke muttered darkly.

"I'm sure." Naruto rebutted. "I don't know where you got the crazy idea of being unwanted. Don't you realize how much people respect and sometimes even worship the ground you go? Sometimes I really hated you for this. I worked so hard to have some kind of recognition and you have it naturally, just by standing, everyone would gather around you. I can't understand why you complain when you have everything—"

"I hated you…too." Sasuke interrupted Naruto's diatribe to fix his eyes onto bewildered blue ones.

"What?" Naruto croaked out.

"I also hated you. Every accomplishment you succeeded in achieving, any words of respect you received…everything has been done with your own hands. The people who surround you genuinely like and admire you, and this wasn't a result of your reputation, fame or money. You don't have the burden of carrying around a name that always will be bigger than you, shadowing you, suffocating you. You can carry your own pride because you truly deserved it, these were the fruits of your labor; this is the result of your own hard work."

The moment Sasuke confessed, those words struck in his heart and resurfaced one emotion that he never liked to admit, never allowed to exist. This disturbance created a ripple, escalating to uncover a sense of inferiority in front of this man. One feeling that he vowed to never repeat in his life that haunted and distorted his conviction but it was resurfacing, once again…

"On the day we first met, before I arrived at your office, my father and I were talking about the reconstruction of Mitsukoshi and checking the schedules concerning it. We also checked the list of accomplishments from the chief architects of this project, which buildings you had designed to assure it'd fit with what we envisioned for Mitsukoshi. It was in that moment my father picked up your history and told me about you, that you used to live in a humble family and faced many difficulties, but even through those struggles you succeeded to become a successful architect at such a young age. And then…he said. He admired people like you."

It was at this moment that Sasuke felt his entire world go still, commencing to rotate out of his axis—as if it was removing the gravity and the air existing for him, his lungs caught fire and he was breathless…

"It shocked me. Why did my father have to admire someone like you? My entire life I had always attended his every command and decision, never defying him so I could become the son he would recognize and be worthy in his eyes. I forfeited my own ambitions and wishes to satisfy the plans he had for my future, but even so…" Sasuke closed his eyes, squinting so painfully as if he was obstructing the incoming of tears. "There were some moments that I wanted to go with my whim, but I never succeeded, always admonishing myself that I couldn't, because someday I would finally be able to receive one word of acknowledgment; one day he would be proud to have me as his son…but he ended up giving recognition to someone who didn't yield to interferences from outside, whose opinion wasn't swayed by others."

The youngest Uchiha breathed out a tired sigh, extracting those words from his mouth appeared to be consuming his life energy. Somehow nevertheless, oddly enough, pouring everything he had bottled till now felt like expelling a dark poison out of his veins; bright blue eyes absorbing those negative emotions and purifying him as Naruto approached, one tanned hand placed on top of a pale one, silently encouraging Sasuke to continue purging his thoughts:

"I grew up being obedient and devoted but in the end he admired someone who would go against the conventions and carved his own destiny despite all opposing odds. And even seeing you, I couldn't stop this anger, because you were everything that I wanted but couldn't be, you were one who deserved this attention, I admired you…"

Sasuke whispered:

"I hated you…"

A suffocating, yet liberating feeling resonated in their hearts…They stared at each other as if they had met for the first time in their lives, finally being able to comprehend one another; their barriers crumbling before their eyes.

Suddenly, a familiar rumbling began shaking the floor beneath them, activating their instincts of survival as they crouched to the nearby wall for leverage. But unlike the first earthquake, it was weak and brief. Naruto and Sasuke sighed in relief when other noises of crumbling caught their attention, looking up they saw one pillar falling in their direction.

Naruto shouted, grabbing Sasuke's arm. "Look out!"

They jumped haphazardly to the ground, wincing from the loud noise right after as they continued to gasp for air, the dust raised momentarily blinding their eyes. They waited for it to clear up so they could focus on this uncertainty that hung in their minds. Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly, seeing a pale texture beneath layers of smoke. The last vestiges of rumbling had melted away as his vision cleared, defining lines until the blond realized—

His face was only a few centimeters from Sasuke's.

However…before Naruto realized what he was doing, he gently cupped Sasuke's face with his hands in an unhurried pace and nibbled his lower lip, his tongue tracing a damp line across the other's mouth until he retracted his face to its former position.

Blue eyes popped open, finally realizing what he had done. Naruto blurted. "Oh f*ck, I'm so—" His lips were silenced when Sasuke promptly grabbed his shirt and joined their mouths once again, attacking with such voracious hunger that made both breathless.

Moaning, Naruto responded this eagerness with equal ardor, thrusting his tongue inside that hot mouth and exploring inside, both hands sliding through black strands of hair as he drew Sasuke closer, wanting to feel every part of that taut body burning hotly on his skin.

Sasuke captured the swollen lip with his teeth while his fingers impatiently yanked Naruto's shirt outside of his pants to let his hands glide over that smooth tanned skin, marveling at the goosebumps generated from his touch. He gasped when one skillful mouth began mapping the column of his neck with fluttering kisses and lightly gnawing his pale skin, deftly unbuttoning his shirt as Sasuke shrugged it off.

They blindly stumbled to the bed in between kissing and groping, their clothes being discarded everywhere, any kind of caution or reservation was thrown to the wind while they were competing over who would outdo the other in passion. Sasuke practically ripped off Naruto's shirt and threw the tanned body on the bed, straddling him and giving a firm grind with their erections.

An indescribable pleasure coursed through Naruto's veins as it pumped more blood southwards, his hips undulated to match the rapid pace given. His hard co*ck already feeling constricted between the thin fabric of his boxers as the texture grazed his erection within each thrust. He moaned, his lips being claimed by Sasuke once again, deepening, biting and licking while both hands pinned the tanned wrists. He dragged them to above the blond's head, pressing his body closer to Naruto's and continuing the wild grind.

"Mmmmhmm—"Blue eyes closed to slits when Sasuke drug his tongue to his earlobe and gently tugged it. Unsatisfied with this constraint, Naruto freed his hands to explore the alabaster chest. His fingertips were enjoying the feel of expanding and contracting of each breath as they slid lower and lower - teasing feathery touches caused Sasuke to give a half glare to the blond.

Undaunted from this sign of threat, Naruto continued to drag his hands downwards until they cupped Sasuke's firm butt cheeks. He fiercely groped them all of a sudden while his pelvis thrust upwards, earning a pleasured grunt from Sasuke's lips now that their co*cks were perfectly aligned. They thrust together, revelling the lust increasing in their bodies.

It already appeared to Sasuke that their last pieces of undergarments were a hinder to their latent desire, as he dragged down Naruto's boxers with impatient tugs. When Naruto felt the breeze slightly cooling his hard-on at last, this sensation was enough to sober him up as he captured the pale wrists, asking with a low voice:

"Are you…are you sure?"

However, unlike the expected coolness in those onyx eyes, Sasuke's gaze maintained heated fire with a strong intensity, some underlying affection lingering beneath. The brunet approached his face so closely until their lips lightly brushed, whispering under his breath:

"I've always wanted to do this…ever since I saw you in that ballroom…"

At this admission, Sasuke's mouth closed the gap, lips melding into a addicting kiss. Naruto reacted to Sasuke's answer by flicking his tongue inside and coaxing him to play, this time moving slower and relishing its sensual feel; the previous fervent pace somehow morphed into a more tender one. Naruto's fingers teased Sasuke's waistband and lowered it as far as he could, until the brunet broke their kiss briefly to toss aside his boxers. He was rewarded with rough hands massaging his buttocks, fingertips gliding very closely to his crack.

"Wait. Who should—you or me—?" Naruto mumbled between peppered kisses as Sasuke's lustful mind attempted to use some logic in answering this question.

Even though Naruto claimed to be bisexual (probably, Sasuke added with a mental eye roll) the blond didn't appear to have any experience in bottoming and would definitely tense the first time. He didn't have any patience to think about those small details, as his pale hands joined with tanned ones and he lowered himself till Naruto's co*ck was nestled between his ass cheeks. He grinded to receive one startled moan.

"I'll let you do it." Sasuke hissed before his mouth captured Naruto's tongue and suckled it. He was ready to descend and let that swollen erection fill him when dilated blue eyes widened in alarm.

"Wait, we don't have lube…" Naruto grunted as he lifted Sasuke away from his arousal.

Sasuke made a sardonic noise, replying. "Sure, let me find some in the middle of the rubble somewhere."

Naruto gave a snappish glower. "No, I meant, I have to prepare you first." He said as he wet his fingers with his saliva and hoping this would be enough to lubricate the entrance. Thank whatever heavens that some of his ex-girlfriends liked anal sex, making him experienced with this kind of procedure.

"We don't have time…" Sasuke muttered, one more grind with his ass to emphasize his point. Blue eyes briefly slid shut in response but his point was still moot, one lubed finger probing around until it slid inside him.

Naruto made a face of 'see what I mean' with one quirked eyebrow when Sasuke winced slightly at the invasion, but it didn't take too long for the Uchiha to consciously relax and loosen the constriction and allow the middle finger to join in.

Staring at the obvious masculine physique made Naruto remember the fact he was used to having smooth, soft, feminine curves gliding under his sweat slicked skin. Whenever he prepared them, he would distract them by stimulating their perky breasts or kissing their full silky lips. When Sasuke kissed him as Naruto began to separate his fingers, widening his entrance, the blond realized the thin dried lips caressing his mouth gave a completely different feeling from the usual, though it was still very pleasant nevertheless.

Sasuke moaned when the fingers inside him started to thrust experimentally, slightly arching towards them. Naruto gasped when he felt the turgid organ rubbing against his abs, some pre-cum leaking to glide more smoothly in between. The blond hesitantly enclosed Sasuke's member with his hand while a third finger was inserted, and with one swift stroke made the Sasuke yell, pale hips pushing down to bury the fingers even deeper.

Everything felt so different, from the husky low groan as Naruto continued to pump his erection, to the lean and pale chest now adorned with hickies. Well-defined muscles moved in tandem with each thrust from his fingers, their lips matching again, and again. Sasuke was everything different from Naruto's previous sexual encounters and yet, instead of being weirded out, Naruto had never felt so turned on.

His fingers no longer plunged inside for preparation, but continued penetrating with the intent to see more sinful euphoria flush Sasuke's pale skin. Their gazes locked on and Naruto shivered from the strong intensity of those emotions that was equally terrifying and exciting, compelling the blond to return them with the same strength. His mouth latched on the junction between neck and shoulder and sucked hard, and with a moan, Sasuke removed Naruto's fingers at last.

Naruto quickly spat some saliva on his hand and slickened his co*ck before Sasuke grabbed the base, the other hand holding the wooden bedpost. Sasuke lowered till the head was nudging his tight entrance. He continued to slowly pushing downwards, the burning sensation reminded him to take it carefully, until he was fully accommodated.

"Ah—Sasuke…" Tanned hips thrust upwards to the welcoming heat by reflex, drawing twin gasps from them as Sasuke's hand was placed on Naruto's stomach to maintain his position.

Naruto's hand darted out and lazily brushed the back of Sasuke's neck, beckoning him and approaching their faces to seal with another kiss.

"Naruto…" Sasuke murmured, staring towards reassuring blue eyes, as Naruto lazily continued to nibble his lips. More relaxed, Sasuke lowered himself even further as his hand on the bedpost was used as leverage, beginning an unhurried rhythm and with each thrust Sasuke took more of Naruto's co*ck. Another pale hand moved from Naruto's stomach to fist the bed covers beneath them, two bodies moving in sync as if they already did this thousands times before.

It didn't take too long before Naruto gave in to his own weight, lying down on his back. His senses were focused on that heated tightness engulfing his co*ck, as his pelvis thrusting continuously inside Sasuke's entrance. He watched Sasuke pleasuring himself as the latter stared back Naruto's lustful gaze, his breathing becoming labored and choppy.

Picking up the speed, Naruto shoved his co*ck deep inside the pale ass as Sasuke's entire body was bouncing with the sounds of skin slapping skin, the bed creaking under them. Pleasure fogging his mind, blue eyes remained slightly opened to glance at his lover.

The pale body was now reddened in growing need, a fine sheen of sweat gathered on his forehead. His swollen lips were hung open in a silent scream as one hand was still holding the bedpost, other fisted the crimson erection standing proud between black curls, increasing the speed of each thrust.

Naruto had never seen such a breathtaking sight.

Biting his lower lip, the blond could feel the familiar tightening in his balls and he was almost ready to fly, but he held himself, not before he could also drive his lover over the brink of ecstasy.

Suddenly pulling out of Sasuke's clenching hole, creating a look of hazy confusion from the brunet, Naruto turned their positions around so Sasuke was lying on his back. The blond grabbed one leg and locked his elbow while the other leg rested on the bed. With one smooth move, Naruto plunged deep inside Sasuke brushing his prostate, causing the brunet to scream, the pale hand fisting his erection with more abandon.

Naruto's erection impaled with an increasing speed, reaching further depths as their moans could no longer be differentiated. They reached a frenzied rhythm, Naruto feeling his org*sm creeping closely, giving one more fleeting kiss on the open-mouthed lips. It was enough to make Sasuke reach his own rapture, spurting his seed in thick jets, clenching around Naruto's co*ck. Naruto followed suit with a pleasured shout, coating and filling him inside with his sem*n and almost collapsing on top of Sasuke.

Recovering from their high, they waited till their labored breaths quieted down, cooling their overheated bodies.

Naruto turned around with a mischievous grin. "I hope you have enough stamina for a second round."

Sasuke snorted. "Bring it on usuratonkachi."

The sounds of pleasure echoed inside the empty floor throughout the night.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 06: And the next day will be…

AN: During the first part of this chapter I was wondering to myself why I was writing so much angst when I was absolutely sure they would survive. Poor boys, all the suffering that they felt was for nothing. *laughing uneasily*

Uh…*sigh and clearing throat* Ok, this chapter was all kinds of complicated. Not only in writing the lemon part, but the whole character development and how much I was scared stiff in making them OOC, also the fact that I wanted to maintain a realistic reaction once you meet those kinds of extreme circ*mstances but still trying not to make the development too hasty. I hesitated and re-wrote several parts, I'm still unsure of the final product…though obviously, Belledragon(my beta) is here to assure that everything will go well. Still…THANK GOD the next chapter will be easier to write!

Anyways, last week I briefly stayed in Japan so I had the time to go to Tokyo for the second time in my life. Aaaaand…my memory failed so much at the first visit or maybe I was so excited from the whole experience to notice but the distance between Narita and Tokyo is actually huge! I mean, seriously huge, I used the Narita Express and it took me one whole hour to arrive at Tokyo Main Station. And Narita Express is one of the fastest trains in the world! Therefore, when Sasuke picked Naruto up at the airport, it probably took 2 or 3 hours to arrive there, no joke. (Adding to the uncomfortable silence between them). But let's pretend they spent only a few minutes to arrive ok?… Uuuuuuh…I should have researched about it before writing it, sorry. In any…almost improbable and completely crazy scenario that one of my readers decides to visit Tokyo and thinks it's near Narita because of what I wrote, I'm assuring it's not. T_T Please use Narita Express if you really want to arrive as fast as possible to Tokyo (though it's kinda expensive…)

Onto more positive news, I bought some SasuNaru doujinshis~~! *singsong voice* Figured that I could have some SasuNaru smex when I have plenty NaruSasu's. *enjoys both ways* Doujinshis are expensive. *another sigh* I am definitely going to pause in my purchasing habits or I'll get addicted to it.

Chapter 7: Report 07

Chapter Text

He felt like he was floating, suspended in mid air. An indescribable calmness filled his body, ready to soar to the highest skies. Chasing after this sensation of serenity, Naruto felt being pulled by its gravity, the intensity of emotions increasing as he was falling down. However, it wasn't remotely scary or dangerous, with a growing awareness of his nerves, senses and earthly warmth as he kept falling down and down. His feet landed to the ground but he couldn't feel the soil beneath him, instead, the first threads of consciousness were pulling him to awaken.

His brain was still a little bit numb, though it was already aware that the dream had ended and began realizing his surroundings, from the dark room with flickering lights, the static noise to the softness of the bed, altogether with the mattress under him. A warm body was also draped around his own, slow and steady breathing synchronized with his. The oddest part is that the same sensation of serenity that filled his dream lingered in his conscious world, perhaps it was originated from the human temperature that chased away any residue of coldness inside him. Perhaps because it's been so long that Naruto felt this type of contentment, sharing a bed and missing this intimacy, experiencing these familiar feelings.

" The most terrifying earthq (bzzt…) that shook the entire (bzzt…) of Tokyo…"

At some distant corner of his mind, a buzzing sound was tapping him to full consciousness as Naruto grunted in mild annoyance. "Ungh…"

" Many citizens, now homel (bzzt…), are living in temporary shelters donated by the govern (bzzt…), all of them shocked by the unexpected intensity of this earthquake. (Bzzt…) countries had already expressed their condolences as the Red Cross is (bzzt…) the loss of all Japanese people…"

He was half tempted to bury himself once again into this comfortable warmth and share again the human heat. The blond was beginning to fully awaken so he rubbed his eyelids in a lazy manner, preparing himself for what he believed to be another day of work. As his customary habit, he raised his body to the sitting position on the bed, stretching his arms wide with a contented grunt, scratching his hair.

" Many homes, buildings and shopping centers were destroyed, (bzzt…)"

He felt fingertips lightly brushing his thigh, increasing his desire to return to his previous position. Before he could regain such cozy sleep, the blond groaned from the noises of interferences and searched for the nearby remote control, determined to turn it off so he could lie down and lace his arms around the pale body next to him. However, at the moment his finger was hovering around the button, his eyes widened at the familiar image displayed on screen.

“Unexpectedly, the century old Mitsukoshi, a building in possession of Uchiha Corpor (bzzt…) reconstruction, had survived this terrible fate even tho (bzzt…) some floors are severely damaged.”

Jaw slack, Naruto maintained his flabbergasted expression, completely petrified as he stared at the television, his brain still trying to process this entire information. When he fully comprehended at last, an indescribable rush of feelings swelled in his heart, feeling light-headed and almost dizzy from exhilaration. Relief, happiness, lingering apprehension but hope…the blonde quickly shook the only person that witnessed this horrible experience with him as Naruto was determined to share this marvelous news to the brunet. "Oh my god! Sasuke! Sasuke, Sasuke, wake up!"

Sasuke only grunted annoyed. "Ugh…shut the f*ck up usuratonkachi, my head—! Lem'me sleep…"

"No you Bastard, wake the f*ck up!" Naruto continued to shake the uncooperative lump on the bed with increasing strength.

He received a sharp glare in response. "Naruto, this better be worthy." Sasuke slowly emerged from the fold of blankets with a disgruntled frown.

“C’mon, just look, the building in the TV!” Naruto pointed excitedly but Sasuke reacted with nonchalance, rubbing one of his eyelids with his knuckle and grunted:

"…so?" Naruto shook his head, apparently the bastard still couldn't comprehend the situation; therefore, it was his duty to spell it out for him.

"The earthquake is over! I mean, f*ck, we're alive!"

In an instant, onyx eyes snapped open. "We're alive?" Sasuke repeated.

"Yeah! We're alive!" Naruto laughed cheerfully.

"We're alive!" Sasuke shouted relieved.

"We're alive!" Naruto immediately hugged Sasuke in reflex, the latter returning the hug with equal willingness. Then, as if they had received an electrical shock, they both bolted to opposite sides, staring incredulously at each other open-mouthed.

It was in this moment all the subtle tones of color became visible to his blue eyes and Naruto could capture with vivid clarity every inch of detail displayed in front of him: starting with the long neck decorated with multiple hickies that trailed down to his collarbone, the smooth pale chest that oh crap, is that teethmarks near his nipple? He continued to scan frantically only to notice other evidence imprinted on Sasuke's body, his vision pausing to stare at the most obvious one: dried cum on the lean stomach. Gulping dryly, Naruto raised his eyes to see the same surprised expression mirroring Sasuke's. He suddenly felt very naked under Sasuke's gaze. He suddenly felt a chilly breeze. Naruto looked down only to realize that he was also completely nude and sporting the same red marks all over his body, his clothes (and Sasuke's ) thrown haphazardly all over the place. Panic ensued. What the hell?

" Many are now concentrating in their tasks to find any survivor in Mitsukoshi center, as it was rumored that Uchiha Sasuke, the youngest son of the current president of Uchiha Corporation and the future heir of Uchiha Corporations, was last seen visiting this place…"

Naruto was almost scared to even make the smallest movement. Anything that would make him comprehend why they were sharing a bed naked. Any lingering protest from his body, demanding he scoot closer to that comfortable warmth permanently halted, as his brain rushed to supply last night's state of events, recalling why and how they managed to get into such a complicated situation—:

With a moan, he plunged inside that addicting tightness, reveling from the grunt he received back. His hips already moved in an automatic rhythm, a hazy ecstasy building in his body—

A heavy silence hung between them, the only discernible noises came from the television, still reporting the outside world to them.

Naruto expressed his thoughts at last:

"Oh crap."

A loud sound of breaking walls rumbled in, catching their attention.

" They did it! The firefighters finally opened the main entrance; another team is concentrating on entering two of the Emergency Exits." They saw some people exiting the place, the reporter narrated relieved. "The survivors are already receiving immediate medical attention, the entire population of Japan is also hoping that they will find Uchiha Sasuke safe and sound—"

"Oh crap." Naruto widened his eyes, his hands messing his golden hair with desperation. "Oh crap oh crap oh crap. What are we supposed to do now? They are going to arrive and we're like this…Uuuuuuuh—"He shook his head, babbling. "What the hell had happened, how did we manage to get into this situation and—oh f*ck." They turned around to focus on the television as they heard another loud shattering boom.

" One of the emergency exits was obstructed; another team is using the fire truck's ladder to enter in the third floor's window. Hopefully this will hasten the rescue as it's still undetermined whether the Mitsukoshi building will hold up much longer…"

Onyx eyes narrowed sharply as Sasuke's analytical mind caught up with the situation, quickly grabbing Naruto's arm with a light shake, succeeding to capture the blonde's attention.

"Forget about it. Forget about all this. Whatever we have done, we weren't in our right minds when we did it." Blue eyes were still clouded from remembrance so he tightened his grip to maintain Naruto's attention onto his. "It doesn't matter right now anyways, we should move quickly before the firefighters arrive, and it'd better if they don't find us together here."

"Whu—why?" Naruto inevitably questioned.

"Since I'm fairly famous in Japan, if we appear together I'm sure you'll have too much exposure from the media and it'll be bad for your career, especially if they start uncovering your past. That's why…everything that happened last night shouldn't be known to them. So to avoid any suspicion, we shouldn't appear together once we're outside."

"It can't be…that bad right? Both our companies are aware of yesterday's meeting, it's not going to be that weird seeing us together since I was only here fulfilling my job as Sarutobi's architect." The blond muttered.

Sasuke sighed. "Maybe. However, I've been single for so long and the media hasn't seen me in any relationship so they'll jump with any opportunity given. Japanese tabloids are also particularly annoying too, stalking me everywhere. So it's better if we go separate ways."

Naruto gave a faint nod, his mind still muddled to come up with any other kind of rebuttal. "Ok, but how we should do about all this? All the exits in this floor are obstructed."

"Obstructed for us, but I'm sure they have the proper equipment to clear out a path. If I stay in the first emergency exit on the 7th floor and yell for help, they can open up for me."

"O-okay, but lemme go to the emergency exit then, 'cuz—"

"No." Sasuke spoke with a tone of finality, as he turned his head around, breaking eye contact. "Because of...the contents inside that place, it'll be better if I wait there instead of you."

"Oh." Naruto cast his eyes to the ground, feeling very gloomy. "But will that be alright, I mean, the stench of corpses…"

"I'll be fine." Sasuke snorted. "Anyways, I'll also fake unconsciousness the whole time, which is the reason I didn't have the time to find any other survivors to help me out. You stay here and wait for the firefighters that are coming through the main entrance." Sasuke ordered as he pushed the blanket undaunted, though Naruto blushed staring at the increasing exposure of naked pale skin. The brunet moved to the edge of the bed, placing his feet on the ground and was ready stand up—

Promptly falling back to the bed.

Naruto co*cked his head to the side, not exactly comprehending the situation. Did Sasuke have cramps or something? His confusion further escalated when a frustrated groan rippled from Sasuke's throat, one hand tenderly touching his backside. Now the slight reddish hue coloring the tanned face morphed into a full crimson one. Naruto scratched the back of his head, muttering embarrassed:

"Um…Are you alri—"

"Yes." Sasuke replied through gritted teeth. Summoning a great strength of will, he stood once again and maintained his upright position, even though he faltered some steps back and winced slightly. His eyes swiftly found articles of his clothing thrown haphazardly around the bed and picked up the nearest one with some restraint.

" Huh. How many times did we do it last night anyways?" Naruto thought mortified, also picking up a pair of pants, only to realize it was Sasuke's, as the brunet was searching for it through careful slow steps. The blond timidly raised the trousers to Sasuke's eye level and the brunet snatched them away from his fingers mutely, sitting on the bed as he got dressed through jerky movements.

" They reached the third floor, the survivors are already counting to ten people. However, no one has been informed yet whether they have found Uchiha Sasuke alive or…"

They had finished dressing up in suspended silence, Naruto throwing some furtive glances although Sasuke didn't turn around once, still buttoning his shirt. Some minutes passed by and although Sasuke still limped, it wasn't as visible as before. Maybe the soreness diminished? Or probably the icy bastard managed to conceal better to save face, Naruto thought with a crooked tilt on his lips.

"Well." Sasuke sighed, turning his head slightly with a weak glare directed at the blond. "I should go."

Not waiting for any kind of response coming from Naruto, Sasuke began walking towards the exit when the blond blurted out:

"Sasuke!"

The call, sounding strangely familiar and yet out of place at the same time, caused both young men to pause their movements, hearing the echoes between them. Sasuke fully turned around with a raised eyebrow, as if he was daring Naruto to continue the conversation.

"Eh…I just wanted to say…" Naruto fidgeted, his shirt wasn't completely buttoned so it showed glimpses of his well-built torso. Sasuke tore his eyes away from that vision, berating himself for falling into temptation when he succeeded in not sparing one glance minutes before. "Anyways…good luck." The blond blurted out before he blindly went to find his shoes, too embarrassed to meet Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke knew it was his cue to leave and so he did, as Naruto waited until he couldn't hear the retreating steps in the room. He threw his body to the bed with a sigh. What a f*cked up situation. Completely awkward. He raised himself to sit in front of the TV as the cameras were now showing a middle-aged couple, a long-haired woman with delicate features crying and…he gulped dryly in recognition, Fugaku, gently soothing her back even if he was also frowning in apprehension. It didn't take a genius to guess who the woman was displayed on the screen.

It was some kind of comfort, that at least the blond was sure that they would find their son safe and sound, although watching their period of suffering was somehow disconcerting for him. Agonizing, waiting irrationally for some ray of hope…Jiraiya must be suffering in the same way, desperately craving for any sign of positive news—Naruto shoved his feet inside the shoe impatiently, somehow he couldn't just stand idly, waiting for the firefighter's arrival when time was passing by so mercilessly.

He sprinted towards the main entrance, heartbeats leaping out of his throat in anticipation, listening attentively for any kind of human noise nearby. As Naruto came closer to his destination, distant voices reverberated across the hall, too far to recognize any words but still tangible enough to create a bubbling happiness blossoming in his heart. The blond man immediately shouted:

"Is anyone nearby? I need help here!"

Someone answered: "We're firefighters and we've come to help you out! Where are you, can you move or are you stuck below some debris?"

"I'm ok – I'm not stuck!" Naruto yelled back, running towards the source of those voices. "But I can't go to the lower floors, all the exits are blocked!" He saw columns of light moving around which he assumed came from flashlights and with a relieved grin, he ran until he stood on the edge. "I'm here!"

Four firefighters raised their heads, slightly bewildered seeing an American waving his hand. One of them yelled in Japanese: "Great! Are you the only one in that floor or are there other survivors up there?"

"No, I'm the only one on this floor." Naruto replied in Japanese, observing as the firefighters exchanged looks.

"Ok, it's still better if we search for other survivors afterwards. But first, we'll rescue you. Can you jump from where you are if we place a life net to cushion your fall?" The same firefighter asked.

"No problem!" Naruto nodded, as they prepared the equipment, once done he jumped without hesitancy, the successful fall resulted in receiving pats on his back from the firefighters. Some members of the team guided him downstairs, the whole expectation of being able to go outside made Naruto feel lightheaded.

It was so good to be alive.

They finally exited Mitsukoshi; blue eyes automatically winced from the strong rays of light. Apparently, it was still day time, a fact Naruto couldn't notice since shopping malls were usually built with few windows. A warm blanket was draped around his shoulders as the firefighters shouted to the medics, everyone running around to attend the survivors from the earthquake.

The blond tried to stop one of the firefighters to ask for Sasuke's whereabouts but before he could pick one, his eyes quickly captured thousands of cameras and reporters all surrounding one point, flashes and loud chatter near the ambulance. Comprehending that scenario, Naruto felt his body relaxing from the tenseness that he wasn't aware of before, blinking when he saw a female paramedic standing in front of him.

Her eyes were haunted and tired, from seeing too much in one single day but still refusing to rest until her job was done. She looked undecided on how to communicate with him, taking in his foreigner appearance when Naruto reassured:

"Don't worry about it, I speak Japanese."

She sighed in relief and commenced the usual check-up, asking some basic questions while her stethoscope searched for any abnormality in his body.

"Do you feel anything, nausea, any discomfort, blurry vision, any wound?" She turned on the flashlight to examine his eyes.

"No…" Naruto replied. "But I think I'm getting hungry now." He said sheepishly, his stomach rumbling, the first signs of his body fully awakening from that mind-numbing experience he had passed through.

The paramedic smiled shaking her head and grabbed something from her pocket. "Here, take this chocolate bar, that's all I can give you at the moment. But try eating something substantial afterwards and if you feel anything out of place, throat dry or sickness, go to a hospital immediately. Since I don't see anything wrong with you, I guess you can go now."

"Thanks!" Naruto grinned, snapping the chocolate in two pieces and was ready to offer one to the medic when another shout attracted their attention and with a quick wave of goodbye, she went away.

Figuring he shouldn’t disrupt the paramedic and firefighter's work to save people and he already overstayed for too long, Naruto asked for directions and began walking back to his hotel, thanking the close proximity to Mitsukoshi. Since it was his first day in Tokyo, he couldn't identify the changes caused by the earthquake, but it was painfully evident all the damage around him; every trash can was tossed around everywhere, some electric poles were broken, the street had visible fissures in some areas.

Aside from other firefighters moving around and some people carrying groceries, the place was completely deserted. Naruto assumed everyone was in their houses assessing and attempting to fix all the damage caused by this disaster. He passed through the Ginza train station, seeing some people sleeping in front of the closed entrance, although they were dressed decently to be passed up as street beggars. They probably lived far away from the city and couldn't find transportation to go back home at this moment.

It was incredible how an earthquake, that lasted only few minutes, could throw so many lives in disarray…Naruto contemplated as he arrived at his hotel which was fortunately still unharmed.

However, once he entered there, an unusual scene caught him by surprise. The hotel was packed with people, mostly families sitting in every possible space in the lobby, children crying while adults talked heatedly about the situation, all employees moving around, completely occupied. Through cautious steps, Naruto arrived at the reception desk but everyone was busy answering the phones or barking orders to the bellboys. Finally, one receptionist noticed his presence and asked politely:

"May I help you sir?"

Naruto scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Ah yes…I'm one of the guests of this hotel and I wanted to ask for my key."

"Could you tell me your name or the room number please?" The receptionist grabbed the nearest keyboard, ready to type his information.

"Uzumaki Naruto, but I'm not sure about my room number, I apologize."

The receptionist stopped in his tracks and peeked back cautiously. "Uzumaki Naruto-sama? I see…you paid for a double suite on the 14th floor right?"

"Yes, I did. Is there any problem about it?" Naruto asked.

"Well…you see, unfortunately, this recent earthquake destroyed many houses and now many families are homeless. However, our hotel didn't suffer any damage so our director decided to offer temporary shelter until the government could issue proper assistance. This also means that our hotel is working in full capacity but there are still a lot of families that need a decent accommodation here. Your suite…" The receptionist cleared his throat and continued, albeit hesitant. "Is enough for a family of four so if you don't mind changing to a single room…"

"Oh, is that it? I don't mind, feel free to do so." Naruto answered untroubled.

The tone of relief was evident on the receptionist's voice as he bowed profusely. "We are very sorry for this inconvenience and thank you so much for your cooperation; we guarantee we won't charge for your stay."

"Huh? Don't worry about it. I'm willing to pay if it'll help this hotel."

"No no no, we refuse to charge anything for your benevolent help." The receptionist shook his head, bowing once again. "I'll ask the bellboy to relocate your luggage—"The phone rang once again at the reception desk and the employee looked apologetic towards Naruto. "I'm sorry Uzumaki-san, but I—"

"I'm in no hurry, take your time to do your work." Naruto smiled back in reassurance, as the receptionist bowed one last time before he went to answer the phone.

Behind the reception desk there was a plasma widescreen TV to entertain the guests while they waited to be attended, so Naruto automatically fixed his eyes on the screen, expecting more news regarding Tokyo's current status after the earthquake.

However, what he saw was another odd coincidence; Naruto widened his blue eyes as he immediately recognized the duck-butt haircut. Sasuke was surrounded by dozens of reporters, the speaker narrating the following events, expressing relief that the current heir of the Uchiha Corporation was safe and sound. The cameras continued to record Sasuke's mother crying and hugging her son tightly, as Sasuke made soothing motions on her back. She released him when Fugaku approached and much to Sasuke's and Naruto's shock, his embrace had the same emotionally charged strength, his eyes closed in a frown, as if it was attempting to block the incoming of tears.

Sasuke stood there a few seconds dumbfounded, looking like a lost child as the elder Uchiha continued to embrace him. Then, bit by bit, the young man hesitantly raised his arms and returned the hug as his mother stood closely by their side, her hand on her husband's shoulder and a bright smile on her lips.

At seeing such an emotional scene, Naruto smiled; somehow feeling immensely satisfied witnessing such a positive outcome. He continued to watch fondly as Sasuke's mother kissed the brunet's forehead when someone called out to him:

"—maki-san? Uzumaki-san?"

Blue eyes blinked bewildered before focusing on the receptionist. "Yes?"

"We have already moved your luggage to your new appointed room. Here's the key." He offered the magnetic card as the blond picked it up. "Thank you once again for waiting and for your cooperation. Still…" The receptionist threw a glance over the crowded lobby. "I didn't expect that our hotel would survive this horrible earthquake. We do maintain the facilities in impeccable order, but this hotel is almost 50 years old…"

"54." Naruto corrected. He also considered this outcome, even with the constant maintenance, the usual life expectancy for a modern building would be around 40 years. After this selected period of time, most material would corrode and suffer oxidation, making it frailer for this type of natural disaster. So what caused these buildings, Mitsukoshi and this hotel, to withstand a 7.7 scale earthquake? What did they have in common, using a technology different from other buildings that crumbled under this disaster? Naruto roamed inside his mind, trying to remember the details of his Master thesis. Maybe Sarutobi's style… "Maybe it's the pre-stressed structure. Also, since they are older buildings, they have a wider arrangement to distribute the weight combined with engineered dampers."

The receptionist blinked astonished until he spoke impressed. "Uzumaki-san, you seem to be very knowledgeable regarding this. Are you an engineer, architect of some sorts?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes, I'm an architect. By the way, if you wouldn’t mind, can I contact your manager so I can inspect the lower floors and also the maintenance room in the next few days? I wanted to examine them so I can adapt and utilize my findings for my next construction project."

With the advance of technology, it was easier to find better materials that were more flexible, giving opportunities to create a more innovative design. However, this had also created a concept of valuing the shape over the safe quality of the structure; most buildings nowadays were designed to withstand a 6.5 scale of earthquake, dismissing that if there's any higher scale, it would be counted as an exception. However, this 'exception' had cost lives of innocent people and experiencing this trauma up close and personal brought forth a resolution that Naruto vowed to himself to never make that particular mistake of underestimation again.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

"Stop pouting Sasuke."

Sasuke weakened his glare a few notches before grumbling back. "I am not, mother." One of the doctors examining him cowered when the young Uchiha stared menacingly towards the stethoscope, giving a nervous glance towards Mikoto.

"Yes, you are. I know how much you hate doctors Sasuke. Now stop intimidating them or else they won't be able to do your check-up." Mikoto chastised his son, smiling apologetically to the doctors surrounding the brunet.

"I don't even understand why I have to do this check-up, I'm perfectly fine. The paramedics confirmed this when I exited the shopping mall, mother." Sasuke rebutted in mild annoyance, even though he sat obediently on the hospital bed. God, he hated wearing those hospital gowns, but at least they were covering the front part of his body. It was rather awkward showing his nude body to his parents considering…last night's circ*mstances.

"Well, but it wouldn't hurt to be completely sure about this right? You stayed for too long inside that building, I'm surprised that you weren't dehydrated in the long run and you didn't suffer fatigue, only mild hunger." Mikoto replied calmly, sighing as the doctor gave up examining Sasuke with his stethoscope and gave a quick excuse to exit the room.

"It was only for a day, that's why there isn't anything wrong with me."

Mikoto appeared to be considering this answer until she shook her head. "Ok, then maybe we should scan your body…make sure you don't have any broken bones or something, after all you laid unconscious through the whole night."

Sasuke sighed, Mikoto was oddly acting like a doting mother, a completely different facet from the usual workaholic; genius in finance he was used to working with. It'd been a while since she fussed over any small thing, usually preferring giving him a stern education over pampering her child. He briefly glanced at Fugaku, expecting his father to intervene, but once the elder Uchiha saw Sasuke's exasperated expression, he crossed his arms.

"Your mother is correct, it'd be better if you go through a complete check-up. Your well-being comes first."

"Stop sulking Sasuke." Mikoto smiled indulgently.

" Ugh." Sasuke mentally rolled his eyes, although he still obediently went through the usual procedures in examining his body.

While they were waiting for the results though, a light knocking on the door then revealed Mikoto’s secretary, whispering:

"Excuse me, Uchiha Mikoto-sama…you have a call."

Mikoto frowned in displeasure as she replied. "Can't it wait? The results are arriving soon."

"I'm sorry but…the prime-minister of Japan wants to talk with you. We already set up the laptop in the next room." The secretary bowed apologetically, waiting for Mikoto's decision.

Mikoto still appeared to be unwilling to exit the room, as she glanced towards her son. Sasuke reassured her. "I'm alright mother; you have more pressing business at the moment. We'll notify you once the result arrives."

Mikoto sighed, patting Sasuke's shoulder lightly. "Okay. I'll be nearby if anything happens." Once she began talking to her employees, her gentle features steeled with calculating edges as she exited the room.

A somewhat uncomfortable silence settled between them, Fugaku sitting on a chair while Sasuke sat on the bed, his feet dangling a little, strangely feeling like a reprimanded child in front of his father. Fugaku wasn't staring at him, opting instead to close his eyes in calm meditation while the younger Uchiha attempted his best to relax his posture without looking completely undignified.

Longer minutes passed and all of a sudden Fugaku stood up, making Sasuke straighten up, wary. "It is taking too long for the results to arrive."

Sasuke paused in contemplation and answered. "Probably everyone is busy at the moment attending the survivors. Can't we ask one of our employees to pick it up then?"

"They are all busy helping your mother. Because of the earthquake, the stock market will remain closed for about two days or more. It's inevitable that once they re-open, we'll end up with a negative profit. Your mother is currently discussing the economical plans to prevent any further crisis, and decide whether the Uchiha Corporation is going to donate a sum of money along with the government releasing another amount from the Bank of Japan to normalize the market."

"I see. Moreover, we need to reassure the population and global community that we weren't greatly impacted by this earthquake and our reconstruction is already at hand. We need to provide assistance to those who have been affected by this earthquake and help lessen their fear caused by this trauma since I'm sure we'll suffer aftershocks during the next month or so."

"Good. Then, I'm sure you'll know your designated tasks once you're ready." Fugaku nodded in approval and spoke calmly. "But for now, I'll go pick up the results of your tests."

Sasuke widened his eyes alarmed. "I can go instead; you don't have to do this father." He spoke, removing himself from the bed, when Fugaku undeterred placed a hand in front of him.

"No, you stay here. After experiencing such a traumatizing event, you need to rest physically and mentally, so stay in bed till we see the results and go home." Fugaku replied. "Also, it seems that you're limping a little…what if you have a sprain somewhere and need medication?"

Pale cheeks reddened slightly but the youngest Uchiha succeeded in maintaining his passiveness. "It's nothing serious…maybe I stayed too long in an uncomfortable position. That's why it's fine if I go instead of—"

"Stop being so stubborn and stay here while you rest. I'll be back as soon as possible." Fugaku interrupted, his voice stern and inflexible. Sasuke closed his mouth and couldn’t dare to raise any rebuttal as he observed his father exiting the room.

Finally alone. Why is it always more difficult to interact with his father than his mother? Sasuke mused, also blaming his ineptitude to read and comprehend his father's actions. There were many attitudes and words being misinterpreted, they always had problems with communication. Both father and son guarded their emotions, failing to express them correctly. Until today, Sasuke was sure that he was nothing but a phony replacement in Fugaku’s eyes, never living up to his expectations, never impressing his father enough.

But then, the hug Sasuke received when he finally escaped from the building stole his breath. His father was truly concerned over him; he was suffering from Sasuke's absence. One simple action washed away bitter feelings of resentment, elated that he could understand more about his father. Harboring negative emotions towards your own parents was always so tiring.

His stomach growled, surprising Sasuke. There was a button to call for help, though he assumed that he’d be too egotistical asking for mere food when every nurse was busy attending worse cases. Also, his pocket still contained some coins to buy something from vending machines and it wasn't like he was an invalid, he could walk perfectly fine with his two feet, even though that usuratonkachi almost rendered him immobile from the rough sex. (How many times they did it last night? Sasuke wondered with a frown) Remembering the blond made him realize that Naruto was correct that Fugaku cared about him. The Uchiha frowned even further, does that mean that the dumbass could read his father better than he could? He snorted, dismissing this idea as he placed the coins inside the machine.

"…yes, we came from Mitsukoshi and now I'm waiting for my mother's test results." A feminine voice attracted his attention involuntarily while Sasuke was crouching to pick up his snack. Apparently, it was a young girl currently being interviewed by a reporter sitting nearby as she continued to narrate. "It was such horrible confusion that I was separated from my mother when we were escaping from that building. Luckily I exited first, because there was a blond man; a foreigner I'm sure, that guided us to the Emergency exit."

The instant Sasuke heard this speech, he momentarily froze astonished, before picking up the food and slowly opening the package, his ears trained to hear her testimony.

"My mother said that it was fortunate that I used the Emergency exit, since the entrance was so narrow that some people were injured when part of the ceiling was fell off. Others were trampled during the confusion too. However…" She looked down her coffee cup and whispered. "I've heard from other survivors that I was also lucky that I was quick in climbing down the stairs since some minutes after I was outside, they heard a loud rumbling on the upper floors, probably it crumbled or something like that. I hope…" Her words sounded pained and guilty. "I hope that kind foreigner escaped alive after this…"

"Hn." Sasuke crunched his snack food, leaving the place and tuning out her interview. Somehow, hearing that Naruto did succeed in saving lives even through those dire circ*mstances brought a small smile to his lips, walking back to his room.

"Sasuke!"

The brunet heard his mother shouting and turned around. Mikoto was running even though the hospital was packed and quickly grabbed his arms.

"You! I told you to stay in your room didn't I! Your father said the same too!" The desperation was laced on her tone as Mikoto squeezed his arms. "I was so worried when I didn't you see you inside, I—"

"Mother. I went to buy some snacks and I was going to return as soon as I was done." Sasuke removed her trembling hands from his arms and guided her back to his room.

"One whole day." Mikoto whispered, trying to contain the tears welling in her eyes. "You were gone for one whole day when this horrible earthquake had happened, we didn't know your whereabouts and the authorities were forbidden to search you for a whole night. I'm sorry that I overreacted but—"She hiccupped, her son searched her purse to find a handkerchief inside.

"It's ok, mother." Sasuke combed her hair as he offered the handkerchief to dry her tears.

"You both are my precious sons. I'm sure I'd die if you disappear from my life…I was already torn when your older brother vanished all of a sudden, if this…" Mikoto hiccupped once again. "If this happened to you too, I don't…"

Itachi. You will always leave a scar inside this family…won't you?

"Mother…" Sasuke gently squeezed her shoulder to assure that he was there, by her side. "You know that I won't ever leave you, it's a promise."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh. He was so tired. Naruto sluggishly walked towards his bed until he fell haphazardly on it, sighing contentedly. It felt so weird laying down, relaxing when he suffered so much yesterday. Now everything transpassed felt merely like a horrible nightmare, a vivid memory that he hoped he would be able to erase through passage of time. Azure eyes squinted at his watch; it was already 3:00 pm. That probably meant that it was 2:00 am on Jiraiya's time. At first, the blond man figured that he shouldn't bother his adoptive father so late at night…but the images of Fugaku and Sasuke's mother waiting, showing on the TV screen formed a knot in his throat. No one deserved to receive the excruciating task of waiting, suffering with each tick from the clock.

Naruto picked up his laptop, turning it on, as thankfully, the internet was available for use. He used Skype to call Jiraiya's number; the telephone only had to ring once when someone picked it up, his voice breathless:

"Hello?"

Naruto smiled. "Ero-sennin."

It took several seconds in suspended anticipation when Jiraiya released his breath with a grunt. "Jesus! You're alright. Don't scare me off like that!"

"Yeah yeah yeah, I'm alive and kickin'. Psh, I'm still ready to pester you for the next few centuries ero-sennin." Naruto laughed on the phone relieving the somber atmosphere.

"But where were you when the earthquake happened? It was 7.7 magnitude, you know that right? Everyone was so worried, we tried to search your whereabouts in the missing person engine on the internet, but we didn't find any further information. Also, it took so f*cking long for the authorities to return to the city after the second earthquake had happened. Luckily the last one wasn't as strong as expected."

"Well, I…" Naruto figured that he shouldn't worry his father unnecessarily so he invented a white lie. "I stayed inside the hotel most of the time, only to evacuate on the second earthquake. I should thank Sarutobi-jiichan for designing this awesome hotel. Can you believe that even though it's old it didn't suffer any damage in comparison to newer buildings?"

"Really…? I guess, as long as you're safe Naruto." Jiraiya replied on the phone. "We also saw when the firefighters were rescuing survivors from Mitsukoshi, we thought that you were inside when Mr. Sasuke Uchiha was also there. When I didn't hear any news regarding you, I…" Jiraiya trailed off, obviously moved from the impending disastrous future that fortunately wasn't fulfilled.

Naruto fell silent, feeling guilty for worrying his father, hearing the uneven breaths and some sniffling coming from the speaker, as it appeared that Jiraiya was attempting to hold-off from crying. "I'm fine, ero-sennin." The blond spoke. "I'm fine, I'm alive, I'm here and I didn't suffer any kind of injury, so don't worry about it."

Jiraiya rasped out, his voice hoarse. "Okay…" He inhaled slowly and repeated, more to reassure himself than anything. "Okay…"

Hazy memories focused in his mind and Naruto felt that he wanted to fulfill one wish, once denied because he was too prideful, didn't recognize its true value before it was almost too late. So he also inhaled a great amount of air and gripped the sides of his laptop.

"Father." His hands were shaking without his permission. "I love you." He felt a large lump forming in his throat but still pressed on. "Thank you so much for taking care of me through all these years."

The other side of the phone was completely mute, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, as both parties were taking their time to absorb those words.

Jiraiya answered. "What really happened last night? Did you meet a life and death situation or maybe you inhaled some toxic gas…?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "No, I really mean…"

"But you know what? I love you too brat." Jiraiya chuckled. "But you don't have to thank me for taking care of you. I just…did what any decent father would do for his son. I just regret that I didn't give you a decent school that you deserved, even if you found a way to overcome those problems. You were always the hardworking type and I knew it would pay off sooner or later."

"No, you still educated me well and provided me food and housing, I should be the one to blame myself for taking so long to repay your help—"

"Bullsh*t, I don't care about that." Jiraiya said flippantly.

"But I wanted to become someone worthy, make you proud of me and…"

"Naruto…I was already proud of you the moment you were born. I don't care what you'd become, but I always knew that you'd grow up and become such great son that you are nowadays. Remember that."

Naruto took few a minutes to acknowledge this information when he declared, pressing his palms on the keyboard so heavily that some snapping noises could be heard coming from the plastic material. "Then, if you are already proud of me, can't we stop the whole façade of me lying about the fact that you're not my father?"

Jiraiya paused before groaning in exasperation. "What, we're going to talk about this now…? I can't believe you…"

"Because I am as proud of you being my father, what kind ungrateful son would I be if I can't recognize the one who helped me out the most?"

"…" Jiraiya grumbled. "It is not that simple."

"But maybe it's not that complicated. C'mon ero-sennin." Naruto grinned. "You trust me, you trust your son, don't you? I can take care of this myself."

This time, the older man took a few quiet minutes to reflect on the proposition before surrendering with a disgruntled noise. "Fine, fine, do whatever you want."

Naruto beamed brightly. "Thanks!"

"I should go now, waiting to hear your bratty voice exhausted me."

"Bah, my handsome voice is like a lullaby that will deliver the sweetest dreams from the angels. You just don't know how to appreciate it."

Jiraiya snorted. "I'm sure. By the way, I'm going to inform everyone later. They were also worried about you."

"Okay…just." Naruto remembered and grumbled. "Just don't add the details of this conversation ok. I don't want you babbling that we were talking about our relationship."

"Of course I won't." Jiraiya replied amusedly.

"Yeah…sobbing like little girls and talking about feelings. We did manly things and discussed about manly situations." Naruto harrumphed haughtily.

"Yes, I'll deliver as requested you brat." Jiraiya laughed. "I'll even add that the only reason you couldn't contact me before was because you were busy being the super hero and saving countless lives, if that makes you happy."

"Whatever. Gotta go take a bath, I stink old man."

"Fine. Have a good day Naruto." Jiraiya turned off the phone as Naruto shut down his laptop.

His body greatly welcomed the warm shower, removing any residue of tenseness as he calmly soaped his blond hair. Once done, Naruto was too lazy to dry it and fell back on his bed, sighing contentedly as he stared at the cream colored ceiling.

This was the strangest couple of days he ever faced in his life. Definitely the life-altering type, screwing your mind and leaving you disoriented. Naruto wondered why it was so remarkable when those memories were already blurring out…not that he would ever forget it…

" Forget about it." A hypnotic voice echoed in his heart, one pale hand enveloping his arm. "Forget about all this."

Yeah right. Naruto snorted, cogs in his brain moving and restarting to recall those past events, as he wondered.

Forget about what?

The hot skin, slicked with sweat slid so deliciously with his own, his teeth nibbling on a hardened nipple as his lover ushered him to approach their faces, latching on the long neck and suckling lightly on the pale skin, a moan reverberating from his throat—

What?

Blue eyes blinked rapidly, not comprehending the sudden flash of memories. He sat up from his bed and rubbed his eyelids, calming down the remaining sensations that were beginning to…

Reawaken.

Their tongues danced in a frenzied rhythm, blunt nails scratched his sun-kissed back - the erotic pain making his vision hazy with desire. He threw one leg over his shoulder as two fingers were already inside, already lubed from their previous tryst, the cum dripping out hastened his preparations, one masculine yell as he further stimulated the same spot over and over and—

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh." Naruto shook his head violently, both of his hands scratching his golden hair. He was sure that they were too drunk to remember anything in detail, even if he understood logically what transpired that night.

So why is he recalling everything now ?

Naruto shuddered, feeling the sensation of legs enveloping his waist, as he drove inside over and over—

His co*ck pulsed inside that tight entrance until it burst out and he org*smed with a guttural yell, watching long fingers pumping the erection to completion, spraying the sheets. Naruto kissed the lean stomach, climbing up till their lips connected and moved lazily, still recovering from the tremendous high. Darkened onyx eyes stared at him lustfully while hands slithered down and gripped both co*cks, pressing them together as they slid with each roll of their hips. The blond shivered, this added pleasure was still feeling too new to him, as Sasuke cupped the back of his neck and his teeth nibbled his lower lip—

"Forget about it. Forget about it, forgetaboutitforgetaboutit…"Naruto groaned as his body was reacting from the arousing recollections.

But he didn't want to yield to these new sensations. He tried desperately to refuse those emotions and memories that were invading his thoughts. It was too late, raging waters were breaking the dam—

His tongue licked lazily up the long, toned back, thrusting in and out, in and out, already f*cked too many times to be unfamiliar with that pale body, already heard too many cries of ecstasy as he struck accurately, knowing by now what would bring Sasuke the highest pleasure. His voice was muffled by the pillow placed below, face flushed from built euphoria as Naruto thrust forward, drawing a choked moan with each slap of skin, his knees and arms bent on the bed, his ass high and exposed for Naruto's greedy eyes. He watched, transfixed, as the tight hole stretched and accommodated his length, his co*ck appearing and disappearing over and over, the speed increasing with each thrust, tanned hands wrapped around pale ones as they pumped together around the dripping co*ck. Sasuke was opening his mouth into a silent yell, until he shouted:

"Sasuke!" Naruto screamed on his bed, his vision still blurry and his breath ragged from exhaustion.

It was at this moment that Naruto noticed some things. His pants were halfway down his legs, his hand had somehow sneaked inside his boxers and was rapidly jerking him off and, if the amount of sem*n dirtying his bed was any indication, he just came from a rather intense org*sm.

"Oh…crap. Oh crap. Oh crap. Oh crap…" Naruto groaned, staring at his soiled hand. He was screwed.

He was so screwed.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 07: Warm stickiness soiling the expensive Egyptian bed sheets.

Chapter 8: Report 08

Chapter Text

"So you haven't forgotten the passport, the ticket reservation, money, anything else?"

"Noooo ero-sennin. Man, I have already been through this, you think I'd forget something basic like this?" Naruto shouted to the laptop as he was organizing his luggage.

"Well, there was that one time when you forgot your driver's license when you were the one responsible for driving your drunken friends—"

"Hey, that was back when I was in college and at least you gave me the brilliant idea of dumping them into a gay whor* house and selling 'em out…" Naruto trailed off, remembering a certain memory involving a certain duckbutt-haired brunet.

"…what? Naruto?" Jiraiya's voice beckoned him back to reality, as Naruto replied with a shake of head.

"Nothing, was just remembering about that, it was hilarious."

"Ok…then." Jiraiya's tone was slightly doubtful. "What time is your flight?"

"11:30 am." Naruto answered. "I already booked the speed rail to Narita Airport, I'll arrive there roughly around 9:30." He scanned his luggage, checking to see if he had forgotten any clothes, documents or gadgets. Everything seemed to be in perfect order.

It's been 1 week since the main earthquake had happened. Slowly but surely, everyone's lives had fallen to their usual routine, returning to Tokyo's frenetic rhythm and lifestyle. All kinds of transportation were normalized within two days after the earthquake, with some exceptions though the government was busy fixing all broken roads and rails at top speed. TV stations also resumed their usual schedule, but they maintained giving a higher priority in reporting news regarding the earthquakes. The stock market was turbulent at first, however after receiving news regarding Japan's speedy recovery altogether with the government economic decisions, the fluctuation had calmed down enough to finish the day with neutral profit.

Naruto began reformulating Mitsukoshi's whole structure and blueprints, getting to work the very next day when he was rescued from the old mall, despite Sarutobi's concerned wishes, who insisted Naruto should take some days off. He also ignored Jiraiya's outrage; in which his yell; 'stop being such a stubborn brat and f*cking rest idiot!', rumbled the whole floor but generated a roll of eyes from his adopted son.

Surprisingly, the only one who not only didn't deter him from working, but also aided him in modifying the project was Shikamaru:

"You can be a real workaholic when you want." He grumbled as he downloaded all the new data from Naruto through Skype. Ever since, they had been trading information and adapting new concepts on the design, with Naruto inspecting the hotel he was currently living in, as well as going to the last remnants of the old Mitsukoshi to compare the resistance of materials.

It was odd finding himself visiting it frequently and even staying for a reasonable amount of time inside when usually, most people wouldn't approach ten miles from the place that caused such traumatizing feelings. All the memories that would usually haunt any victim, he used as inspiration to work harder to help, making sure this type of experience wouldn't happen to others in the future.

However, he was still understandably wary every time he approached that place. Before he was authorized to enter inside the old mall, Naruto witnessed the firefighters checking the place and identifying the corpses, many families gathered around the site and waited for the dreadful news to arrive. He didn't know which deaths were caused by his misplaced decision, but it was later reported there were 10 casualties in total.

The blond sighed, closing his eyes in a frown as he went to the former 8th floor. He wished he could know the identity of the people buried in the emergency exit, so he could pay his respects to their families, although he wondered if they would welcome the one who inadvertently led them to their deaths…

It appeared after a close inspection that what caused the ruination of that Emergency Exit was a leakage in some pipes from the water system, corroding the main pillar and the nearby stairs as a consequence. The earthquake sped up the whole process and destroyed those floors. Naruto collected the following material as well as photographed the evidence while he wrote the description in his notebook to later send to Shikamaru, so they could evaluate a better type of steel that wouldn't suffer oxidation so quickly. Usually, those specific technical parts weren't an architect's responsibility, as those segments were divided into designated specialties –those being engineer, mechanical, electrical and plumbing design, but somehow Naruto felt that he should breach this limit and extend his knowledge to benefit the whole team.

Nevertheless, seeing the whole crumbled scenario once again, when only a few days ago he was there suffering an intense emotional experience was somehow…disconcerting. It didn't help that in one of Tokyo's frequent aftershocks, he was inside that floor. As the blond exited the emergency exit and glanced at the various empty cans haphazardly scattered on the floor, he mused that it was a difficult memory that would take time to overcome.

He fought back another urge to sigh, remembering a particularly grating memory. Yes, that memory which kept him awake, frustrated and horribly, horribly aroused from those recollections. Naruto was actually expecting that the bad memories would take a bigger part of his dreams, but somehow Sasuke succeeded in occupying a good portion of it. The more Naruto made an effort to forget the whole event, the more his libido effortlessly enriched his remembrance with more details of that particular night.

Naruto had tried everything to change this situation - cold showers, picturing anything that would deflate his erection, trying to substitute this memory with his past experiences from his ex-girlfriends or occasional one-night stands, but all of those efforts proved futile. His traitorous co*ck insisted in getting hard and org*sming solely to that particular event. Naruto wanted to scream in frustration whenever he recalled for the umpteenth time on how the usual aristocratic features were contorted in pleasure, dark strands of hair were plastered on sweaty skin as Sasuke bounced in synch with his thrusts. Naruto had never felt so horny in his life, and this didn't help at all about his confused feelings regarding Sasuke, this sudden change of emotions that he couldn't properly deal with it yet, result from an uncommon situation.

He hadn't personally seen Sasuke since that episode. He had been reporting all updates on the Mitsukoshi project directly to Fugaku , who stoically reported that his son needed some time to rest and would later resume his schedule once Naruto was back in NY. The blond man occasionally saw Sasuke in the news on TV. Since Sasuke was a reasonably popular figure, the press elected him to represent the victims that suffered from the earthquake. Sasuke's speech wasn't adorned with any excess of flourish though, his words being concentrated on rebuilding their city and helping the Japanese population.

Before Naruto could notice, one week had already passed by and it was time to return to his home country. While he was still unsure if he gathered enough information to improve the current design, relief mostly filled his heart. He could barely wait the moment he would see his father's face once again, his close friends, everyone.

"We were thinking waiting for you at the airport so we could give you a proper reception once you return to America, Naruto." Jiraiya said and his adopted son raised a blond eyebrow.

"Nah, I'm arriving during working hours, it'd be better if I don't bother everyone just for my sake."

"Fine…but at least we're going to have a huge barbecue party on Saturday and everyone has already confirmed the invitation! We still have to celebrate your return, obviously." Jiraiya said with an excited voice.

"What? No Ramen?" Naruto grinned.

"I bet you had enough Ramen at this point of the story, so it's time to show some patriotism and eat the food from your own country brat. You're probably craving for it after being away for so long."

"Not really, the people I had meetings with also thought the same, so they dragged me to Italian or French restaurants. Either that, or they thought that ramen wasn't high-class enough, so they showed me sushi restaurants or contemporary cuisine, no matter how much I insisted that all I wanted was a warm bowl of ramen." Naruto sighed.

Jiraiya laughed in response. "Ok ok, I'll order two bowls of ramen especially for you once you're back."

"Thanks ero-sennin! Oh yeah, by the way, I should go too, it's almost time." Naruto glanced at his watch and sighed. "I can't say that I'm looking forward to sitting on a narrow seat for over 12 hours though. See you soon!"

"See you and have a nice trip!" Jiraiya answered before ending the conversation.

Naruto briefly scanned his room, searching for any stray clothes or forgotten electronic devices. Once he had finished re-checking, he glanced his hotel key.

One week. So much has happened in such a short time. Somehow, he was still unwilling to go, as if there was still an uncompleted piece waiting to eliminate a void gaping in his heart. Shaking his head to focus, the blond grabbed his suitcase and inhaled, already heading to the door. He briefly thought, while waiting for the train…it'd be nice if he could see Sasuke one last time before boarding the plane.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

His mother was…humming contentedly. How many years ago since he had heard such soothing melody before? Sasuke contemplated before considering this enquiry foolish, his mother was in good spirits after such a long time, so he should properly appreciate it. The whole incident amended the distant relationship with his parents, valuing the bonds between them and increasing the feelings of care and affection between them. They still approached each other clumsily at times, being subjected to such intense emotions in such a short time, but slowly everyone adjusted their own way, Mikoto being the bridge that sustained the family.

As expected from their predictions, once Tokyo's stock market had re-opened, many economic measures were required to control the crisis into bearable levels, as this effort called for their constant involvement to intervene. They had somehow divided the tasks between his family members, Mikoto was in charge of helping Japan's economic plans to prevent worsening the recession, Fugaku was mainly responsible for international affairs and Sasuke was required to conduct the main offices of the Uchiha Corporation.

Contrary to his parents' insistent suggestions, Sasuke had promptly resumed his work, not sparing the luxury to rest when his presence was needed to aid his country. However, Mikoto and Fugaku drew the line regarding him going to the headquarters or exiting his home unless necessary, worried that their son needed more time to completely recover. Therefore, Sasuke talked with the board of directors via e-mail or conference calls and revised all necessary documents that his secretaries brought to his mansion, still not satisfied about not working at his full capacity, but acquiescing in respect for his parents' feelings.

Seeing that Sasuke suffered from the earthquake, the press had somehow focused on him to describe the tragedy most victims had to pass through. Sasuke for once, wasn't minding this situation, using this opportunity to draw sympathy from the global community and hasten the reconstruction of Tokyo. He did stay in a reserved position, never wanting to draw too much attention more than the necessary, preferring to concentrate in building an effective non-governmental institution to provide shelter, food and any comfort to the affected population.

Even so, lately the whole family had spared more time at home, giving more priority to interact between themselves in something outside their work. They had cancelled all kinds of trips (aside one or another) inside the period of two weeks, since Mikoto desired some time with the family united. Obviously, even if they had many tasks in line, both men suspended them temporarily in favor of Mikoto's appeal.

Even now, this new routine felt a little bit off-place, too different, too abnormal, but refreshing and comfortable, to a point that Sasuke wished this was a part of their regular life, even if logically he knew that their busy schedules would never allow this to fully happen.

But Mikoto was humming, with that same soft tune used in his long lost reminiscences, so for now…this was enough. This family had suffered enough through all those years, with broken pieces that would never be fixed; one small breath of fresh air was enough to make Sasuke content.

"Sasuke." His mother turned around to glance at him and went back to chop shiitakes. "Could you pick up the spinach for me? It's inside the refrigerator, second cabinet. Oh, and select the leaves for me too please."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, not commenting on the oddity of seeing his mother cooking when they had a personal chef and staff to perform these chores. He still dutifully obeyed his mother and did as she asked, but Mikoto's cellphone rang while she was frying fish, in which she picked up with a soft sigh.

Unfortunately, the received call was from the prime minister, and she reluctantly turned off the stove to properly discuss the matter presented. She threw an apologetic glance towards her son as she exited the kitchen and headed to her room.

Since his task was delayed until Mikoto was able to return to cooking, Sasuke went to the living room to check the news on TV. He saw, however Fugaku talking on the telephone:

"Yes, I'd like to upgrade Uzumaki Naruto's seat to first-class on behalf of Uchiha Corporation. I will send one of my employees at once to pay for the upgrade."

Sasuke's curiosity was inevitably piqued. "Is there a problem?" One week had passed since he had heard anything about Naruto, so just the mention of his name caused a strong reaction inside him. His father turned, hung up the telephone and spoke to him:

"Uzumaki-kun has been dutifully working even after experiencing such a strong earthquake, it'd only be fair to give him some extra compensation for his hard work. I just called the airline to arrange for the upgrade, and they will change his reservation once he arrives at the airport. I'll have to ask someone to pay the amount of money for this exchange, maybe someone in the headquarters will go to their office and—"

"I'll go." Sasuke interrupted.

Fugaku paused and stared questioningly to his youngest son. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'll go to the airport and pay the difference with my credit card. What time is his flight and what airline is he using?" Sasuke answered, already picking up his wallet and jacket.

"…11:30 and American Airlines. Why? Is there any specific reason why you would want to personally meet Uzumaki-kun?" Fugaku asked, observing Sasuke's hasty movements.

Sasuke froze for a moment before relaxing his features. "Nothing out of ordinary. I thought it'd be nice if someone would thank him personally on behalf of Uchiha Corporation. After all, if he hadn't been working on our project, he wouldn't have had to face such a strong earthquake. Considering I was the one who had constant contact with him before, it's more fitting if I do this task."

He observed as Fugaku narrowed his eyes in contemplation, considering his words. Finally, the eldest Uchiha shook his head and declared. "Fine. I guess after knowing each other for a reasonable period of time, even though it was work related, it is natural you would both bond somehow."

Talk about bonding. Sasuke felt his cheeks getting a tad warmer but he willed his blood supply to not go anywhere past his neck. "Thank you. But mother asked me to help her out with the lunch, maybe I should warn her that I'm going now. Why would she insist to personally cook this meal and when she could ask for help from one of our maids…?" They glanced at the distant figure as Mikoto returned to the kitchen.

Increasing Sasuke's bewilderment, Fugaku only quirked an enigmatic smile, patting his shoulder. "You just don't understand your mother well enough. There's nothing more comforting than a homemade meal and it's not like she'd allow a stranger to interfere with her cooking. You should go; I'll take care of this in your place. Remember to return as soon as possible so we can have our lunch together."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

During the short trip to Narita airport, Naruto marveled at feeling quite relaxed, sitting in a wide chair as he snapped some photos of the scenery outside the train. The cabin itself was packed with foreigners desiring to return to their homeland, but everything was neatly organized creating a tranquil atmosphere for each passenger.

Once he arrived at the airport, he headed straight to the counter to check in his luggage and give him free time to explore the place. Blue eyes widened considerably when he spotted Sasuke waiting for him in front of the check-in and the blond approached cautiously, blinking in confusion towards his guarded expression.

"Hello." Sasuke muttered.

"Uh…hi!" Naruto responded, scratching the back of his head a little bit.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Sasuke exhaled briefly and offered a rectangular piece of paper to Naruto. "Here."

Naruto took it, not sparing a glance to examine the contents as he continued to stare at Sasuke. "Uh…ok…thanks?" There was a silent inquiry in why Sasuke was there, waiting for Naruto and the brunet calmly answered.

"On behalf of Uchiha Corporation, I'd like to offer this small gift for your exhaustive efforts. We appreciate your hard work—"

"WHOA! That's a first class ticket to the USA! f*cking awesome!" Naruto blurted out interrupting Sasuke, noticing at last the golden letters carefully inscribed on the piece of paper.

The young man closed his onyx eyes in mild annoyance and said. "I take it from your sudden outburst that you're satisfied with this token of appreciation. Therefore…" Sasuke moved, ready to exit the airport.

However, to his surprise, the blond continued to gaze at his ticket and actually hesitated putting in his backpack, returning it to Sasuke's hands. "Thanks, I really appreciate it but…I can't accept it."

Sasuke picked it up with a frown. "Why not?"

Naruto shrugged albeit a little stiff, one hand holding his backpack's strap. "I'm guessing your father was the one who came up with this idea right? Since he was the one I've been meeting with after the earthquake had hit. So thanks… I don't think I did anything extraordinary to deserve something granted so freely and it sounds like I'm only being given it for witnessing the earthquake. I'd gladly accept it if I fulfilled my assignment, but not because I was only in the wrong place at the wrong time."

The blond shifted from one foot to another, not daring to look up, waiting for any kind of movement coming from Sasuke. No words were exchanged, the stillness making the surrounding noises especially deafening to them.

At long last, Naruto saw the brunet relax his guard, causing Naruto to release his tenseness as well.

"Look." Sasuke moved one step closer to the blond and sighed. "My father is not someone who would easily give a free plane ticket to anyone, especially a first class type. If he spent this money, if he bought this, it’s because you're someone worthy of his respect."

"But…" Naruto still stared at the ticket with wary eyes.

"If he bought this plane ticket, it’s because you had achieved something that he deemed worthy. It wasn't because he pitied your suffering from this earthquake and gave some kind of compensation for it. It was through your hard work and he recognized your effort.

"But…" The blond frowned and muttered. "I can't…what about…" His voice died out, not daring to continue what was painfully obvious between them.

Another silence hung between them as Sasuke really appeared to consider the situation, undoubtedly touched (and slightly worried that the blond remembered their shared intimacy from that night) by Naruto's humility. Sasuke slowly whispered.

"Don't worry about me. I…wouldn't mind." He paused to contemplate some more, only to raise his head and concentrate his eyes on cerulean ones. "No. Actually, I would be offended if you refuse it. If there's anyone who would have my father's respect, anyone who I would allow this concession, then…that person would be you. So just accept it." The Uchiha said as he offered the ticket to Naruto.

"Okay…" The blond said hesitantly as he took the ticket from Sasuke's hand. Eyeing the ticket in gawked admiration, Naruto's mouth finally widened a bright grin. "Thanks Sasuke!" He noticed his mistake and sputtered. "I mean, Uchiha…sor—"

"I don't mind." Sasuke interrupted, breaking eye contact and crossing his arms. "Call me whatever name you prefer."

"Oooookay…" Naruto raised one eyebrow, uncertain. He then declared with an energetic voice. "Hey, so if I call you Sasuke, then you can call me Naruto then."

The Uchiha glanced in apparent confusion, his eyes asking Naruto to elaborate on his idea.

"Well, if it's alright for me to call you Sasuke, then I also wouldn't mind you calling me Naruto." Naruto continued, opening the backpack's zipper and picking up his documents. "So that's how it's settled. Thanks again for the ticket Sasuke."

"You're welcome." The brunet paused for few seconds on purpose and smirked. "Usuratonkachi."

"Bastard." Naruto grumbled, walking towards the counter. "Gotta go, have to check my luggage."

"Don't make a fool of yourself while you're on the plane dumbass." Sasuke taunted.

"Asshole." Naruto rolled his eyes, entering in line to the counter. "See you next week."

"Hn." Sasuke acknowledged with a brief nod. "Next week then. Have a good trip Naruto." He spoke nonchalantly.

Cerulean eyes blinked astonished, absorbing this tidbit of information before Naruto grinned warmly. Sasuke stared dumbfounded, heartbeats increasing in a soft rhythm as the blond said,

"Thank you Sasuke." He turned away to talk with the attendant, a quick wave of goodbye before he began checking the documents with her.

Neither of them consciously realized it but this…was the start of a whole new relationship.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 08: Begin another report.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Sasuke checked his watch impatiently to confirm that, as usual, the dumbass blond moron was late by almost half an hour for their scheduled meeting. It appeared that, holding a grudge against him or not, Naruto still maintained the habit of being tardy. No, he wasn't disappointed that Naruto didn't look eager to see him again; neither did he adjust his hair three or four times in the men's room mirror for the usuratonkachi's sake. He was simply feeling self-conscious today…nothing out of ordinary, was it?

Groaning as he stood up from his seat, finishing his third cup of coffee, the brunet went to the main part of Sarutobi's office, determined to hunt down the idiotic blond and give him the most blistering earful Naruto had ever received his entire life. What kind of moron would have this kind of bad habit when he constantly met important clients every day and thus would give a bad image of the office he was now representing?

"The top view plan is ready now!" A sudden yell almost rendered him deaf as a young woman passed by, running fast while she rolled the paper.

"What about the left view?" Another shout inquired further.

"Five more minutes!" A distant scream answered while Sasuke observed everyone going in every kind of direction; chaos ensued inside.

"Naruto!" A red-haired woman shouted, picking up Sasuke's attention as onyx eyes narrowed sharply and he stalked towards the mentioned man, like a predator preparing to surround his prey. She approached the blond as both had their backs facing Sasuke, holding a gigantic piece of paper and asked. "Could you check if there's any mistake in this print?"

Naruto easily grabbed the plan and moved it to a drawing table so he could properly revise it. Too hasty to find a chair and calmly re-check it, the blond simply bent forward with his arms propped against the metallic surface, the position providing Sasuke with a nice eyeful of taut ass, snuggly fitting into Naruto's khaki pants.

With a raised eyebrow and crossed arms, Sasuke temporarily halted his actions and found a secluded spot to savor this vision without any interruption. Only an idiot would waste this kind of opportunity and Sasuke definitely was no idiot. He lamented inwardly when the blond straightened up and returned the paper to his assistant, running to another spot as other people interrupted him with multiple questions regarding everything. It was entertaining to see Naruto move around frenetically; Sasuke had to admit to himself, and oh—there he was, bending over again to sign some paper on the desk, Sasuke slowly tilted his head to appreciate the new angle given.

Now, Naruto didn't consider himself a superstitious person but he felt a constant presence looming everywhere he went. No one aside from himself had noticed that presence, so perhaps it was targeting him specifically, chasing him and attracting bad luck and disaster around him. Naruto had heard rumors regarding a crazy employee that had committed suicide on the office below his floor and how he haunted every young worker, resenting the fact they were successful where he, in his previous life wasn't.

Swallowing dryly and too scared to turn his neck and see a transparent body, Naruto thought of every kind of prayer from every kind of religion and prepared himself to face this mysterious enemy. He turned around, widened his eyes and then squinted, confused:

"Huh? Sasuke!" Naruto observed as the brunet straightened up from his previous position, emitting a completely stoic aura and growling back.

"What."

"Why are you here? I thought I was seeing a ghost!" Naruto complained. When he saw a dark eyebrow raised in response, he sputtered, a little bit embarrassed. "What. You were just standing there, not moving one inch, all pale and wearing a black suit, above all. You were giving an image of a pretty creepy ghost, in my opinion."

Sasuke frowned even further, seeing many people giving tons of rolled paper to the blond as he took some to alleviate the weight. "I don't look like a ghost, and I'm not creepy." They walked back to the conference room; the brunet gripped the handle and raised his chin slightly imperiously. "And I'm certainly not that pale."

Naruto rolled his eyes heavenward. "Well fine, but you definitely need some tan. Whenever I look at you, I feel like you’re going to faint soon."

Sasuke ignored that smartass comment as he finished his sentence. "And I went to search for you because you were late. Again."

"We already have had many meetings before this. I thought you would know about my uh… scheduling challenges by now." Naruto muttered, placing the rolled papers on the desk.

"I acknowledge this bad habit but it doesn't mean I approve of it. You should fix this attitude or what will happen if you meet a client that is less tolerant of those mistakes than me?"

Naruto grumbled, opening one plan and examining the contents. "Bah, I'm not that stupid and I know which clients are nagging asses and which won't mind if I do something like this. You could learn to be like them too, arrive half an hour later since they already expect I'll be late." He widened a mischievous grin.

"But because of your laziness, it's almost time for lunch, and we didn’t make any kind of progress so far." Sasuke pointed out.

"I can grab my laptop and we'll talk about it while we eat our lunch. I know a good Italian restaurant nearby." Naruto declared as he organized the papers and exited the room.

Sasuke crossed his arms bewildered. "What? Wait, I—" He couldn't continue because the blond suddenly shouted, calling Nara's name as the other architect threw the backpack to Naruto's arms. He turned around, beaming.

"C'mon, I'm ready, let's go!"

Sasuke mutely grabbed his briefcase, unable to come up with any words of refusal. His feet were moving unbeknownst to himself, irreversibly being pulled to that magnetic orange whirlpool, his ears barely hearing Naruto declaring excitedly that they were going to eat the best Italian cuisine in all of New York City. He followed hypnotized, fixing the memory of that bright smile inside his mind.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

The restaurant was located in a commercial area, passersby scurrying in haste as they entered inside. The place was scarcely decorated but wasn't too simplistic, a couple of paintings placed on the wall and wooden furniture gave a homey ambiance overall. Since they arrived just on time for lunch, every table was occupied, making Sasuke wonder if they would have to wait until there was a vacancy available.

Fortunately, Naruto knew the owner and asked them to hasten in cleaning up an empty table for them. Once they sat down, the blond excused himself to go to the bathroom. "You can order while I'm gone; the staff already knows what I usually want for lunch." He said to Sasuke.

Sasuke shrugged, staring the menu and realizing; to his horror, it was written in Italian. The waiter was waiting impatiently therefore the brunet simply asked:

"What's today pasta?"

"Fettuccini Alfredo, it's our restaurant's specialty." The waiter replied with a heavy Italian accent.

Sasuke glanced at the description written on the menu, using his limited knowledge with Spanish to comprehend it, both were kind of similar languages right? There weren't any 'camarones' written on it…and he surely didn't need the help from the usuratonkachi to decipher a simple dish, so he simply nodded, returning the menu to the waiter.

Naruto later returned and once seated, turned on his laptop, and began discussing the adjustments of the building plan, while they waited for their lunch to arrive.

The waiter approached the table with steaming plates and Naruto closed his laptop with a happy sigh. "Man, finally! My stomach was growling non-stop!"

Sasuke was almost ready to return with a teasing retort when he stopped dead, looking at his dish –or more accurately at some ingredients included in the dish. Naruto also glanced curiously while adjusting his napkin.

"Is there anything wrong? Do you need to change the dish?" The blond asked. Sasuke smoothly picked up his napkin, placing it on his lap.

"No need, we don't have the time for this. It's still manageable." Sasuke mentally sighed. He just need to keep the shrimp far away from his mouth, even though his allergy to it wasn't life-threatening, he always disliked the diarrhea caused from any accidental slip. He saw a stray fork spearing the shrimps and glanced forward, seeing Naruto taking some and putting them on his plate.

The blond said sheepishly. "I remembered that you said that you were allergic to shrimp, it'd be better if you leave all of them on my plate to avoid any accident. You wouldn't mind, right?"

Sasuke shook his head, also picking up some and putting them on Naruto's plate.

"Sorry, you probably didn't know that there was shrimp on the dish because the whole menu is written in Italian. It's just that I eat in this restaurant so many times that I forgot about this detail." Naruto apologized.

Sasuke dismissed with a shrug, before asking. "When did I mention about my allergy to shrimp?"

"Um…that…night?" The blond offered the explanation through scattered words, eating a mouthful of spaghetti and glancing sideways awkwardly.

Oh. Wait.

"Do you also remember the conversation regarding our fathers? How much do you remember about all that?" Sasuke asked suspiciously. "I'm sure we were pretty drunk by then, so how is it possible that you still remember them all?"

"Ah, about that…I've always had a high resistance to alcohol, that's all. My hangovers aren't very bad either, so I usually have a good memory about what I've done the night before when I've been drinking." Naruto explained.

Sasuke glared, not expecting this turn of events, with the blond having a slight advantage about it when he could only remember blurry parts about that night.

"What. Now you're going to kill me for sullying your name and will eliminate anyone who was involved with you and now know your dirty secrets?" Naruto snickered, picking another shrimp from his plate.

Sasuke relaxed under the joke, twirling his fork to eat his Fettuccini. "I guess not, unlike the character that had inspired my name, I'm not exactly vengeful."

Naruto looked surprised, pausing to stare at him. "What? Your name also come from the Japanese legend of the ninja Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, and unfortunately, yes." Sasuke corrected, placing another shrimp on Naruto's plate. "Mine wasn't as awe-inspiring as your origin, my father and mother met, thought it was amusing they had the same name as the legend and decided to give the same name to their child. They even went through the effort of making sure I share the same birth date as the character in the legend." He then sighed in a good-naturedly way, shaking his head.

"Whoa, really?" Naruto said, chuckling and Sasuke found himself transfixed with that pleasant sound, returning the gesture with a small smile. "Can't believe this. What kind of sane parents would choose to name their baby from a character that almost destroyed his home village out of revenge?"

Sasuke smirked, not affected from his taunt. "Probably because this character was an important key to help the dumbass main character in achieving peace. If it wasn't for him, his best friend wouldn't be able to defeat the main villain of this legend."

Naruto snorted, not having the heart to come up with any retort as he finished his food. He suddenly realized a fact and whispered slowly. "Wait…so that means that you also have an older brother right?"

Sasuke turned rigid, closing his hands into a fist until he consciously relaxed his posture. "Yes…I thought that the media had already covered this."

"Yeah…maybe…but I'm not much about gossip and all, ya know." Naruto shrugged, noticing the uneasiness emanating from Sasuke, so he muttered. "He didn't murder anyone from your family or anything like that right? I hope."

This time, a loud and tired exhale came from Sasuke as he confessed. "No…but he did run away from home years ago, when I was a teenager."

"Oh…" Naruto stared at the onyx eyes hardening to a steeled edge and muttered. "Sorr—"

"Don't be." Sasuke answered, raising his hand to the waiter and picking up the tab. It was clear reading through his body language that the brunet didn't desire to speak any further on the subject.

"Ok…" Naruto answered hesitantly. Then, he noticed something while they exited the restaurant. "We ended up chatting instead of doing our work."

"Maybe this whole thing wouldn't have happened if you were a little bit more punctual, usuratonkachi. " Sasuke returned to his teasing tone.

"Maybe this would have been easier if you didn't schedule unholy hours for our meetings, like near lunchtime or getting close to finish the day." Naruto grumbled back.

They spent the entire way bantering back and forth as they walked towards the office.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

The following days turned out to be full of atypical changes. Although abnormal, Sasuke had to admit that they were quite…pleasant. Whatever acidic exchanges of words they used to trade weakened to playful bickering without any real venom. It was unexpected, Naruto no longer held any kind of resentment towards him, probably as a reaction towards his own absolution in forgetting any feeling of envy towards Naruto. He slowly came to realize that it was easy to chat with Naruto once given the chance for positive interaction. Sasuke found himself looking forward to meeting Naruto for those scheduled meetings, even though the blond still didn't regard his warning and remained tardy by half hour every time. Whatever, at least he had some free time to rest while he waited for the dumb blond.

What he gradually noticed too, was the increased amount of furtive glances Naruto threw at him when he thought Sasuke wasn't paying attention to it. It was clear that something was bothering Naruto and Sasuke knew that this problem was somehow related to him. Whenever Sasuke questioned him, he would dismiss it with an awkward shrug, focusing on his work as a way to change the subject.

Eventually, after observing Naruto's actions and behavior towards him, Sasuke could only conclude that the blond was still affected about that fateful night. It was particularly evident the hesitancy and confusion emanating from him whenever Sasuke was close to Naruto, as he looked frustrated with himself about this entire situation.

Sasuke had several lovers in the past, but they were nothing short of some kind of partnership, fleeting and devoid of emotional investment, relationships that had never breached over the sexual exchange. He didn't mind though, having an image to uphold made sure that both, him and his partner wouldn't desire to let their situation leak to the press. His cravings were sporadic as it was, and he generally viewed romantic relationships with distaste, when everyone only appeared to be interested with either his physical looks or the impressive name behind him.

But Naruto didn't really count as Sasuke's regular type of lover because first of all, the blond wasn't exactly his lover and they didn't have sex under normal circ*mstances. It was still difficult to ignore the fact that it was one of the best sexual encounters he had till now.

It also didn't help that Naruto was one of the best-looking men Sasuke had ever met in his life.

Sasuke sighed, troubled with the admittance of these facts. Before, it was easy to ignore Naruto's handsome features when he was able to concentrate on hating the blond for stealing his father's respect. But now that this whole situation had cleared up, it was becoming more difficult to attempt to block his libido that continuously reminded him of the unforgettable night that occurred between them.

Sometimes he would feel blue eyes looking in his direction, a steady gaze that wasn't questioning, neither was it filled with any kind of discernible desire. Naruto was simply staring at him longingly, making Sasuke feel embarrassed and flustered at the same time.

Embarrassment and fluster. Two emotions that he wasn't used to dealing with.

Time passed and the date approached where Sasuke was responsible to present the project to the board of directors of Mitsukoshi. Naruto was helping adding the details necessary for this presentation.

Once finished, Sasuke closed his laptop after turning it off. "I guess that's a satisfactory presentation, there's no need to adjust it any further."

Naruto nodded, also turning off his computer and stretching his arms. "Hopefully they won't complain much about all the changes we've made lately."

"Don't worry about it." Sasuke smirked haughtily. "They wouldn't dare." Not waiting for any kind of sarcastic remark, he placed the laptop in his briefcase and said, "That's enough for today, thank you for your help."

"Ok…" Naruto followed with his eyes as the brunet approached the door and suddenly blurted out. "Um, Sasuke?"

Sasuke turned around with a questioning raised eyebrow.

Naruto bit his lower lip in contemplation, undecided on how to approach this subject. "You remember…about that night?"

The brunet released the door handle, closing the door, expecting this conversation to be painfully long. "What about it?" He asked.

"Well…many things happened here and there…so I was also wondering if you remember most of them." Naruto mumbled.

"I guess…so?"

"The last thing we did together…" Naruto practically extracted those words from his mouth, his eyebrows knit together as he pressed on. "If you remember it…what do you think about that whole…uh…occurrence that happened that night…?"

Sasuke stared evenly at the awkward blue eyes, considering his question. Logically thinking, Naruto was a risk to him, unlike his previous lovers, he was not bound to keep Sasuke's sexuality a secret. But even so, Sasuke was sure that if he asked, Naruto would keep his word, not revealing anything between them for the sake of his public image.

However, Sasuke could feel a slow tide of emotions hatching and emerging from the deepest confines of his heart. Containing a shapeless form, its intensity was difficult to be measured as Sasuke refused to yield to those unknown feelings, choosing to keep a tight grasp on his controlled but monochrome life. He should put an end to whatever monstrous thing that might engulf them, before it was too late.

And it was supposed to be an easy task, Sasuke had rejected numerous people in his life and Naruto would only be one more on his list. His eyelids fell heavy as he fixed his gaze to the ground nevertheless, muttering back.

"I told you that we should forget it. We wouldn't have done it if we were in our right minds, after all." Sasuke couldn't meet Naruto's eyes yet, not wanting to witness the disappointment showing on the whiskered face as Naruto responded.

"Oh." Another silence ensued until the blond repeated once again, applying more energy. "Oh. Well…" Sasuke saw Naruto raising his arm to scratch his head as the blond said. "I guess you're right. We weren't in our minds at that time."

"Yes." Sasuke agreed, finally leveling his eyes towards cerulean ones.

"Yeah, well. I guess we should count this as an accident right? An unfortunate accident."

There was a sharp pang in his heart but Sasuke ignored it. "Yes, accident."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. A very unfortunate accident." Naruto appeared to be mulling to himself as he thought out loud. "I mean, there's no way I'd be interested in your frigid ass under normal circ*mstances, so I guess this would only happen if we hadn't met such a dire situation."

Black eyebrows furrowed together though Sasuke didn't mention anything further.

"It was really an accident right? No one in their right mind would be interested in having sex with such an arrogant bastard, after all."

Sasuke felt one of his eyebrows twitch.

"Yeah, an accident." Naruto nodded to himself as he confirmed with a more reassured tone. "Pft, I wouldn't spare one eye glancing at you normally, so definitely this extreme situation was the only reason I would do something absolutely crazy like that!"

"Splendid. Now that you have happily reaffirmed your sexuality, am I allowed to go now?" Sasuke replied dryly.

"Oh." Naruto realized and smiled sheepishly. "I guess I just wanted to clear up any possible misunderstanding. Well…" He stared at his hand before offering to Sasuke. "Friends?"

Sasuke gazed at the raised hand with a skeptical eye before returning with a handshake. "Friends."

AN: I used google translate to see the difference between shrimp in Spanish and Italian and thought that the word would be vastly different. And yeah...according to google translate, shrimp in Spanish is camarón, in Italian is gamberetto. Satisfied with this result, I decided to roll with it and...Oh, how wrong I was. A reviewer corrected me but it was too late. So...sorry.

So...does anyone intend to give me a review or...is this just my wish-fulfillment? Lol. I'M A whor* FOR REVIEWWWWWWWWWW

Chapter 9: Report 09

Chapter Text

"Mr. Sasuke Uchiha is waiting in the meeting room. Should I remind Naruto about this?" A secretary approached and asked Shikamaru.

"No need, we're almost done." Shikamaru spun his chair around and yelled to his blond friend. "Naruto, upper-view plan is ready! Grab’em all, you have a meeting with Mr. Uchiha now!" He offered a rolled paper, seeing Naruto standing up from his desk and walking towards him.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow when he saw his friend approaching him. Something was off. Usually at this very moment Naruto would scowl and grumble something unintelligible (curses ranging between arrogant assholes and anal bastards) or he would give out an annoyed huff, begrudgingly accepting the blueprints while he stomped to the meeting room. However this time, Naruto only maintained a neutral face, the corner of his lips quirking a small smile as he picked up the plan, widening his beam:

"Thanks Shika!" There were several other papers Naruto was holding precariously, dangling on his arms while he tried to adjust the newest one on the pile. Shikamaru kept observing him with an unreadable expression and once Naruto succeeded in balancing the papers, he frowned in confusion, asking. "Something wrong?"

Shikamaru paused, before shrugging and turned his chair back to its original position. "Nothing, you better hurry because you're already late. Mr. Uchiha will complain about it."

"Yeah, he always does." Naruto replied untroubled, and then grinned mischievously. "The Bastard doesn't really mean it 'neeways." His bewilderment further escalated when he saw two lifted black eyebrows from Shikamaru. "What?" The blond grumbled.

His friend sighed quietly, picking up his electronic pen and positioned it on his tablet. Troublesome. "Nothing, you should go."

Muttering to himself about crazy friends and their weird behaviors, Naruto skittered towards the meeting room, carrying a huge amount of plans that was hindering his speed. He turned into a corner and—

"Dumbass."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Naruto shouted startled, the small jump scattered the plans and most of them would have fallen if Sasuke hadn't picked them up. "Wha—what are you doing here?"

"You're late." Sasuke said, grabbing other plans from Naruto's arms and alleviating the weight, with the blond man following him right behind.

"Yeah yeah yeah, and just ‘cuz of that you had to sneak around to scare me off?" Naruto grumbled.

He saw one corner of Sasuke's lips twitching amusedly, almost bordering on a teasing smirk as the brunet declared. "I didn't do that. I've been waiting for you to arrive for way too long so I decided to go to the toilet for a second. It's not my fault when I saw you, you were too distracted with your airheaded blond thoughts."

"You're such a—"Naruto struggled to remember the exact curse word in Japanese. He was so used calling Sasuke names in English that everything he had learned in google translate was slowly being erased from his brain. "Um…" He scratched the back of his head.

"I see that you haven't improved your vocabulary much lately usuratonkachi." Sasuke said opening the door.

"Quite the contrary, I've decided that I'm not going to lower myself to that level with those kinds of indecent words after all." Naruto replied in Japanese, raising his chin haughtily. Then, he added in English. "Bastard."

Sasuke simply raised an eyebrow in response, not wanting to point out the obvious paradox in Naruto's words. Blue eyes blinked when he saw many papers scattered around in the conference room, Sasuke's laptop opened as the presentation was displaying on the screen. "I thought that we were already done with this presentation. Is there anything wrong, did we make a mistake anywhere?"

"No, there's nothing wrong. I just wanted to re-check to see if we had forgotten any detail here or there or if we overlooked any mistake."

"But we already did that like…three hundred times last week and you seemed satisfied after all the proofreading that we didn't touch it in the last meeting. Why are you re-checking today?" Naruto asked, placing the papers on the table and turning on the computer nearby. "Did something happen lately to change your mind?"

Sasuke slightly stiffened his shoulders before he willed them to relax. "Nothing's wrong. Just…my parents decided out of the blue to watch this meeting."

"What? Really?" Naruto blinked.

"Yes. My father suddenly said that he wanted to see with his own eyes, since he thought it was unsatisfactory receiving e-mail reports only. He couldn't really picture the whole project unless he saw the mock-up model and it's convenient that this meeting not only has your team showing and explaining, but there's also my presentation giving details about the whole financial status, our sponsors as well expenses for this construction. My mother probably only wants to see me, now that she's in NY too."

The blond opened his mouth into a silent 'oh' and snapped shut when he observed onyx eyes frantically checking some graphs on the paper and comparing them to another one shown on his laptop screen.

Sasuke spoke. "Maybe you should also rehearse again the part when you're describing the mock-up model to see if we should add some other details about our sponsors while I complement with other added slides describing their company, and the percentage of their contribution on the overall fund? Could you call Nara-san so we can see if he—"

"Whoa whoa whoa, wait." Naruto interrupted sitting close to Sasuke, snatching the papers from the pale fingers and spoke without waiting for the unavoidable protest. "I don't mind if we re-check how many times you want, but you don't have to completely remake it. The presentation is fine."

Sasuke glared, snatching the papers back and growled. "No, it's not fine, you don't know my father as well as I do, you don't know how demanding he is with any kind of project, how high are his standards and how much he criticizes about…" About everything. About me. The young Uchiha trailed off, no longer able to concentrate on his task when he was lost in old memories.

Naruto sighed, gently picking up the papers and placing them on the table. "Yes, I definitely don't know much about your father and maybe he's as demanding as you make him sound, but I also followed the whole process of this project. You also have high standards, you covered every necessary point, you've paid attention to every essential part and there isn't anything crucial or any detail that you overlooked. This presentation is good." He closed Sasuke's laptop with a murmur. "You don't have to depend so much on his approval to see your own value."

Sasuke's first reaction was to flinch from Naruto's sincere statement, every part of his mind shutting in denial. He was still having a hard time recognizing this flaw and he didn't want anyone else poking at a tender wound, peeking inside something that he had guarded so fiercely.

However, unbeknownst to Sasuke, there was also a rush of relief mixed inside his turbulent emotions, blocking any attempt of snappish recoil towards Naruto. His words were uttered with some sort of half-confession. "Must be really pitiful to center one's life on someone else's recognition."

Naruto hummed in contemplation. "No, not really, we all need someone's approval so you can feel more secure about yourself. But I guess the difference is the level of recognition you desire to receive. Mine used to be really sucky too, almost no one believed that I could be successful, everyone patronized me, expecting that I would fail in life." An old flame lit in his eyes and the blond mumbled darkly. "That's why I had to succeed above everyone else, shove it in their faces that I could become someone respectable and prove my own value; make them swallow their own f*cking words."

Blue eyes blinked and glanced at Sasuke who wore a fairly astonished expression, not expecting that Naruto would show such a resentful side of him. He amended, speaking sheepishly. "But I guess in the end, what I wanted the most was their recognition. There's nothing more horrible than people belittling you and not acknowledging your worth reasonably. But maybe that's what makes us want to further chase them down, just to prove that they are wrong."

Sasuke fixed his eyes on his closed laptop, contemplating on the weight of his words as he concluded. "In the end, if it's only one person or a whole world, we all seek their recognition…so we can finally recognize ourselves."

"I guess…something like that." Naruto mumbled, opening Sasuke's laptop to its original position. "Well, let's get to work, we wasted too much time chatting."

"No, I suppose you're correct…for once, usuratonkachi." Sasuke smirked when he saw one raised blond eyebrow in his direction. "We'll only check for the last time, and this will be as far as we can go. We shouldn't concentrate too much over something that was already done, when we have other cases to be taken care of." He stared at his empty cup of coffee and said. "Can you ask one of your secretaries to refill my cup? I just finished this one now."

The blond fleetingly glanced at his watch and winced. "Uh—yeah, I'll do that. Wait a min, I'll call one of 'em." He mumbled, slowly walking towards the intercom.

Sasuke sighed, the dumbass was so damn easy to read sometimes. "There's something troubling you, what's the matter now?"

"I don't know if I'm supposed to talk about that to you, after all, you are one of our clients…" Naruto responded with a hand on the back of his neck.

"Spit it out usuratonkachi." Sasuke said, his voice monotone, staring his monitor.

"Err—well, it's just that it's lunch time, so half of our secretaries went out to eat while the other half are staying here to cover their absence. But during this time they have the least number of phone calls to answer, so they usually use this time to work on account balancing and those kinds of things…I kinda don't wanna bother them and—"

Sasuke pressed the keyboard shortcut to save his file and rose from his seat. "Fine, let's go to the kitchen to refill the cup."

"Uh—are you sure?" Naruto said hesitantly, after all Sasuke was still an important VP, so he must have a secretary always responsible for this. Seeing him in their kitchen (which he guessed that it would be humble in size in comparison to the gigantic one in their headquarters) was something almost inconceivable to believe.

"Yes, I wouldn't mind. Plus, it'd be a good opportunity to stretch my legs." Sasuke declared, staring at the blond and waiting for him to show the way.

Naruto grinned widely, opening the door. "Ok then! Well, it's also a good opportunity to show off our coffee machine, I gotta say, it makes the wickedest coffee…"

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Shikamaru stretched his arms with a jaw-popping yawn, slumping slightly from his seat and grabbing his mug, only to realize that it was empty. He stared at his monitor. Just some more small adjustments and he'd be able to end the top view of this project. Maybe he should go and rescue Naruto from Uchiha before they killed each other by asking his blond friend to have lunch with him. Shikamaru lightly frowned when he remembered that Naruto didn't seem to mind Uchiha's presence any longer, so maybe he shouldn't be worried about those troublesome things anymore.

Rising from his seat to refill his coffee, he heard Naruto's voice coming from the kitchen, no doubt talking to someone else whose tone was quite familiar, but he couldn't really put his finger on it. The ponytailed brunet was ready to turn around and greet his friend when he recognized a stylized type of dark hair with spiky strands sticking up to the back.

At this moment, Shikamaru stopped in his tracks surprised, eyebrows raised while his eyes reconfirmed once again that yes, the person whom Naruto was talking amicably with, was indeed Mr. stick-in-his-ass (as Naruto used to call him) Sasuke Uchiha.

…Huh. Shikamaru actually wasn't counting on this positive development. Not only because he used to hear Naruto complaining every single time the Uchiha had a meeting with them, but from the few times he also participated in those meetings, Sasuke Uchiha also emanated some kind of resentment towards his blond friend.

So what happened in such a short time to turn the tables completely? Shikamaru suspected that it was probably something related to Naruto's last trip to Japan, however according to Jiraiya, Naruto stayed in a hotel while Sasuke Uchiha was inside Mitsukoshi when the earthquake had happened. During the following week, both architects were reporting to Fugaku Uchiha, while Sasuke was recuperating. Logically, Naruto probably didn't meet Sasuke during that period of time.

But oddly enough, other changes were evident after Naruto's trip to Japan. Since he returned, some trainees pointed out that Sasuke Uchiha occasionally dropped by in the main office, specifically so he could meet Naruto as he picked up his friend's plans while bantering, as they walked to the meeting room. Sometimes Shikamaru would try to find Naruto for lunch only to discover later that Naruto had eaten with his supposedly former enemy. Really odd; his bubbly friend would always prefer avoiding contact with nagging clients, so at first, Shikamaru assumed that he was forced to continue the meetings while they had lunch since both had considerably tight schedules. However, such situations had never happened before Naruto went to Japan, and had considerably increased afterwards, and Naruto's change of attitude also was in tune with those recent developments.

And while Shikamaru was getting curious enough to approach them and further analyze this weird behavior, he couldn't move forward or raise his voice to call for Naruto's attention, interrupting them. The atmosphere between them was somehow different, like they were in a world of their own, one in which no one was allowed to enter inside.

Shikamaru observed, as Uchiha was leaning on the door frame, that his expression was relaxed unlike the previous times he had met his client. He was talking with Naruto, one hand holding a cup of coffee, both positioned too far away for Shikamaru to properly overhear their conversation. Although it was obvious that Naruto was doing most of the talking, he could see Sasuke offering short responses with teasing notes, that somehow still maintained a friendly tone.

The brunet said something that made Naruto protest back, but after delivering his response, instead of bristling in indignation, the blond widened a grin that further puzzled Shikamaru.

" Hm. How long has it been since I've seen that kind of smile before?" Shikamaru wondered until he remembered the last time he saw it on his friend.

Oh boy…The black-haired architect shook his head before he went outside to have his lunch. Refilling the coffee could be done later.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Naruto glanced sideways for the umpteenth time, noticing the usual lazy eyes focused on him. The blond man groaned inwardly. Seriously, doesn't he ever get tired of doing this? Ever since his last meeting with Sasuke, Shikamaru had been analyzing Naruto as if he was some sort of challenging puzzle, taking his sweet time to view every possible angle and reach a brilliant and definite conclusion regarding him. For Pete's sake, his friend should be an investigator or an FBI agent instead of an architect, he just had too much fun playing detective.

"What the f*ck Shika?" Naruto snapped turning around, glowering at his friend.

Shikamaru answered grouchily. "Something wrong?"

"Don't play innocent, I know that look from miles away. Just what the hell have I done lately for you to keep staring at me as if I'm some kind of lab rat ready to be dissected?" The blond growled.

Shikamaru yawned, not affected by Naruto's increased paranoia aimed at him. "I'm just watching to see if you're not freaking out or getting too nervous about this presentation so I can provide backup if needed."

Naruto's shoulders relaxed briefly, although his blue eyes still narrowed in suspicion. "Really? That's it?"

His friend shrugged nonchalantly, then, he cast his bait. "But I'm worried that Mr. Sasuke Uchiha might come up with some kind of scheme to leave you in a tight situation. From what I saw before, he may dislike you enough to do something like that."

The blond snorted automatically, responding. "Nah...it’s not his style – he's too proud, that I know for sure."

"Oh really? But who knows if this is really true, especially coming from a shrewd business man like Mr. Uchiha." The ponytailed brunet asked in an apparent surprise.

"He's not a bad guy, don't worry about it." Naruto defended back.

Shikamaru hummed in response. "Is that so?"

Somehow, the tone of his voice increased Naruto's suspicions as the blond grumbled. "What was that just now?"

"What?" Shikamaru replied distractedly, exiting the elevator and greeting the Uchiha Corporation's receptionist.

"Your 'is that so?' was waaaaay too weird. What the hell is going on inside your lazy brain Shika?"

"Nothing, but I'm not finding my straightedge in my bag, maybe I forgot to bring it. You think you have one in yours?" Shikamaru observed as his friend occupied himself by placing his backpack on the desk and searched for the mentioned tool. It was so easy to change the subject with Naruto… "So is Mr. Uchiha arriving earlier to rehearse one last time before the meeting starts?"

"Hm? Nah, he can't." Naruto mumbled, opening the zippers and palming all possible corners inside his backpack. With a victorious shout, the blond handed the straightedge to his friend. "He said he has to go to the airport to welcome his parents, he'll arrive just in time for the meeting."

The conference room was gigantic, elegant and minimalistic in style, decorated with expensive furniture and high-tech machinery, one single u-shaped table in the middle, dark leather chairs surrounding it while the front side of the table was open for entrance, with their mock-up positioned on a table in its center. The window side was fully covered with glass, the light filtering in balanced out the cool colors of the ebony wooden table. They took some minutes to admire the enormous touch-screen TV that occupied almost the whole wall but it didn't take too long for them to get back to their work, analyzing to see if there was any piece of the mock-up bent incorrectly or reconfirming that they hadn't forgotten any small detail, together with their trainees who arrived afterwards to aid them in this presentation.

Half an hour later, an increasing noise of chatter could be heard from the corridor and the team of architects straightened up, preparing to receive the board of directors. Everyone greeted them courteously with a shake of hands, while they studied the mock-up building and were given brief explanations regarding it. Sarutobi arrived later, as his advanced age deterred him from staying for too long at those meetings. Shortly after, one of the secretaries announced that Uchiha Fugaku, Mikoto and Sasuke were arriving, ending the chattering in an instant.

Another secretary opened the door, bowing shortly as both Fugaku and Mikoto prepared to enter inside. Positioned behind them, Sasuke saw that his father placed his hand on the door to make sure the door wouldn't close in front of Mikoto, and once she entered, he lowered his hand to linger close to her waist. His mother didn't voice anything back; however, just one unique quirk of lips was enough to communicate her thanks to him. Her smile was bright and amorous, carrying an ageless expression that didn't fade throughout the years, while she allowed her husband to escort her inside. Sasuke blinked surprised, questioning himself why he hadn't noticed his parents' special kind of communication before.

He also wondered why he was noticing it only now.

Each member of the board of directors greeted the Uchiha family as onyx eyes detected out of the corner a blond dumbass looking restless, wanting to approach them but still occupied explaining the building to someone else. Sasuke smirked to himself when Naruto finally finished the conversation, the brunet already expecting the eventual outburst from him:

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted and immediately gathered the attention from everyone nearby, including Fugaku and Mikoto. He looked sheepish for the bewildered stares, apologizing briefly as he walked towards them. Sasuke took his time to savor the very pleasing vision of Naruto wearing a suit that hugged his body in all the right places, even though it wasn't as breathtaking as the one he wore back at the party few months ago.

Once close to the Uchihas, Naruto noticed a raised eyebrow coming from Fugaku and offered his hand embarrassed, muttering in Japanese. "It is my pleasure to meet you again, Uchiha Fugaku-sama."

Fugaku stared at the young architect for a brief moment before returning with a firm handshake. "Likewise, Uzumaki-kun."

Mikoto approached them, smiling sweetly. "And this young man is…?"

The oldest Uchiha turned his head towards her and explained. "He's one of the chief architects on this project, Uzumaki Naruto-kun."

"Is that so…" Mikoto also took some time to observe the blond with an unreadable expression, making Naruto nervous with her piercing gaze.

All of a sudden, Mikoto beamed. Her smile was a little bit too wide to Naruto's confused eyes, and a little bit too playful to Sasuke's suspicious ones, while she also offered her hand to shake it.

"I see, Uzumaki-kun right. I've heard about your achievements made in such a short time. It is my pleasure to meet such a talented young man." She shook Naruto's hand and then she threw a significant glance towards her husband. "And you're the same age as our son Sasuke right! I bet you both have a lot to talk so we old people shouldn't interfere too. Let’s continue greeting other people, Fugaku." She said, still wearing that mysterious smile.

Fugaku exhaled a soft sigh, only detected by Sasuke and Mikoto as he obeyed his wife and left both young men alone. Blue eyes blinked confused at first, before concentrating on the task at hand.

"Hey…Sasuke? Are you alright?" Naruto asked.

"Hm? Yes, I'm fine…" Sasuke answered untroubled, still observing his parents from afar. Mikoto cupped her hand to whisper something in Fugaku's ear, in which the latter responded by shaking his head. Mikoto, however, giggled in reaction, his mother's behavior further puzzling the brunet.

"Really? It’s just that I was scared you’re still nervous about this, so I’m just checking if everything is ok now." Naruto mumbled awkwardly.

Sasuke raised one eyebrow in mild surprise. No one who ever worked with him questioned him in this manner, already assuming that since he was Uchiha Sasuke , he would finish his task in impeccable order. Naruto was the first one that ever questioned his competency, acknowledging that he was a human being capable of making some errors. Still…

It was nice to know that there was someone that genuinely cared about him.

"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. I've prepared enough; I don't think I'll have any major problem."

"Okay…" Naruto observed the confidence flashing on Sasuke's eyes and nodded. "Anyways, you just have to think to yourself that it's a regular presentation, that's all.” He paused in quiet contemplation, muttering. “You know...I believe even if you seek one sole recognition, it’s ok. One day you’ll able to recognize yourself, that eventually will make people also acknowledge you in response."

"…hn." Sasuke couldn't bring forth any words of gratitude, opting to open his laptop. It was unquestionable though that he felt calmer with Naruto's encouragement, one small quirk of lips escaping from his usual mask of nonchalance.

"Pft. You're welcome you bastard." Naruto snorted.

Silently observing them from afar, Shikamaru at first wondered why Naruto was so fidgety to end the conversation with one of the directors once the Uchihas entered inside, after all, his friend definitely wasn’t the ass-kissing type. He saw Naruto greeting the older Uchihas until they left Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto alone. The blond started saying something that looked like some kind of uncomfortable issue, seeing his body language, and whatever was the answer coming from the Uchiha heir, it made Naruto relax a little.

Then, it happened again. They started talking about something exclusively theirs, in a language that only they could understand and in a world that no one was allowed to enter inside. True to that, there were several people who wanted to talk with either Naruto or Sasuke, but once they noticed the way one was gazing at the other, they changed their minds and left them alone.

" And so the plot thickens…" Shikamaru wondered before he shook his head amused. Although it'd been a long since he was presented with a mystery interesting enough for him to uncover, he supposed that it was time to drop the investigation and finally come to his conclusion.

Once everyone was situated in their seats, Shikamaru couldn't help but to notice another of Naruto's oddities—

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

"You were staring at him the whole presentation." Shikamaru said after one puff of smoke.

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "Huh, what?"

"Yesterday's meeting, you were staring at Sasuke Uchiha, the whole presentation." Shikamaru repeated.

His friend offered a roll of blue eyes in response. "Well duh, he was showing the presentation, everyone was staring at him."

"No, everyone was mostly staring at the presentation, not him . Your eyes were completely fixed on him like you wanted to send some kind of psychic message."

"That's—" Naruto mumbled, he just wanted to make sure Sasuke wouldn't stumble in the middle of his explanation, looking at him as some sort of support. "Nothing wrong with that right? I helped creating this presentation; I was just looking at him in case he'd screw up."

"Hm. Of course." Shikamaru answered, unaffected by the blond's defense. "Now then, how are you going to explain the fact that you were staring at his ass when he bent down to pick up a pen?"

The tanned face went fire engine red in a matter of a split second. Naruto sputtered. "What? Wha—I—I wasn't staring at it!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Maybe you weren't staring, but were secretly glancing at his ass, if you want to be more specific about this."

"I wasn't doing any of that!" Naruto shouted loud enough to be heard from three floors up or down.

"Naruto, seriously, just admit it. You suddenly got all friendly with him, you were defending him, you were chatting with him voluntarily may I add and now you were even staring at his ass. This leaves to only one conclusion."

Naruto stared in mild horror as Shikamaru smirked in dawned comprehension, usually seen whenever he was ready to check-mate an unfortunate opponent in chess.

"You've got a crush on him don't you?" This phrase was more like a statement than a question.

The blond sputtered indignantly, one finger raised, pointing towards his friend. "No I don't! Stop saying stupid things dammit!"

"Yeah sure." Shikamaru muttered. "I know you Naruto. You don't usually do this. Appreciate some pretty girl from afar? Fine. But you're not someone who would feel physically attracted to someone so easily. So what happened to change this fact so abruptly?"

Naruto huffed and crossed his arms, plopping unceremoniously next to his friend.

"I bet ten dollars that it has something to do with your last trip to Japan."

The blond ignored him and muttered to himself about nagging friends and their habits of poking in someone else's business.

"Well, since I'm confident that I'll find out the truth sooner or later, maybe you should fill me in unless you want me to uncover everything on my own."

Naruto stiffened and glared darkly towards the ponytailed brunet.

"Choose your poison my dear friend." Shikamaru smiled, picking up his lighter and a new cigarette.

"Well we…in the last trip." Naruto mumbled, still unwilling to share this piece of information. "We kinda…had sex."

Shikamaru immediately stopped in mid-action to widen his eyes flabbergasted. "You…what?" Now that's something he wasn't expecting at all.

"I don't want to repeat myself." The blond raised one hand in defiance.

The brunet took some time to digest this information as he lit his cigarette. "I thought you said you weren't gay."

"I'm not! I—"Naruto protested. Then, he stumbled to find the correct words. "It's…it was an accident." The blond said with an odd conviction.

"Accident." Shikamaru repeated the word bewildered, raising an eyebrow as his friend was hastily nodding his head in agreement. "Accident…You mean, like those corny cliché lines 'accidentally in love' that teenage girls write in their pink diaries?" The dark-haired architect smirked. "Didn't know you were such a poet Naru-chan."

"f*ck you Shikamaru, seriously, f*ck you." Naruto mumbled, showing an obscene gesture with his finger.

"Well, if you don't explain how the 'accident' happened, that's what I'm going to assume then." Shikamaru lazily responded, exhaling an amount of smoke.

The other young man messed with his golden hair in consternation, sighing loudly as he raised his eyes to glance at the cloudy sky. He started slowly. "So…you remember when I said that I was in the hotel when the earthquake hit, while you guys saw the news about Mitsukoshi?"

"Yes…that's what Jiraiya told us."

"…yeah. I kinda lied because I didn't want ero-sennin to get all worried about me." Naruto muttered. "But I…actually…uh—got stuck in that building that night. With Sasuke Uchiha."

"…" Shikamaru massaged his eyebrows with his fingers, somewhere his mind warned that he wouldn't like this turn of events. "And?"

"And…we were all alone in that building and we kinda saw the news about the second earthquake and then…Well, we thought that the second earthquake would destroy the building for sure …" Naruto's face was gradually infused with a bright red color as he made awkward gestures with his hands. "So one thing led to another…and we…kinda…and that…"

"Oh God." Shikamaru stopped the lame explanation with one horrified expression. "Oh, please don't. Please, don't tell me that you decided on doing what I'm thinking you'd done on that day."

"Well…" Naruto trailed off.

Shikamaru groaned loudly, rubbing his face with his hands. "Naruto, you're an idiot."

Naruto protested. "Like I've said, it was an accident!"

"Of all the accidents you could do with him, you had to do the worst type of accident. I can't believe you really did something irrational like that."

"We thought we were going to die, so we didn't want to waste this opportunity!"

Shikamaru scratched his head troubled, all the remaining pieces coming together with this single confession. So they must have formed some kind of bond that night, which explained the whole change of behavior between them. He would also bet that one or even both of them revealed some kind of dark secret, which in turn could become problematic if Naruto knew something private from a powerful person like Sasuke Uchiha. Who knows if the latter would take on drastic measures in attempts to silence his friend? "Did you really have to do that Naruto?"

"We thought we were going to die!"

"I can't believe you just handled your ass-virginity to him, just like that." Shikamaru shook his head in exasperation.

This statement made Naruto lose all his previous awkwardness as he hastened to defend his masculinity. "Hey wait, I did the deed ok? He was the one who handed his ass to me. I was the one who put my co*ck in his—"

"Shut up Naruto, too much information." Shikamaru interrupted, looking a little bit green in the face.

"So yeah. In the end, it was all an accident." Naruto said, a pensive expression showing on his face. "I guess it's natural that I would have some lingering feelings but…"

"So you're saying that everything that's happening now was caused by this accident and whatever emotion you're experiencing is only a consequence that will fade away in time?" Shikamaru waited for a return of a hesitant nod and said. "Well good. Keep it that way."

Naruto frowned. "Why?"

"Because I think that Sasuke Uchiha is a difficult person to deal with and, also, I should consider your personality. The only way that you'd feel any physical attraction to someone is when they're capable of leaving a strong emotional impact on you that would make you want to chase this feeling and in those cases you're too intense in the pursuit. Otherwise in normal circ*mstances, you're pretty much neutral to apathetic to anyone that won't give you enough reasons to be emotionally invested."

"What? But I had some normal girlfriends before!" Naruto rebutted.

"That's because you let them chase after you, but you never were interested enough to continue it." Shikamaru saw the blond opening his mouth in automatic protest but he resumed. "Don't get me wrong, you always tried to return their feelings the best you could, but I guess you could never replicate the same intensity they felt towards you and that's how it failed in the end. So what I'm saying is this; don't try to get too involved with Sasuke Uchiha, because considering you both, the results would be pretty disastrous."

Naruto placed his jaw on his hand and grumbled. "Don't worry about it, I won't."

"Well, thank God." Shikamaru answered with another scratch of head. "Because I don't think I would be able to bear you acting like a love-sick puppy just like when you used to have a crush on Sakura. You used to be very blind to pretty much anything about her."

"What? I didn't!"

"Uh huh." Shikamaru agreed sarcastically. "You were the only one who admired her super strength back in high school while most of us were scared to death whenever she raised a table with her bare hands. I hope to all Gods that one day you won't come up to me, with your eyes sparkling and saying; 'Oh Shikamaru, but the way he picks the dirt from his nostril with his finger is simply soooo dashing!'"

"Can you do me a favor and go to hell Shika? There's something utterly wrong when you let your sad*st friend have fun dissecting you and keeps meddling you with whatever you’re having in your life.”

Shikamaru shrugged, finishing his cigarette and throwing it in the trash. "Ah well, it's not my fault that I found my soul mate so quickly unlike you. When you already found the one without meeting many obstacles, you have no choice but to be entertained by analyzing someone else's love life."

Naruto mockingly winced and made gagging faces. "Ugh, those cheesy lines make me want to vomit my whole lunch now. Just you wait till I tell Temari that you said those kinds of sweet sh—"

"Just you wait till I reveal instead that you're now attracted to a guy who you used to hate, which is clearly the case of a boy pulling the girl's pigtails and see which one will be more humiliated then." Shikamaru rapidly responded through gritted teeth, a slight tinge of red burning his cheeks.

"Whu—But I already said that I'm not—!"

"Keep saying that, maybe one day it'll come true. Even if these emotions are a byproduct from that 'accident', you're still attracted to Sasuke Uchiha now right?" Shikamaru taunted with a victorious grin. "Don't worry about it, I'll make sure I’ll give you a rainbow colored bracelet as a birthday gift this year."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Stupid, stupid Shikamaru and his weird theories. Naruto glowered at the source of his problems. Sasuke just raised an eyebrow in response.

"What?" He said, as the blond glanced elsewhere, muttering something unintelligible back.

God, it was all Shika's fault. Naruto thought that he had been doing a fine job of ignoring his lust back before when he and Sasuke determined that their relationship would be as friends only. When Sasuke denied any attachment about that significant night, the blond had to admit that he felt some sort of disappointment at first, but slowly gave way to relief that it was all one abnormal circ*mstance, his life was still not thrown in turmoil.

Sure, even now he remembered those events from time to time, and sure, he still jerked off from some of those details but this time his imagination filled with some faceless person instead of Sasuke. Yes, short-haired brunet but no matter, he was making some progress dammit! Naruto wanted to smash his face on the table repeatedly, because last night, he recalled once again the thin layer of sweat making the pale skin enticing for him to lick over, pinkish nipples that—

"Where exactly are you looking at usuratonkachi." A deadpanned tone broke Naruto out of his daydream, blue eyes narrowing angrily.

But in the end, the whole problem was Sasuke. f*ck, if only this asshole could be a little less good-looking, it would make his job easier. Stupid flawless skin—wait, it's not like he's attracted to this jerk like Shikamaru was implying, he was simply, simply—

"Dumbass, my face is up here." Naruto could see an amused smirk directed at him and grumbled back:

"I'm looking at it, dammit. I'm busy using the computer, can't you see?" The blond man drew a line with his tablet loudly, and then continued with his musings.

I'm really turning gay, aren't I? Naruto realized horrified that if he's becoming gay, does that mean that he'll start wanting to dress up fashionably, talking about gossip and hairstyles instead of football or basketball? Or maybe he'll begin favor going to shopping malls instead of having some beer time with his friends on weekends, this was a disaster!

While he was typing some important documents on his laptop, Sasuke continued to observe the array of emotions flickering across the tanned face, the vision being too entertaining for him. Too caught up with his own thoughts, Naruto involuntarily rested his eyes to ogle at Sasuke's collarbone, the intensity of his gaze was equally disconcerting but thrilling.

Sasuke cleared his throat to get Naruto's attention, in which the blond turned his head with a scowl. "What is distracting you now usuratonkachi?" The brunet spoke with an unintended husky tone in his voice, drawing shivers on the tanned skin.

Naruto glared and focused on the monitor. "Nothing, nothing is distracting me bastard."

"Hn." Sasuke assumed that he had teased Naruto enough to let it slide for now and changed the subject. "So your next flight to Kyoto is already scheduled in three days?"

Naruto brightened up at once and said. "Yeah! Sarutobi-jiichan gave me some time off so I could visit Kyoto, but once I'm finished I'll return to Tokyo to continue the project."

"You wouldn't mind if we schedule a meeting once you arrive in Narita's airport and another one while you're in Kyoto right?"

"No, just give me the address and I'll be there."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

And the place the Bastard chose to meet in Narita was an Art Gallery. Naruto blinked twice before confirming the address on his piece of paper and yes, it matched. He was already a little bit bewildered before that Sasuke didn't choose one of the meeting rooms that Narita airport contained, or any office of Uchiha Corporation. It was further bewildering that Sasuke would choose such an odd destination for a professional meeting. Naruto entered to confirm whether his client was there, maybe he wrote some kanji wrong or something.

"You're late." Sasuke calmly spoke, his eyes still fixed on his book when he saw the blond approaching.

"Well…I wasn't that late and hey—are you sure you want to talk here?" Naruto glanced around; there weren't many people inside the gallery, so the tiniest conversation would attract their attention.

"Why not? I thought you'd appreciate this change of venue and you studied architecture, so perhaps you'd have some interest in art in general."

"Yes, I do but…" The blond noticed at last the theme of this gallery, scrolls of Japanese paintings hung on the wall. "Wouldn't it be kind of disrespectful to talk about business instead of admiring those paintings?"

"That's why we're going to update the latest reports while we appreciate this gallery usuratonkachi." Sasuke shrugged. "It's not like we'll be discussing anything top secret, so I don’t care if anyone overhears."

The brunet approached one painting as a sign for Naruto to follow him and the latter scratched his blond hair, opening his backpack to pick up his iPad. While Naruto was turning on the machine, he saw the onyx eyes trained to observe every detail of the painting, enthralled by the beauty of the piece.

" He's really enjoying gazing at this painting." Naruto contemplated until his thought processes stopped once he saw another person from afar.

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto whispered excited. "I think the guy in the next room is Tetsuo Obata!"

Sasuke repressed a groan when he heard the name and answered. "Are you sure about it?" Maybe one of his secretaries leaked had the information that he scheduled a meeting with Naruto in this place.

"Yeah! Well, I only saw his photos, but I'm positive! I've heard he's one of the vanguards in Constructivism in Japan and he made many important monuments known worldwide! Wow, I can't believe that I'm that lucky to have a chance to meet such an important architect from our era! You think he would mind if I tried to talk with him a little bit?"

Yes, he would, was what Sasuke wanted to answer, but before he could voice anything, Tetsuo Obata and another man saw the Uchiha and were walking towards them.

"Ah…Uchiha Sasuke-kun. What a coincidence to see you here." He said as he raised his hand.

"Indeed. Coincidence." Sasuke replied with nonchalance, shaking hands and releasing it quickly. "This is Uzumaki Naruto, one of our chief architects responsible for the reconstruction of Mitsukoshi."

"I see." Tetsuo said curtly, glancing with irritation towards Naruto before he continued to talk with the young Uchiha as if the blond didn't exist. "I've heard that the Uchiha Corporation is planning raise a new branch building in Beijing."

Whoever leaked this information, once Sasuke discovers the culprit, will be fired soon. "Yes, so what about it?"

"Fortunately, my assistant is carrying my laptop that has some preliminary sketches, and I'm sure you'll be delighted to see some of our ideas. You wouldn't mind if he explained a little bit to pique some of your interest right?"

Sasuke had had half mind to instantly snort and refuse this offer, but once he saw pleading blue eyes staring towards him, with one twitch of an eyebrow the brunet spoke:

"Fine. As long it's quick."

"Of course, my assistant will explain it all efficiently and succinctly."

Once Sasuke and the other man stood far enough away, leaving Naruto with Tetsuo on the other side, Naruto attempted to start a conversation shyly.

"So, you're Tetsuo Obata right? I've studied—"

"So you're Uzumaki Naruto huh? I don't understand what was going through Uchiha Sasuke's mind to accept a foreign company to design Mitsukoshi." Tetsuo spoke condescendingly, with a frown on his face and crossing his arms.

Naruto's expression faltered. "Um, anyways, I—"

"And you look so young and inexperienced too, probably won a few titles but won't ever impress internationally for sure. Also, I'm disappointed to see you’re a gaijin instead of someone from our nation; given your name was Japanese. Carelessly throwing a historical building into the hands to someone who is not part of our culture will be only a recipe of disaster."

Naruto could feel his blood running cold, identifying at once the familiar voices that he always loathed to hear in his childhood. Scornful, derisive and humiliating…his limbs were losing their strength as he just stood there, unable to react.

"An outsider would never be able to comprehend a complex culture like ours. How are you going to design anything that it’s not a phony imitation that will barely scratch the surface of our Japanese philosophy? It's a sh—"

"I've returned." Sasuke abruptly interrupted, both architects turned their heads to stare at him.

"Really?" Tetsuo smiled awkwardly. "That quick?"

"Yes. The preliminary sketches shown to me are worthless – I wouldn't want to waste any more of my valuable time."Sasuke responded with the same arrogant tone Tetsuo previously used on Naruto.

Tetsuo slackened his jaw in surprise before closing it with gritted teeth. "Why you—"

"I'm so glad that the Uchiha Corporation didn't choose your office for the reconstruction of Mitsukoshi. You may have been the vanguard a few decades ago, but your style is staid and you haven't had any significant evolution since. You simply don't have any creativity and each of your buildings is a repetition of one after another." Sasuke sneered, subtly grabbing Naruto's arm. "Well, this also meant that I'm absolutely uninterested in any of your drafts shown here but maybe in the near future I'll allow you to decorate our office. It's almost time, Uzumaki-san and I have scheduled flights." They turned around at once, not bothering to see Tetsuo's enraged face as they exited the place and entered Sasuke's limousine.

Throughout the whole short trip, Naruto observed that Sasuke appeared to be angry about something, but wouldn't speak out, not when there were idle ears in the vehicle. Once they arrived at the airport, there was an exclusive room for the Uchiha Corporation. The moment Naruto closed the door, Sasuke glared with a growl:

"Care to explain to me what happened a few minutes ago?"

"What? What did I do wrong just now?" Naruto replied confused.

It's not that the dumbass did anything bad this time; it was the lack of reaction that irritated Sasuke. He instead, focused on another strategy. "You said to me that if you can recognize yourself, everyone else will give the proper acknowledgement sooner or later right? So what happened with this whole speech?"

"Wait, that's a different thing." Naruto rebutted, his voice ringing without his usual vibrant energy. "Tetsuo Obata is a renowned architect; he's entitled to give me criticism, I should listen to him."

"Maybe, but at that time he wasn't criticizing you, he was humiliating you." Sasuke responded.

"But maybe he's correct, who knows. I'm really too young to be responsible for such a huge project, I didn't grow up in Japan to fully comprehend this culture, so maybe—" Naruto was suddenly interrupted when the brunet grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked closer to him.

"Don't give me this bullsh*t usuratonkachi! I was the one who chose you to lead this project; I was the one who trusted your abilities over a resentful architect that decided to blame you for his own failures."

"You initially chose because of Sarutobi-jiichan's name instead of mine, not to mention his past with Mitsukoshi. You weren't sure then that I would prove to be a good architect."

"So what?" Sasuke said heatedly. "Maybe at first, but my father gave me full liberties to change my mind if you didn't prove your worth. I'm your client in the end right? And I'm also a Japanese citizen, I recognize that your style follows our culture, your achievements are valuable enough to make you stand in this current position of leadership."

Sasuke observed with satisfaction as foggy blue eyes were gradually focused on him and loosened his grip on Naruto's shirt, resuming his speech.

"We may want to have as much recognition from others as possible, but some recognition is just too unworthy to waste your time. I recognize your talent, I'm giving you the recognition you deserve. That's what is most important for you at this moment; all prizes and other awards will come later."

It was incredible that Sasuke's words cut through any kind of self-deprecating emotion, washing away instantly all the accumulated insecurity and resentment Naruto felt towards himself. In this moment, Sasuke's opinion held important value, gave a stronger impact in comparison to numerous others. How and when did this happen?

And the instant Sasuke recognized him, it was like a warmth spread through his veins, breathing fire in his heart, initiating a small spark that flickered, burning enough until Naruto reached his epiphany, both hands cupping the pale face:

"Sasuke…I think I'm starting to like you." He murmured, moving down to reach a pair of thin lips.

Report 09: My reflection of your image, your resemblance animating my contemplated eyes

AN: Izzat a cliffhanger? Hm. *looking at the last lines* Yeah, that looks like a cliffhanger. Maybe. A little bit. Not much.

Bah ok, I'll admit it's a cliffhanger. But I've done worse so…it's a pretty tame cliffhanger, so yeah, nothing extremely bad that will make you guys wanting to pull your hair or pull my hair and yelling about injustice. Right? Right.

By the way, I'm surprised that no one noticed that the title in Report 01 is tied with the confessions in Report 06. *pouts* Or maybe it was so obvious that no one ever wasted their breath to comment about it?

Oh yeah, gaijin is the term of "foreigner" but more in a depreciate way. Depends in context tho.

Reviews pleaseeeeee?

Chapter 10: Report 10

Chapter Text

At first, Sasuke wasn't fully aware he was spewing such long diatribe to Naruto, too angry and concerned over the blond man to notice that he was being more expressive than his usual nonchalant self.

However, seeing the relief reaching Naruto's azure eyes, the haunted expression being washed away gave Sasuke some sort of gratification. He disliked not witnessing Naruto’s usual determined self, loathed whenever the usual bright expression was filled with gloom.

That was the reason that once Sasuke let his words sink in, he felt contented that he could erase those negative emotions from Naruto and let those bright blue eyes focus on him. Their gazes were fixed for an undetermined amount of time, Sasuke observing the blond reaching an epiphany and shifting closer; the small movement giving a heady rush of emotion stirring inside him.

"Sasuke…I think I'm starting to like you." Naruto muttered almost inaudibly, but it was enough to cause Sasuke's heart to thump very loudly. Each fingertip was felt from his suddenly overly-sensitive skin, the warmth touching and spreading throughout his pale cheeks as the blond approached.

Oh, f*ck. Is he—he's really—the dumbass really is—Widened onyx eyes stared in horror at this sudden turn of events when Sasuke's mind reacted on impulse. He placed both hands on Naruto's shoulders and pushed him away to an arm-length's distance.

"What the hell are you trying to do usuratonkachi?" Sasuke glared, Naruto still had his eyes closed and lips puckered. He looked ridiculous.

The blond slowly opened his eyes to notice that his action was unfortunately deterred and tried to push forward. "What do you think I'm trying to do, I'm trying to kiss you dammit."

Sasuke pushed Naruto farther away. "Well, don't do that dumbass."

Naruto pushed forward. "What the hell is your problem?" Once the distance was close enough, he re-closed his eyelids and resumed his 'kiss the frog' expression.

Sasuke was now earnestly trying to avoid Naruto's lips. "What the hell is your problem? Who said that I want to be kissed by you?"

"That doesn't matter you bastard!" The blond was also stubbornly moving forward. "Can't you read the mood? Haven't you watched movies enough? That's the cliché moment when you have to accept my kiss, you ass—ow ow ow!" He whined when Sasuke plastered his hand on his whiskered face and pushed it far away.

With a look of disgust, staring now at his saliva-soaked palm, Sasuke picked his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped it off. "Hn. As if anyone in sane conscience would be interested in being kissed by an usuratonkachi like you."

Naruto glowered towards the smug look on Sasuke's face, now thinking to himself what the hell was wrong with him wanting to kiss that icy bastard. "Well you asshole, you can't really talk, since you kissed me before after all."

Sasuke sniffed. "Like I said, anyone in sane conscience. Only after a good amount of beer and the dreadful feeling of being near death made me kiss you, dumbass."

WHAT A BASTARD. Naruto growled, the smirk from Sasuke's lips hitching even higher. He should come up with a good rebuttal, something as sarcastic, spot-on and spiteful just to show his superiority.

"OW!" Sasuke protested from the injury when Naruto kicked his ankles quite viciously. "What the hell, that hurt you moron!" He complained while his hands were nursing the wounded leg.

"Aww…poor lil Sasu-chan can't deal with a boo-boo?" Naruto rebutted, one hand cupping his face in mock concern. "Not surprising a snotty spoiled brat would whine about one small injury. What a wimp."

One of Sasuke's eyebrows twitched and he closed his eyelids in mild annoyance, surely not expecting that their talk would degrade to an immature bickering. No matter, he was going to ignore the stupid blond. Ignore ignore…

"Wuss—wuss—Sasu-chan is a wimp—"Naruto continued chanting scornfully. "Chicken-butt Sasuke—Chicken coward~~~"

That did it. Sasuke balled his hand ready to land a punch on the whiskered cheek but Naruto was quicker and dodged, running towards the exit door and blowing a raspberry:

"Come try to get me bastard! If you can…" The blond turned around and started sprinting towards the elevator, Sasuke hot on his tail. He was lucky enough to enter just in time as the elevator's door was closing, gleefully smiling while the Uchiha was fuming.

Fine! If that's how the dumbass wanted to play…Sasuke focused, remembering all the possible paths inside the airport and ran to the one he knew was the shortest way to the departure hall. One of the advantages of being part of Uchiha Corporation is that the airport prepared private short cuts for them and the brunet intended to fully utilize it now.

"Just you wait till I arrive first, stupid moronic blond." Sasuke thought darkly while his brain entertained the many possibilities of exacting his revenge on Naruto, which involved a good amount of choking and other gory details. He arrived soon at the Southbound departure hall, waiting for the blond with crossed arms.

Few minutes passed and Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows, tapping on his feet. He looked at his watch and realized that there wasn't much time left for his own flight. Maybe Naruto got lost in the airport? He rolled his eyes, his gaze straining to see any spiky blond hair in the vicinity.

Wait. Or maybe the dumbass really did succeed entering before him. Sasuke growled, noticing that there was only 10 minutes left before his flight. He should enter now before it was too late, he knew which gate was Naruto's flight so he could drag the idiot to some secluded place and give him the deserved beating. Nodding to himself, he offered his passport and flight ticket to the officer and once authorized he entered inside.

Suddenly, a loud whistle attracted everyone's attention including Sasuke’s; he turned around and saw Naruto waving his arm as a mocking goodbye.

Onyx eyes widened considerably before narrowing into one look that spelled murder, and with a snarl Sasuke stalked towards the blond only to realize he couldn't move any further since the airport officers were holding him.

"Sir, you have already entered inside, you are not allowed to return any longer!"

"What?" Sasuke growled. "I just need a second, I'll be back soon!"

"No, please obey our procedures, once you have showed the documents, you cannot undo this action. Please don't disrupt the influx of passengers here." The officer replied, inflexible.

"Have a nice trip Sasuke!" Naruto shouted with a mischievous smile. His lips considerably widened as the brunet continued to struggle for a few more seconds, only to stop with an angry shrug and threw a last menacing glare towards the blond.

Naruto laughed unbeknownst to himself. Hiding behind the chairs proved to be a very successful strategy and watching the furious expression on Sasuke's face was incredibly entertaining. Their next meeting was scheduled three days ahead, so it gave enough time for Sasuke's rage to simmer down. Still, Naruto was sure that Sasuke would try finding any possible excuse to lash out at him.

"Ah damn…I better arrive on time that day."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

With a yawn, Shikamaru was sending some new projects to Naruto through Skype as they continued to chat amicably, the blond narrating excitedly about his latest sightseeing in Kyoto.

"Ah yeah, can you send me again the first floor plan? I think I forgot to save it in my laptop." Naruto said, looking at Shikamaru's face recorded on the camera.

"Sure, tomorrow is your meeting with Sasuke Uchiha right?" Shikamaru replied, clicking on the mouse and dragging the file inside Skype. He saw a scowl forming on the blond's face and questioned. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah well…I'm not exactly looking forward to see him." After the whole confusion in Narita's airport, some resentment towards Sasuke seeped in once Naruto recalled the whole refusal.

"Oh?" Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow, recognizing the familiar diatribe. "Hm, weird, considering that you were on good terms with him."

"Well, he's still an asshole after all! God, he's such a prick." Naruto grumbled.

"I see." Shikamaru slowly felt his shoulders relaxing; it seemed that everything had returned to normal, without that headache about Naruto being attracted to Uchiha.

"Yeah! That uptight bastard, getting all touchy over a small thing! Sheesh, what a jerk!"

"Mm." Yep, definitely returning to the good ol’ days—

"Overreacting just because I tried to kiss him! f*cking bastard!"

Wait what?

"What?" Shikamaru asked, his mouth slightly agape as he leaned towards his monitor. "What did you say just now Naruto?"

Blue eyes conveniently avoided looking at the surprised expression, the tanned face acquiring a red hue as Naruto mumbled embarrassed, one finger scratching his cheek. "Uh…uh…well, I tried to kiss him?"

Shikamaru rubbed his eyebrows with his fingers. "I thought you said you didn't want to feel any sort of attraction towards him."

"Well—!"

"So, enlighten me. Why the change of heart?" The ponytailed brunet groaned.

Naruto slackened his jaw, trying to come up with any word though his expression was completely mortified, fidgeting in front of the camera. The blond threw his hands to the air. "I—I can't explain! It's complicated!"

"Don't tell me it was an accident again. Something like he choked on some food and you had to do CPR."

"No! It was like—"Naruto mumbled. "It was different. Something between us. And he said—some things."

"What things?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

The blond vigorously shook his head. "Doesn't really matter. I mean, it matters but—Anyways. He said some things that made me…" Naruto paused, his blush deepening and Shikamaru stared impressed, he looked like some blond chili-pepper. "Uh…so—aaaaargh. I thought he looked like, you know, so I wanted to kiss him and then—then…DO I REALLY HAVE TO EXPLAIN THIS sh*t?" He exploded.

"I guess…I'll give you a break." Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "So what happened later that made you all angry? He probably rejected your attempt of kissing?”

"Yeah!" Naruto growled, relieved he returned to a more familiar emotion; anger. "And he was all snobbish and arrogant that it pissed me off!"

"Uh huh. So what did you do after that?"

"I kicked him!" Naruto declared proudly.

Shikamaru raised both eyebrows.

"Then I taunted him back, calling him a chicken. He chased after me, but I was faster. I also figured that since he knew the airport better than me and I knew his flight time was earlier than mine, I waited till he entered the custom service area so he wouldn't be able to go back for revenge. Hah! The sweet triumph once I secured my victory! It made everything worthwhile." Naruto nodded to himself, a look of satisfaction spreading across his face.

"…" Shikamaru rubbed his eyelids, trying to bite back the urge to exhale a very aggravated sigh. Brats…he was dealing with immature brats…not the fully grown up adults that they should be in this day and age. "Naruto, didn't I warn you before that you shouldn't pursue Sasuke Uchiha considering the obstacles that would go with it?"

"…uh…sorry?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Ok fine, so aside this bout of insanity, you're not going to chase after him right?"

However, instead of receiving some sort of agreement with this question, Naruto simply rested his back on the chair with a serious and pensive expression and slowly mumbled. "What if I said I want to?"

"What?" Shikamaru rebutted disbelieving. "Are you some sort of masoch*st? Didn't you just said few seconds ago that he's a f*cking prick?"

"Well, but maybe he's not that much of a prick! And maybe I changed my mind, maybe it's worth the try!" Naruto said heatedly.

"Naruto, he's not the type you're looking for. I asked Temari, she used to be in the same social circle as he is and she confirmed he's hom*osexual, but kept this a secret to the public view. You don't like restraining your feelings."

"Maybe not, but I can keep a secret!"

"What? No, you can't." Shikamaru snorted. "You're the worst liar I've ever seen in my life. Sasuke Uchiha probably refused you because he knows how much you're not good at hiding anything, you're so damn easy to read sometimes."

"What!" Naruto opened his mouth in protest.

"And you're a disaster in flirting with anyone. Try it for few seconds and I'm sure the next day you'll be in the headlines of some newspaper with a photo of you making kissy faces towards Sasuke Uchiha."

"I'm not a disaster!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes once again. "Please, I'm sure that half of the worst pick-up lines in the whole world were conceived by you. I remember so damn well whenever you tried to ask Sakura for a date, your attempts to woo her backfired so badly every friggin’ time."

"But I had some girlfriends before!"

"Again, like I've said, you didn't chase them; you let them chase after you. It's only when you're the oblivious blond, your personality works as a charm to ensnare those unlucky girls. But if you're doing the chase…well oh boy, zero percent of success." Shikamaru saw his friend crossing his arms in defiance, sulking.

"Well fine then! Since you know more about me than I know about myself, what kind of advice do you wanna give me then, oh great guru expert?"

"…so you're not going to—"

"No." Naruto replied, inflexible. "I've decided. I…am going to try."

Shikamaru scratched the back of his head. "Have I already mentioned how much you're too intense whenever you're in the purs—oh yes, I did talk about this last time, didn't I?"

Blue eyes rolled impetuously, Naruto chortled. "C'mon Shika, you're sounding like I want to marry him or something like that! I'm just trying it out, if it's no good I'll back out, I promise."

"Oh really? Let me ask you one thing, when was the last time you had a crush on someone?"

Naruto blinked confused. "What kind of question is that, didn't I have some girlf—"

"Again, when was the first and the last time you have such strong feelings and stubbornly chased after her?"

Naruto huffed impatiently, and retorted. "Why are we talking about Sakura-chan again, I—"

"And again, what was the ultimate result about this whole experience?"

"So what, the circ*mstances are different! He's someone else, not Sakura-chan, and I'm old enough to know if I should back out if necessary! I'm not going to be too intense, besides at that time, I was only a teenager; you're bound to do stupid things!"

"Exactly." Shikamaru punctuated his word. "You were a teenager, running on hormones and wanting to hump anything near you but what did you do? You stayed faithful to a girl for five years who didn't do anything aside kissing you on prom night!"

"So maybe Sakura-chan kept giving me mixed signals, maybe you were right, I was too stubborn!" Naruto conceded with a groan. "But I'll be more careful now!"

"Are you sure?" Shikamaru asked, still worried.

"Yes!" Naruto answered with an aggravated grunt. "Are you satisfied now, mother?"

"Man, you still haven't turned off Skype?" Interrupting the conversation, Temari appeared on the screen with a quirked eyebrow, just returning from her bath.

"We're still talking about Sasuke Uchiha." Shikamaru replied, idly massaging his temples.

"And your fiancé doesn't believe in me! C'mon Temari, help me out about it!" Naruto whined.

Not questioning why she was suddenly thrown inside a conversation she wasn't paying attention to before, Temari languidly approached towards the microphone and declared with a smirk: "You guys are behaving like high school girls talking about gossip and giggling about their latest crush. Do me a favor and grow some balls because this situation is getting ridiculous." She ignored the indignant squawk from the blond man and gave a cheeky peck on the lips to her boyfriend, whispering. "I'm going to bed."

Naruto stared suspiciously as Shikamaru's features lost his standard lazy eyes, clearing his throat. "So, like I've said, as long as you don't go too overboard with this pursuit and know your limit, everything will be fine. I think it's time for me to go."

"But we didn't finish this conversation yet!" Naruto protested.

"It's getting late Naruto, and I also need to sleep." The brunet replied with a yawn, glancing sideways.

"What? Bullsh*t! What about your morality! The code! Our friendship! You're just leaving me hangin' so you can have great sex with Temari, aren't you? Is the sex really that awesome to make you abandon me on my direst situation, you heartless friend?" Naruto pointed with an accusing finger.

Shikamaru made a face of 'what do you think?' before sluggishly moving his mouse around. "I'll see you later Naruto." He turned off Skype.

"Wait a min—ass!" The blond fumed, hearing the noise of being hung up as the window camera automatically shut off.

Seriously, with those type of friends, who needs enemies?

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Naruto stared at his watch with smug satisfaction. He arrived five minutes earlier than the scheduled time. The bastard wouldn't be able to complain about his lateness today and he also rechecked every plan and documents, so Sasuke would have no excuse left to complain about him.

The kiss incident however, Naruto wasn't so sure how he should address it, with Shikamaru's warnings ringing in his mind. Maybe he shouldn’t hurry over all this, see how the situation would develop. Still, it was a blow to his ego that his lazy ass friend insisted that he sucked at flirting, he wasn't that incompetent! Naruto grumbled to himself, adjusting the rolls of paper in his arms though most were dangling and it took some effort for him to hold them up.

With the golden hair slightly disheveled and his suit a little bit rumpled from all the movement, Naruto made the receptionist at the Uchiha Corporation narrow her eyes suspiciously once he entered their building, arriving from a regular taxi instead of a limousine or some imported car. Naruto flashed a bright grin that temporarily mollified her distrust when the blond architect spoke in Japanese:

"Hi! I have a meeting with Uchiha Sasuke now. My name is Uzumaki Naruto."

In an instant, all her qualms resurfaced as she glanced up and down at the questionable man in front of her. She daily met a good number of men who lied about fictitious meetings with Uchiha Sasuke, one of the most important figures in the Uchiha Corporation, so it was her dutiful chore weeding out unnecessary annoyances. She saw the way his hair didn't appear to be stylized fashionably, the spiky strands looked all natural, and although his suit it looked good on him, was obviously not from an expensive brand given the fabric cut, and above all his orange necktie that was one odd, bright color.

"I see." She said with reasonable reservation. "May I see your documents please? Before we contact Uchiha Sasuke-sama, there are some necessary protocols to be followed, if you don't mind."

Blue eyes blinked bewildered before he placed the rolled papers on the desk, looking for his passport inside his backpack. "Here it is."

She inspected the document for a few seconds, placing the passport on the desk with a discernible sigh. Although the document was legitimate, this didn't prove anything if this man really had a meeting with Uchiha Sasuke. To confirm it, she should call his secretary, though somehow she was still unwilling to do so. Plus, he looked too young to be someone who had impressive achievements; he's probably just a bum looking for a job. A very handsome bum…the receptionist took some extra seconds to ogle the blond, nevertheless, still a bum.

"Uzumaki Naruto-san, if you don't mind, can we inspect the objects you carry as well as perform a thorough scan to see if you're carrying any metal, dangerous items among other things?" Before the blond could even open his mouth, she added. "It's all part of protocol."

Naruto begrudgingly handed the papers to them as well as his backpack, noticing now that five minutes had passed already, the receptionist used the intercom to call security. Once they arrived, she didn't voice out loud her orders, opting instead to whisper closely to one of them as they also stared back at the blond as if he were a nuisance.

They started scanning his body when another receptionist arrived with a questionable glance, though the one who talked with Naruto stood next to her, and continued the whispering. Naruto felt his body unconsciously stiffening at the subtle disdain, that oppressive atmosphere…he couldn't move away, he couldn't stop this horrible sensation…

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Sasuke was staring at his watch, for once not looking with annoyance but instead wearing a haughty smirk. Seriously…either the dumbass was purposely looking for trouble or he was just too stupid not to arrive on time at least for today. Now he had the perfect excuse to begin retaliation for all what happened back in Narita's airport. With a quick swipe on his iPhone, he dialed Naruto's cell phone:

A voice answered him. "Hell—"

Sasuke immediately snarled. "You're late. Ten minutes late. I can't believe this. One would believe that since you're coming to my office you'd try to be punctual not to mention you're now on Japanese lands and we don't tolerate people arriving late. Looks like you can't get rid of this habit, eh usuratonkachi?" The brunet criticized as he entered the elevator, pressing the button to the Lobby as he already asked for his driver to wait for him. He better personally pick up that dumbass or else they would never have enough time for a decent meeting today.

"Why you Bastard, I did arrive on time! I even arrived 5 minutes earlier than normal, okay!" Naruto replied.

"Oh really? Then why haven't you arrived in the conference room yet?" Sasuke snorted, skeptical.

The blond paused for some seconds that created one raise of dark eyebrow in response. Naruto said, sheepish. "Uh…I'm kinda stuck. In your lobby."

"What?" Sasuke exited the elevator and walked towards the entrance. "What kind of crazy thing are you spouting right now, usura—"He saw familiar blond hair and his voice trailed off.

Naruto also noticed Sasuke and timidly waved his hand, another one holding his smartphone. "Um…hi?"

Sasuke turned off his smartphone and looked bewildered. "Why are you here? Or better, what's taking you so long to go to my office?"

"I…" Naruto sputtered, shifting his gaze sideways. "I—don't know, they said they have to fulfill the protocols and now they are scanning all my plans one by one."

Even so, this whole inspection shouldn't take so long, Sasuke mused when one of his receptionists arrived, asking:

"Uchiha-sama? You know this gentleman?"

The brunet replied impatiently. "Yes, he's supposed to have a meeting with me at this very moment. Why haven't you called my secretary to confirm this appointment?"

The receptionist blushed, noticing her mishap as she explained, bowing in apology. "I'm so sorry! I had to make sure that Uzumaki-sama followed the procedures to ensure he didn't carry any dangerous items before I could bothe—"

"So basically you're saying you judged Naruto wrongly instead of simply taking few extra seconds to confirm my schedule? Your pre-conceived opinion proves to be a hindrance to efficiency in this office and you're apparently limited to erroneously analyzing someone only through outward appearances." Sasuke snapped, interrupting her.

"Uh, hey, you don't have to be that hard on her—" Naruto tentatively intervened in between.

The Uchiha continued, unrelenting. "The Uchiha Corporation cannot accept this type of conduct from our employees and your lack of proper decision making not only hampered the timeliness of our contractor's appointment but also infringed upon his right to be here as requested. You're fired." Sasuke declared with an icy glare, walking back to the elevator as he ignored the teary-eyed expression from his employee.

"Whoa! No, wait, isn't that a little bit too much—"Naruto followed after, until all of a sudden Sasuke turned around to face him with one growl.

"And you! Haven't you had enough?"

"What? What!" Naruto sputtered, why the hell was Sasuke's rage suddenly directed at him?

"I don't understand how you don't waste one second to defend your step father by punching a client and losing your job, but you won't move one inch if there's any need to defend yourself."

"How do you—" Naruto replied with widened eyes.

"Don't forget, I wasn't the only one who poured his heart out and confessed some secrets that night." Sasuke said, the elevator's door opening in front of him as he prepared to enter inside.

"I thought you wouldn't remember that, since you were too drunk at the time." Naruto grumbled to himself, then noticed. "Ah, I have to grab my things at the reception des—" He felt one hand firmly grasping his arm while Sasuke spoke.

"There's no need, I'll ask someone to pick up your belongings later."

"Oh…okay…" The blond agreed with a brief nod, entering the elevator. Once the door closed and started moving up, Sasuke turned him around, pale fingers holding his shoulder so tightly that Naruto winced from his strength.

"Why aren't you doing anything at all whenever someone is underestimating you? I know you hate this kind of attitude, that's why you worked so hard to be successful right? So why aren’t you complaining this unfair treatment?" Sasuke snarled.

"You think I've never tried?" Naruto replied heatedly, wrenching the hand away from his shoulder. "Discussion, fights, pranks…I did everything I could but it never changed the point of view they had about me. It's no use." Blue eyes stared at some faraway point, unfocused. "Then, my current father arrived, I tried to behave as best as I could, because I didn't want him to regret adopting me. Only after we got used to each other I tried to be more vocal, but it’s not the same. You can’t erase their opinion this way. That's why I had to be better than them, so they could finally recognize me."

Sasuke thought about this for a bit, the silence hanging between them as they took their time to ponder over Naruto's words. The brunet shook his head. "Even so, you already went beyond than necessary, you no longer need to be stuck in having to show how much you have improved over the years. You have a fairly successful career, a decent income and haven't done anything to make you ashamed of yourself. No one is entitled to look at you with contempt, have some pride in your own achievements."

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, grumbling. "I do have pride in my achievements. Just because I'm not like you, who parades everywhere with your nose held up high, like some kind of peaco*ck showing his glittering feathers doesn't mean I'm not proud of myself."

Onyx eyes narrowed dangerously, before the brunet snorted. "Maybe you think I'm too prideful, but you shouldn't allow people to misjudge you so easily. Learn a thing or two about how I handle those situations."

"Of course. Because becoming an arrogant bastard surely is on the top of my what-to-do list." Naruto rolled his eyes in exasperation, though there was a visible grin showing on his lips.

"Hn." Sasuke shrugged, waiting for the door to open as they exited the elevator. "Wait." He turned his head to face the blond, speaking. "The first time I met you I also underestimated you based on your physical appearance and your behavior. Why did you argue against me then?"

Naruto appeared to be surprised by this inquiry as he replied. "I dunno. You're different I guess. A bigger jerk. Why do you care?"

Sasuke didn't offer any sort of rebuttal, re-starting his walk towards the appointed room when the blond noticed a familiar expression and said. "Hey. Why are you smirking now, bastard?"

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Naruto stretched his arms wide, relaxing as he turned off his laptop and began re-organizing the papers.

"So, now that we're done for today, I bestow you my best wishes that you won’t get lost while exploring Kyoto.” Sasuke said with nonchalance, also turning off his laptop and picking up his cell phone.

"Bastard. I've prepared myself enough and wrote the whole itinerary for today, with addresses and everything. There's a temporary exhibition that I'm really excited to see!" Naruto said, beaming widely.

"Oh? And what kind of exhibition is it?" Sasuke asked flippantly, staring at the list of contacts inside his phone.

"Tah-dah!" Naruto showed a flier and graphite eyes stared at it. "It's a Chinese Calligraphy exhibition! Actually, I don't know much about Eastern Calligraphy, but Shikamaru was the one who said it was worth the visit."

"Hn." Sasuke perused the paper, reading the contents.

"He said that they are exhibiting many important documents and there are some scrolls written by important artists."

"Hn." Sasuke continued to stare, looking at each detail inside.

"Their main attraction is the Treatise on Calligraphy written by Sonkatei, it's said that it revolutionized Eastern Calligraphy’s style during the Tang Dynasty. It was donated temporarily from a museum in Taiwan for this exhibition and everyone said it's worth the visit."

"Hm…" Onyx eyes were completely focused on the paper displayed in front of him, forgetting whatever thing he was supposed to do with his cell phone. Naruto looked at Sasuke and blinked confused.

The blond stared as the dark eyes were moving up and down, reading all the information with an entranced concentration when Naruto asked. "Hey, you wanna go with me and see it?"

Hearing the proposal snapped Sasuke out of his stupor as he hastened to focus back to his smartphone, responding. "No thanks. I'm too busy today, unfortunately."

"Really? C'mon, you looked so interested in this flier, it'd be a shame if you won't go." Naruto said, leaning closer to Sasuke.

Mentally steeling himself to forget about stupid blonds and their warm attractive bodies, Sasuke resumed in searching a name on the contact list as he spoke, not looking up. "I'm not as interested as you claim and I have an urgent meeting today. Maybe next time."

"Yeah, k…when is this 'next time' going to be?" The blond raised one eyebrow, skeptical.

The brunet just made an uncommitted grunt, his eyes staring at the phone until suddenly he felt Naruto grabbing the device and felt it slipping away from his fingertips. "What the—give my cell phone back usuratonkachi." Sasuke glared for emphasis, approaching menacingly towards the blond.

"Why should I?" Naruto grinned, raising his arm up high, taking a few broad steps back away from Sasuke. "No phone, no calling, no meeting. Brilliant idea huh?"

"Idiot, this is not a joke, I really have to go to this meeting. Give it back now." Sasuke growled, struggling to grab his cell phone but Naruto was faster in changing from one hand to another. Annoyed, the Uchiha drew nearer to Naruto's body, his hands almost reaching the gadget when he saw an infuriating beam in the corner of his eye.

"Well, I do appreciate you being all over me." The blond whispered close to his lips, shifting slightly so they could feel a light friction between their bodies.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, increasing the distance with one balled fist ready to whack the blond head though Naruto was faster. With one mischievous smile, he casually dropped the cell phone in his backpack lying next to him, zipped it and threw it over his shoulder in a matter of seconds.

"What? You dare—" Sasuke tried to grab the backpack or open the zipper though the blond kept ducking at the right time. "What are you trying to accomplish by doing something as childish as this?" The brunet glared.

"Hm? Can't you see? I kidnapped your cell phone! Just think, all your important contacts and e-mails will be vanished with only one click!" The corner of Naruto's mouth widened and he beamed even more evilly once he saw the murderous intent emanating from Sasuke. "But I'll accept a simple ransom. Just go with me to this exhibition and by the end of this visit I'll return it to you."

"What kind of crazy thing you’re spouting right now, you dumb—"

"Yeah, it is kind of crazy. I mean, I bet there are a ton of important things stored inside this cell phone, so maybe I should ask for a better ransom." Naruto replied airily, organizing the papers. "We better go to my hotel first so I can leave my plans in my room, go with me to this exhibition and then buy me one cup of coffee. Now that's a decent request."

Sasuke sighed. "Didn't you hear what I said before? I have an important meeting, I can't waste my time—"

"Oh, c'mon, it's just for a few hours and you're the boss, they wouldn't dare complain if you arrive late. Plus, it's a good way to see if your staff is competent enough to handle a situation without you. I'm a genius, right?" Naruto nodded to himself, opening the door. "Let's go."

Sasuke closed his eyes in fake annoyance, shaking his head as he replied. "Fine. Since you didn't give me any choice."

"Hah! I knew you were interested in th—"

"Don't push your luck usuratonkachi."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Naruto stared at the multiple scriptures displayed in front of him, co*cking his head to one side. He was lucky he knew a reasonable number of kanjis, which allowed him to comprehend the forms and content of each letter, but it appeared that this type of art was focused only towards the specialists that were capable of fully appreciating it. Back in college, he took some painting classes so he wielded a paintbrush for some watercolor works. However, seeing the straight lines and perfect forms using the same brush that he knew from experience that was too soft and malleable to succeed in creating such clean lines baffled him.

"How the hell…?" Naruto mumbled, approaching to see the details of one small character, it was so perfectly written that it could almost trick you into believing that it was done digitally on the computer.

"Having fun?" Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, gazing at the same scripture written by an emperor from China.

"The character is so small, but you can't see any kind of flaw or hesitation from the writer. Did they use different tools or some kind of calligraphic pens?" Naruto asked.

"No, it's just ink and a brush, that's all. Well, there's also correcting your posture and the position of your brush, among other things. Writing Eastern Calligraphy demands that your mind should be focused and serene, so your lines would reflect your tranquil spirit. It follows the Confucian philosophy of finding inner peace and being one with nature." Sasuke explained.

"That's really impressive. They have tons of different types of writing styles. I can't read this one; they're a bunch of simple lines and stuff." The blond pointed to another scroll, they looked at and appreciated intently. "It's really pretty though."

"That's Soushotai, or Cursive Script in Western terms. They simplified the letters on purpose so you can move your brush more freely, but on the other hand only scholars who studied this style are able to read it."

"Hm…is this one of the things that every Japanese kid knows about or is that something you studied specifically?" Naruto turned his head around, only to meet piercing onyx eyes in return. The blond chuckled, unaffected from the glare. "I guess it's the second option then. Wow, but this curved line is really impressive! I think I can use this idea for my next project…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Do you really have to relate everything to architecture? Didn't know you were such an architect geek."

Naruto harrumphed. "It's not my fault, it's a conditioned reflex. We architects are obsessed with forms and shapes, using them as inspiration to create new ideas." He crouched to observe better the lines when he met one uncomfortable pause coming from the brunet. "Something wrong?"

Sasuke fixed his eyes to the ground in a pensive state, when he mumbled almost inaudibly. "Must be nice. Loving your job so much that you see it everywhere you go."

Naruto straightened up, looking at Sasuke who kept a nonchalant face, though a small tightening of his mouth was somehow perceptible to the blond. "…Are you saying that you don't like your current job?"

Sasuke sighed, it wasn't like he really hated being a VP, after working in this field for so long, he ended up appreciating some aspects of his job. But it wasn't exactly what he wanted, it wasn't something that he would pursue so passionately, or concentrate so intently on, like he always saw in Naruto whenever those blue eyes would focus re-checking details on a plan. "It's not…the ideal."

"Oh? Then, what are you interested in then?" Naruto asked curiously.

Sasuke took a few seconds to absorb the inquiry, questioning himself whether he should talk about this or not. It was a private issue, though somehow, he felt that he wouldn't mind sharing it with Naruto. "Look around you."

With a bewildered expression, Naruto obeyed, glancing briefly at the people who were admiring the pieces of art.

"Have you noticed? Most of the people inside are either middle-aged men or foreigners. Young people rarely get interested in something like that. Lately there's a mass influence coming from other countries, such as USA or Korea. The current generation can't appreciate their own culture, which is something lamentable, when Japan has a rich history and values that should be treasured forever. Although being one of the heads of Uchiha Corporation grants me the money and resources to help revitalize Japan's culture…for me it's not enough." The brunet said the last part quietly, hung in suspense awaiting Naruto's answer.

"Hey…" Naruto called, in which Sasuke answered with a raised eyebrow. "I think that's a pretty awesome ambition." The blond spoke with indubitable sincerity, a warm smile that made Sasuke's heart skip a beat, as he tried his best to school a quirk coming to his lips.

Sasuke cleared his throat, in an attempt to make Naruto focus on the scripture. They continued to view the whole exhibition, the blond man asking whatever question he had in mind, Sasuke would explain efficiently. Once they finished looking the whole exhibition, Naruto took the cell phone out and offered it to the brunet:

"Well, I guess that's all for today. I'll spare you buying coffee 'cuz I'm a nice guy and you were a pretty decent tour guide." He grinned.

"Hn." Sasuke took it from him with mocking irritation, checking the screen to call his driver. He saw Naruto picking up a paper which he guessed it was his itinerary. Curiosity piqued, he glanced furtively at the chosen places until, with narrowed eyes, he snatched the paper away.

"Hey!" The blond man automatically protested.

"…you want to go to a brewery?" Sasuke asked in mild incredulity.

"What's wrong with that? I want to compare the differences between Japanese beer and American beer!" Naruto explained, trying to get his paper back.

"…" Sasuke continued to read the contents and snarled. "Temple of penises?"

"It's a different type of temple! It's a temple of fertility! You'd be curious to take a peek too!" Naruto responded.

"Usuratonkachi, when you're inside a famous historical city such as Kyoto, you'll go to the most important landmarks from Japanese history, and not a Gundam store in Osaka!" Sasuke launched his famed Uchiha glare®, in full powered 100% potency.

"What's your problem with Gundam? It's an awesome place, robots, anime and everything, I played with those toys back when I was a kid!" The blond grumbled, determined to have his schedule back though the Uchiha kept dodging his attempts.

"But instead of doing those useless things, you should go to serious places and properly appreciate the Japanese culture, you dumbass."

"What are you talking about? Gundam is part of the Japanese culture!" Naruto rebutted with conviction, bright blue eyes blinking in an almost childish innocence.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Only in your usuratonkachi world and usuratonkachi mind." He replied in mild exasperation, keeping his nonchalant attitude until he snapped. "Maid café?"

"…why not?" Naruto sulked.

"Why would you be interested in going to those unsavory places you pervert?" Sasuke glowered.

"Wait…I'm not a perv. I'm simply a normal tourist that have a natural curiosity about certain unique traits of your culture so I'm going there to understand this aspect of it better." Naruto explained with a scholarly tone. Then, the blond snorted inelegantly. "You Japanese people are the kinky pervy ones that invented it, not me. Aren’t you glad that I didn't choose the hardcore course, I've heard that there's a place where you pay to jack off a woman wearing a high school uniform and removing her pan—"

Sasuke had enough. With one clean action, he ripped in half the schedule and had the pleasure of turning it into mini confetti.

"What the hell!" Naruto shouted. "That's my carefully planned schedule that I wasted tons of hours to come up with the ideal program! Why did you do that?"

"You're going with me." Sasuke sniffed imperiously. "My pride as a Japanese citizen will be sullied if I ever allow you to go to those unholy places. You better follow me or else."

"What, didn’t you have an important meeting and stuff?" Naruto complained.

"Didn't you say yourself that I should test the efficiency of my staff and see how they manage on their own?" The brunet sneered.

The other young man clamped his mouth shut, his tanned face displaying an obvious displeasure in not being able to come up with a rebuttal.

Satisfied with this outcome, Sasuke said as they exited the Museum. "Why did you have an interest in going to those weird places anyways? Can't you choose some conventional ones that every foreigner would go to once they arrive in Kyoto?"

"Huh? Don't group me with the usual foreigners that don't understand one inch of the Japanese culture. I understand, I studied almost my whole life, my adopted father is Japanese. For me, it's nothing out of the ordinary." Naruto grumbled. "Plus, it's so boring going where everyone else goes then you don't have anything different to share with your friends." He started reciting a dialogue. "'Did you go to Kyomizu-Dera?' 'Yeah, I did, so pretty.' 'Did you go to Kinkaku-jii and Ginkaku-ji?' 'Yep yep.' 'What about Himeji Castle?' 'Yeah, I went there, as always, an impressive place, so pweety, so magnanimous.'" The blond groaned. "That's so f*cking boring! At least I had the opportunity to go to unusual places so I can show how different my visit was and I’ll be able to boast seeing the biggest phallic symbol inside a Japanese temple. That's why you bastard shouldn't stop me in my journey to reveal different parts of the—"

"Finish that sentence and I'll cut your own phallic symbol off and throw it to the sharks. You're not going to do this in my presence dumbass." Sasuke growled.

"…fine. Then, where are we going?" Naruto conceded in defeat.

"Toudaiji in Nara. It's the largest wooden building in the world and contains the largest bronze Buddha statue. One would think that since you're an architect, you would go there to analyze it." The brunet mumbled slightly incredulous.

"Well, I was planning to go tomorrow. What kind of uncultured bastard do you think I am?" Naruto snorted as the brunet answered with a raise of an eyebrow. Suddenly, the blond widened a lopsided smirk. "Wait. Is this a date?"

"Of course not you idiot." Sasuke replied untroubled. "No kind of date would consist of me having a headache and acting like a baby-sitter to an usuratonkachi like you."

Naruto sulked for a few seconds before a light bulb went off and he whispered with a sultry tone. "But you should consider it, because I like having sex on my first date." He emphasized with a waggle of eyebrows.

The Uchiha paused, turning his head to gawk in disbelief at the wide grin spreading on the whiskered face. He was still trying to process the last lines professed, in an attempt to understand what the hell was going on now. It appeared that the idiot was trying to flirt with him…very horribly in fact. In his long history of meeting admirers and fangirls, this was, hands down, the worst pick-up line he had ever heard.

So Sasuke snorted. "Moron."

The grin immediately morphed into a scowl as Naruto growled. "Bastard!"

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

The whole trip to Nara fortunately was quick, though that didn't stop them from bickering along the way. Once they arrived, there was a traditional shop nearby; Naruto nudged Sasuke as they entered.

"I'm thinking of buying some souvenirs for my friends, but I'm not sure what I should choose." Naruto said, looking around.

"There's plenty of keychains and cell phone accessories for both genders that have a reasonable price." Sasuke replied.

"Hm…I also wanted to buy something special for Sarutobi-jiichan. My father said that he likes green tea and there aren't many good brands in NY, so I was thinking of buying some here. On the other hand, I forgot to ask which brands are good…" Naruto thought out loud.

"Simple." Sasuke smirked. "You should buy our green tea. It's specially cultivated in the best fields in Japan and our leaf selection is one of the best in this country. I'll sell you a whole box with 10 packages at a reasonable price."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Arrogant Bastard."

"We also have a special kind of instant ramen that cooks the noodles in one and half minutes instead of the usual three." Sasuke recited with an imperturbable face.

"You better get me 3 boxes of ‘em with a special discount. You can ship it to the US right?" Naruto asked with pleading eyes.

Sasuke shook his dark hair. "Usuratonkachi."

Blue eyes glowered briefly before settling down to a pensive expression. "Well…I should also buy something interesting as a keepsake from this place."

"Postcards…small statues…anything like that. You could buy a map of Kyoto, they usually have good photos and an explanation attached."

"Maybe…" Naruto went to the appointed area and picked a map. "650 yen? 650 yen? That's the equivalent of 8 US dollars! With the advance of technology and the internet, you can find the same information for free! Why the hell would they sell it in such an expensive price when they should adapt themselves to—"

"It also says." Sasuke interrupted, glancing at the contents. "That they also selected the best restaurants in this area, including twenty one specializing in Ramen."

"Let's buy this wonderful map!" Naruto shouted in glee.

"Aren't you scared of getting too fat from eating too much junk food, dumbass?" Sasuke said amusedly.

"Ramen is the wonderful nectar created by the holy Japanese Gods and I should properly savor it whenever possible! It's impossible that this delicacy would be harmful to the body." The blond said deeply touched with one hand clutching his heart.

Sasuke sighed softly, the more he spent time with this stupid blond, the more he became aware that Naruto had some screws loose.

"Oh yeah, there's also one thing I remembered." Naruto turned around while they were walking to the cashier and declared. "I want to buy the snack that has a guy kicking the other one's nuts."

"You want to buy what?" Sasuke uncharacteristically yelled.

Naruto repeated. "I want to buy the snack that—"

"I understood the first time." Sasuke settled with another furious glower. "What, why and where the hell do you think that we would sell that kind of junk here?"

With a cool detached face, the blond picked up a paper and raised it to Sasuke's eye level.

The brunet stared in disbelief; sure, there was a legitimate photograph about a Doritos snack where the package had the picture of a man wearing orange spandex while tenderly stepping between the legs of another man who was positioned upside-down and was wearing yellow spandex. The kanji and katakana positioned next to the illustration made it obvious its nationality, unfortunately.

Naruto eyes widened in a playful gleam, unaware of the gradual darkening mood displayed in front of him. He said. "Can we go to a market nearby and buy ‘em? My buddies are pretty excited to get it; we found this on the internet. You think that buying twenty will be en—"

Sasuke quickly snatched the paper and tore it apart into minuscule pieces, snarling. "You are not going to buy this kind of trash."

"Why do you always have to ruin my fun?" The blond growled.

"Why do you always have to be such a dumbass?" The brunet deadpanned.

"Well f*ck! I don't care! I'm going to buy those whether you like it or not!" Naruto threw his hands in the air irritated.

"I'll give you a free box of Ramen if you don't buy those atrocious things." Sasuke challenged.

The blond had the audacity to pause for a while, pondering this suggestion. "How many flavors?"

With another roll of eyes, Sasuke restarted to walk towards the counter.

Naruto nodded to himself, following behind. "Well, it's only fair that you'll give me as many flavors as you have, after all, I'm sacrificing myself to satisfy your selfish needs. You should be grateful to me!"

"I'm going outside while you pay for the map. I feel that if I spend one more second with an usuratonkachi like you I'll start losing neurons." Sasuke said, ignoring the automatic protests at his back as picked up his cell phone to check his e-mail.

With an annoyed huff, Naruto showed the map to the salesperson as she took it and told him the price. Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke observed that the girl was smiling a little bit too widely, glancing furtively at the blond while he was looking for some coins. The brunet growled, he could identify fangirl traits miles away. Once he gave her the money, the girl thanked him as a customary habit, and Naruto flashed a bright grin back, thanking her back. At this point, the salesperson giggled in response, this action not noticed by the oblivious blond but Sasuke surely saw it and felt his mood darken; she was definitely an airheaded fangirl.

Before the girl could gather her courage and try a tentative conversation, Sasuke interrupted:

"Naruto, will you hurry up? Those temples usually close early."

With a bewildered blink, the blond obeyed and hastened his steps, though he didn't see the victorious smirk Sasuke threw towards the disappointed look from the salesperson. Naruto immediately opened the map to scan if they were going in the right direction, though fortunately they were already positioned in a street that only needed them to move forward to arrive at Toudaiji temple. While they were on their way to the place the blond noticed one oddity and pointed it out to the Uchiha:

"Hey Sasuke. There're some deer walking on the street. Is that normal?"

Sasuke glanced briefly before replying. "Yes. One of the most popular attractions in Nara is the fact that there are deer living here. Don't worry about it; they are tame and completely used to the presence of humans."

"Cool." Naruto paused on his walk to snap some photos of those deer and reopened his map to look at the Ramen restaurants he desired to eat for dinner. Little did he know that one deer approached, opened his mouth and—

*RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP*

"Whu—What the—Hey, don't eat my map! Sasuke! This deer is eating my maaaaap!" Naruto frantically tried to salvage the last bits of that piece of paper, but unfortunately through force it was shredded apart, completely crumpled. The deer continued to munch the rest until he left, unperturbed to the tragedy it left behind. Staring at his formerly brand new map that was now destroyed, blue eyes enlarged considerably with a teary expression, his head hanging down.

Sasuke only chuckled briefly, sarcastically saying. "Well, you can surely talk about this to your friends."

Naruto glowered and placed the remnants of his map inside his backpack, stomping loudly the rest of the way. Once they arrived at the first gates, there were a large number of deer strolling around and some vendors selling food.

"What are they selling there? Hopefully it's something tasty." Naruto asked.

"Hn? No, they are selling cheap sembeis so you can feed the deer. You want to buy some?" Sasuke inquired.

The blond wrinkled his nose in defiance, before he settled to snort loudly, crossing his arms. "I don't think they need any food when they already ate my beloved map as a snack."

The corners of Sasuke's lips were twitching to an amused smirk as he shook his head. "Do you really have to obsess over your map moron? You should try feeding them anyways, it's interesting." He gave some money to the vendor, receiving the crackers and offered them to Naruto. "Try it out dumbass."

With a sour look, Naruto grabbed the food from the brunet, and divided it into four pieces, offering some to a nearby deer. This piqued the attention of most deer in the vicinity, as they approached to eat more from the blonde's hand. Mildly entertained by this event, Naruto tentatively touched their horns (that were cut by the government to prevent any accident) as the animals didn't appear to mind this interaction.

"Okay, now let's start walking." Sasuke interrupted, grabbing Naruto's arm and moving forward.

"But I didn't give all the sembei to them." Naruto said bewildered, still snapping the crackers in two and offering to the deer that were following them.

"You have to keep walking or else they will surround you until it's too late. They can be quite insistent when they want. Plus, we better hurry before this temple closes." The brunet felt his cell phone vibrating and picked it up, cringing when he saw the identity of the caller.

"Where are you?" Fugaku's voice thundered directly to his ear, his fury evidently shown. "I have received calls from several people, some from our partners, others from your staff saying that they couldn't contact you because you ignored their calls and you disappeared out of nowhere. Explain your situation immediately."

Sasuke tightened his jaw, unsure how he should answer when he tentatively spoke. "I'm currently in Nara, with Na—Uzumaki-san. I thought it'd be nice if I could show him some of our Japanese landmarks, since he's interested in our culture."

A tense silence hung between the parent and his child, attracting Naruto's attention as he approached. Fugaku said. "Really?"

"Yes. I'm sorry that I didn't let you know, but I thought it would be brief. But there are many places that I thought would count as a valuable experience, so I ended up extending the whole tour." Sasuke explained.

"…fine." The elder Uchiha conceded, his anger considerably simmered down. "I'll say that you were busy with one of your meetings and that was why you couldn't accept calls. I'll also ask your secretary to rearrange your schedule so you can have the whole day to help Uzumaki-kun."

Sasuke couldn't answer temporarily, surprised by this outcome of events. "Thank you father."

"…you're welcome. I expect you to compensate for this brief negligence tomorrow."

"I will. I must go now father." Sasuke pressed the button to end the call and exhaled a relieved sigh.

"…nothing bad really happened just now right?" Naruto shyly asked, scratching the back of his head.

"No…don't worry about it. We always…have some problems with communication, that's all." Sasuke mumbled, placing the cell phone in his pocket.

"Hm…I kinda get what you mean. It kinda sounds like the first years when my father adopted me." The blond confessed, they arrived at the main gates at last, taking some photos of the magnificent view.

"Really?" Sasuke said bewildered, remembering the way Naruto mentioned his father back during that unforgettable night, it appeared that they had a refreshing relationship.

"Yeah. Like I've said, we weren't used to each other at that time. Like strangers living in the same house even if we cared for each other…you know." Naruto snapped some more photos till he lowered his camera and trained his blue eyes towards graphite ones. "It was complicated trying to find leverage, I was still a teenager that could barely remember a parent caring about me, and he never had a kid before. Besides…" He lowered his eyes in shame and mumbled. "I kinda…used to resent him."

"…about what?" Sasuke slowly identified the same look he had in the past, that expression that still plagued him to this very day, the guilt spreading in his eyes…

"It was really an irrational thing, because logically I knew it wasn't his fault. But for some years I disliked…disliked the fact that he took so long to find me…leaving me in those hellish days, not finding any hope." Naruto chuckled embarrassed, trying to regain ground. "It's really a silly thing; I was just a stupid brat. But for a long time I couldn't really approach him, because I wanted to blame him for all that…"

"Because it feels better to blame someone else…instead of admitting that you were too weak, unable to change the overwhelming situation surrounding you." Sasuke finished the sentence.

Naruto stared flabbergasted, Sasuke's words slowly absorbing into his heart. He had never admitted such dark feelings to anyone else, even to Shikamaru. He wasn't aware that he was spilling his past resentment so easily to Sasuke, only to realize that he could understand it and identify with him. They locked their gazes and Naruto could see a recognizable emotion reflecting in his eyes at last, for the first time—

Wait…he had already seen it before … a long time ago, when Sasuke, he…

"How…how?" Naruto could only voice this question, eager to know more about Sasuke.

"My brother." The brunet admitted quietly. "He was always the center of attention in my house, my father respected him, my mother was proud of him, I admired him. He was once labeled the genius from our clan, everyone was looking forward to the moment he would take care of the company and greatly develop it under his capable hands."

Both continued to walk slowly towards the entrance of the temple, seeing at last the majestic Buddha statue, its gigantic splendor emanating an intimidating sensation.

"But obviously…something had to go wrong along the way." Sasuke almost quirked a humorless smile, as he proceeded to remember the memories. "My brother said that he wasn't interested in continuing the business, it wasn't his place, his duty was destined for something else. I don't know many details about it, but my family discussed it …almost all the time. It was almost unbearable."

"Then he suddenly disappeared." Naruto completed the sentence, recollecting their conversation in the Italian restaurant.

"Yes…without leaving a trace. Till now, even though my father and my mother tried every kind of resources to find him, he managed to stay incognito." Sasuke admitted.

For once, Naruto preferred to remain quiet, fearing that whatever words he was going to come up with wouldn't be sincere enough. They simply let the topic die between them, exploring the gigantic temple as the blond continued to snap photos, Sasuke followed in a companionable silence.

Once they exited the main building, Naruto noticed some people praying and asked:

"Sasuke, what is the usual ritual of praying inside a temple?"

Puzzled by the sudden question, the brunet responded. "First, you throw a five yen coin, clap your hands twice and then place your palms together, asking for any wish or prayer."

"Ah…but I don't have any wish…exactly. What should I do as a way of paying respects?" Naruto said.

"You buy some incense, light it and place it in a censer."

"Where can we buy the incense?"

Further perplexed by the question, Sasuke quickly pointed to a small booth, Naruto ended up buying 10 incenses as they returned to the main building.

"Usually there's only the need to buy one incense per person."

"I know, but I'm not buying them for myself. I wanted to pay respect to the people who died in the earthquake in Mitsukoshi." Naruto replied, looking guilty. "Since I don't know which ones I caused their deaths, I thought that the least I could do is to pay respect for everybody."

Sasuke felt his body stiffening at the admission, swiftly coming up with words to defend the blond. "It wasn't your fault. It was just a natural tragedy, and what happened was an accident that was out of your control."

"Even so, that doesn't get rid of the fact that through my guidance they ended up dead. It doesn't remove what I have done." Naruto said sullen.

"Maybe, but you should think of all the lives you have saved instead of the few that you couldn’t. What you did was a reasonable decision, if you hadn't, many people would have died trampled or trapped in that building, they all escaped safe and sound because of you."

"Which is something that I'm relieved of, but it doesn't matter the number of deaths was caused by me, a life was a life. And through my reckless decision I ended—"

"Usuratonkachi, I already said it wasn't your fault." Sasuke interrupted impatient. "You weren't aware, you've never faced an earthquake before, and that building was in shambles. You wouldn't know that the floor would crumble because of a leakage in the sewer system."

Blue eyes widened and then focused in inquiry. "How do you know about that? About the leakage."

"Why wouldn't I know?" Sasuke snorted. "You reported to my father right?"

"I wouldn't get too technical in my reports, your father asked for a quick summary. Actually, I remember that I just said that there was a malfunction that caused the floor to crumble, I didn't describe that specifically." Naruto further narrowed his eyes in question.

Crap.

Realization gradually dawned on Naruto's eyes as the blond widened into a very broad grin. "You knew about it before right. You were the one responsible to read the complaints about that building at that time. That's why you returned instead of exiting that place. Because you were aware of the leakage, so you went to the emergency exit from my side to save me."

Sasuke threw the nastiest glare in his arsenal as he growled. "So?"

"Hm…nothing." The blond approached impossibly close to Sasuke and whispered huskily in his ear. "Just wanna rip your clothes off right here right now so I can properly express my thanks to you."

The Uchiha continued to glare towards Naruto, shoving his hand in the tanned face. He would look completely annoyed if there wasn't a steady blush spreading on his cheeks. "Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself, this is a holy ground moron."

Naruto laughed. "Fine fine. 's not my fault that seeing you makes my heart beat faster and my pants –" He couldn't continue his sentence because the brunet silenced him with a nasty whack on his blond head.

Sasuke sighed, ignoring the fact that Naruto was groaning from the pain. "Now that we've already finished visiting Todaiji, it's almost time for dinner."

Naruto perked up immediately. "Awesome! I was getting hungry already. So, are we going to a Ramen restaurant?"

The brunet lifted a sardonic eyebrow. "Sure. Give me the address."

"Bastard." Naruto grumbled.

Sasuke smirked at the protruding lip coming from Naruto and relented. "Fine. I'm sure that every foreigner has heard about geisha but few have had the opportunity to see them, so I'll call to ask them to prepare themselves so you and I can see them performing."

"Really?" The blond's depressed mood instantly lifted with a bright beam. "Wow, you can be nice when you want huh. Well, one thing I know for sure, I want to eat deer meat tonight. Though Shika will probably kill me if he realizes that I ate one of his kin."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

It was already late at night, and oddly enough Sasuke was complacent to follow Naruto to his hotel. The blond was still excited from seeing the geishas' performance, admiring their beautiful kimonos and their delicate movement.

Once they were close to the building, Naruto turned around and exclaimed. "Thanks for today Sasuke. Even though you totally didn't let me go wherever I wanted to go and you let the deer eat my map."

"Dumbass."

"But it's ok. I have tomorrow free too, so I just shifted the schedules between—"

"I thought you would say something like that. That's why I called a tourist guide while you were watching the performance and he'll arrive tomorrow to take you to visit only important, crucial landmarks instead of whatever crazy things you have in mind. The first thing you'll see is the Himeji Castle, and I already informed him that no matter what you say, he won't interrupt his services and neither will he change the itinerary. Too bad right?" Sasuke smirked triumphantly.

"What! You are really one controlling bastard!" Naruto protested.

"Hn." Sasuke snorted, unperturbed from the annoyed look coming from the blond. "Well, have a good night then usuratonkachi." The brunet prepared to turn around.

"Wait. How about a kiss before you go?" Naruto said energetically.

The Uchiha quirked one eyebrow, transmitting the message of 'Have you gone insane?'

Naruto shrugged. "Deny it or not, today counted as a date. Being a date, I deserve a goodnight kiss."

"No date would consist of a blond moron asking for a snack with men kicking someone else's jewels, dumbass."

Naruto let the insult slide to concentrate on a greater purpose, as he eliminated the distance between them. "Whatever. I say it was a date, then I think it's a date. Wouldn't your lips want to meet mine…? Because they look pretty damn lonely now."

Sasuke twitched his eye from hearing that extremely cheesy line, though Naruto's close proximity called for his full attention.

He idly considered the place, knowing that, since it was a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, the neighborhood was quiet and usually there wouldn't be many reporters in the vicinity, not expecting someone from his caliber going to a humble place like that. Also, it was late at night, so unless they stayed in the same position for too long, the camera wouldn't correctly capture the picture, so a brief attachment of mouths wouldn't compromise his reputation.

He wondered, the weak light from a nearby electric pole bathed the golden strands and barely illuminated the sapphire eyes, giving Naruto a soft look. He could almost remember the sensation and taste from those beguiling lips.

…He wondered.

Sasuke moved his head down to look at his cell phone, Naruto's breath fanning his fringes as he declared. "It's late, I have to go now. You better get in your hotel as soon as possible, Kyoto can still be dangerous sometimes, especially to tourists."

With his head ducked down, he saw the tanned hand close his fingers into a fist, and while he slowly moved upwards, Sasuke noticed a wounded expression plastered on Naruto's face, raising his own wariness in return.

Suddenly, this open emotion was erased from sight as Naruto smiled weakly. "Fine. Just go then, it's really late."

"…hn." Sasuke finally turned around, giving a quick wave of hand.

"Bye Sasuke! If you ever dream about me, I hope it's something X-rated." Naruto grinned widely, wagging his eyebrows.

"X-rated as in cutting your dumbass throat and throwing your dumbass brain to the vultures?" Sasuke responded monotone, turning his neck to face Naruto. "Don't worry, I'll make sure I'll dream about that."

The blond pouted. "Sheesh, what's your problem? Do you only have an icicle lodged in your as—Wait." Naruto smirked, crossing his arms. "I know the answer."

"Usuratonkachi." Sasuke growled, the slight blush on his face weakened his seething glare.

Naruto stared at the retreating back until he could no longer see him. It stung, the obvious rejection from Sasuke, but it was still easy to brush off since they were still in the initial stages. With a deep intake of air, he entered inside the hotel, his eyes determined.

Maybe next time.

Report 10: Unconventional trip.

AN: Here we go, long long long list of explanation. Now where do I start from…

Sonkatei; Sun Guoting is his original Chinese name, was a monk who theorized about letting the Chinese Calligraphy be free, to be more expressive as he inspired artists to follow the style of "Wild Cursive". Although I'm not extremely knowledgeable in Chinese Calligraphy (I do take classes though) a friend who specializes in this field said that the document Naruto mentioned is something that every student in Chinese Calligraphy should read and study.

Cursive Script: en.wikipedia wiki/Cursive_script_%28East_Asia%29

You can see the difference between a regular written character with Cursive Script. Even people who have Chinese as their native language mostly can't read the Cursive Script. It's too abstract. XD

The whole "Deer eating map" incident happened with my father. XD Now imagine a Chinese man, Fugaku-like (all solemn and intimidating) having this kind of accident. Lol. Although we didn't go all the way for some deer blood, we got worried that the deer would get sick or something, because that map must contain some toxic things and stuff right? (like ink, for example) But the deer who ate it just stared at us nonchalantly before going away, disappointed that we didn't have any food. XD

Chapter 11: Report 11

Chapter Text

Report 11

Today…was a very unusual day in the main office of Uchiha Corporation. More specifically, it was unusual for the ones who were part of Sasuke's staff. Not many had the privilege of working under such a powerful person, considering the high standards Sasuke demanded, his sharp criticisms and strong temper. As a consequence, the few that could withstand Sasuke's personality succeeded in having a long working relationship with the Uchiha's VP. Today wasn't the usual chaotic day with Sasuke snarling orders and pointing out every tiny error, which was a normal occurrence for them. Today was unusual for the lack of his cynicism and sharp words, as it appeared that he was…in a good mood? The whole staff shivered in fear, it sounded too surreal.

However, if anyone were more attentive to Sasuke, they would notice those changes happening in more a gradual manner, only to be sharply heightened this day. Most of them didn't exactly mull over this issue, the only exception was Sasuke's secretary, Karin. The red-haired woman had worked the longest time with Sasuke, therefore she could detect his mood changes and was the only employee who knew that the brunet was hom*osexual and aided in guarding this secret. (One of the main reasons that Sasuke hadn't fired her and Karin gave up on her pursuits, even though she still occasionally admired his handsome features.)

So obviously, it wasn't difficult for her to connect the dots once she noticed the one name written on his agenda for a meeting today. Uzumaki Naruto; one of the chief architects of the rebuilding of Mitsukoshi; which was currently under construction after being demolished a few days ago. For some odd reason, whenever Karin asked if she could add other meetings on this day, Sasuke simply rejected them stating that he was occupied, leaving the schedule mostly free.

"Uchiha-sama, your meeting with Uzumaki Naruto-sama will start shortly. Should I ask everyone to move the documents and your laptop to the meeting room now?" She said as she adjusted her glasses.

She observed the onyx eyes that till now were focused on the monitor, glancing momentarily towards her before settling back in front of him, a flicker of a smirk twitching on his lips.

"Fine, let's go." He picked up a book from his table and calmly went to the appointed room, Karin following behind.

Once he entered, he picked a random chair and comfortably sat down, opening the book, as Karin noticed that it was a classic Japanese text. The secretary looked mildly confused over the scene:

"Um…Uchiha-sama…?"

A black eyebrow was lifted, questioning her, as he thumbed another page. Karin however, didn't dare to ask regarding it, other employees were also entering and organizing the room for the meeting. Once they were done, Karin noted that five minutes had already passed the scheduled time:

"Uzumaki-sama is late. Should I ask someone to call him?"

Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly, reading his book. "He'll arrive after twenty minutes; make sure to authorize his entrance as swiftly as possible. Also, ensure that there will be someone who will help carry his belongings and plans." He briefly paused in contemplation and then added. "Wait, make sure that Juugo helps him carry those things. He'll probably refuse if it's a woman offering it." He said with a roll of eyes, before refocusing back.

With a bewildered expression, Karin nodded curtly, though her curiosity was piqued enough to wait personally for his arrival at the entrance hall. Just who was this Uzumaki Naruto that not only didn't suffer Sasuke's wrath for arriving this late but also succeeded in changing Sasuke's usual snappish behavior?

After exactly twenty minutes as her boss had predicted, one young blond man arrived in front of the majestic door, carrying several rolled papers and folders in his hands as he haphazardly walked inside and placed them on the reception desk. The receptionist and that man started chatting amicably when Karin cut them off.

"Are you perhaps Uzumaki Naruto-sama?"

Blue eyes blinked confused until he answered. "Yes, I am. And you are…?"

Karin gave him a long look, the blond appeared to be the opposite of Sasuke, energetic and vivacious; this type usually unnerved Sasuke the most, as he considered it to be too annoying. Mentally shrugging, Karin adjusted her glasses and spoke. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke-sama's secretary, Miyuki Karin."

"Oh, pleased to meet you." Naruto shook her hand, widening a bright grin.

"As Uchiha-sama requested, I'm here to personally attend you so there won't be any need for you to follow the usual security procedures."

Naruto looked surprised. "He asked you to do that…?" Once he absorbed the information, his grin softened into a smile, this change startled Karin a little. It was warm…the warmth that was infectious, expelling the darkness out of your heart.

She was starting to comprehend how this man could influence her boss.

"Well, please follow me; Uchiha-sama is already inside the meeting room." Karin was almost tempted to ask if they needed any lube or condom and was inwardly relieved that the room was soundproofed…depending on the loudness of the noise though. "Juugo, help him carry his plans." A tall and taciturn man nodded and stepped forward, picking them up from the desk.

Naruto frowned. Wait a minute.

Sasuke glanced at his watch, just one more minute. Calmly turning another page, he could even sense the blond approaching close. He imagined broad steps walking through the long corridors, either carrying that huge amount of papers that were threatening to fall from his arms or begrudgingly allowing Sasuke's assistant to carry them while he apologized for the inconvenience. Somehow the brunet believed that the first option was the most possible scenario so he stood up, positioning himself next to the closed door and already hearing the oh-so-familiar voice:

"No, really, I can carry all of them by myself! You don't have to worry about it at all—"With a roll of eyes, Sasuke opened the door. "—wha—?" Naruto widened his eyes when he saw deadpanned onyx ones.

Picking up half the stack of plans, the Uchiha said nonchalantly. "That's all for now, you can return to your previous tasks. Thank you for your help." He said to Karin and Juugo.

Karin looked reluctant to go as she opened her mouth to ask something, though Juugo closed the door once Naruto was inside the room.

"You're late." Sasuke spoke, placing the papers on the table.

"Don't you ever get tired saying this all the time?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think that instead of complaining, you could put your mouth to better use?" He said with an added wag of eyebrows.

"How about I say you should stop saying nonsense and do your work." Sasuke answered promptly.

"…what kind of work do you—"

"Open the plans and update the construction reports? I can't believe that your brain can't process such a simple command dumbass." The brunet smirked.

Naruto narrowed his blue eyes. "You're really no fun."

"And thanks to your tardiness, I've wasted my time waiting for you."

"Bah, bullsh*t, you were in your office, you could've done whatever you wanted while you were waiting for me. Don't put the blame on me, you bastard." Naruto snorted, opening and turning on his laptop. "So if you weren't working while you were waiting, what exactly were you doing instead? Brooding? Downloading p*rn?" He batted eyelashes mockingly. "Thinking about lil ol' me?"

"Neither of those options idiot." Sasuke growled.

"Ah, so you were reading a book." Naruto noticed the object lying on the table and picked it up. "Of all the things I imagined, you had to choose the most boring one." He glanced at the contents. "Hey, I think I know this title, the legend behind the three Sacred Treasures right? My father used to buy some books of Japanese mythology for me when I was a kid."

"It's a dissertation, not the story itself. The writer incorporates some facts from Japan's history with those legends, also making comparisons with other nations’ folklore." Sasuke explained.

"Oh…wow. You really enjoy studying about the Japanese culture." Naruto voiced in mild awe. "If you like it so much, why didn't you get a degree in this area? Sarutobi-jiichan mentioned that you graduated in Administration."

"Doesn't the fact that I'm the VP at Uchiha Corporation tell you anything?" Sasuke rebutted, unable to curb the acid sarcasm from his tone.

"I would think that since it's a Corporation, which means that this company is not under a sole proprietorship, that you’re not exactly under the obligation to follow your father's legacy right?" Naruto responded.

"We do have our board of directors and some stockholders. However, this Corporation still has a strong attachment to tradition, that's why not only most of the directors are part of the Uchiha Clan, but also my father was nominated as the head from this board. Everyone is expecting me to do the same in the near future." Sasuke muttered, his eyes staring down. "Although we have incorporated and adapted some modern concepts to adjust better with the global community, our core is still rooted in Japanese beliefs."

Naruto paused to contemplate until he blurted out. "So? Just ditch this boring sh*t and go do something you really like."

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows in mild disbelief. "Have you completely lost your mind or didn't you comprehend anything I explained just now?"

"I did understand what you just said you bastard!" The blond protested. "I'm just saying that I don't see the point of you obeying these annoying outdated traditions just to make some old cronies happy. Isn't that the whole point why this company is incorporating modern concepts? I say that you should revolutionize by giving them the middle finger and do as you please!"

"It's not that simple you moron. Being the VP for such an important company means that everyone is watching your decisions, if I ever screw up it'll influence the stock market and there will be thousands of jobs at stake. Now that I'm already in, it's no longer possible for me to get out."

"…you know that there's an interesting metaphor of already in and getting o—"Naruto said excitedly.

"We're talking about a serious subject and I can't believe that you still find the mood to spout your moronic innuendos dumbass." Sasuke growled with a menacing glare.

"Can't you just take a joke sometimes? Jeez, if it wasn't for the fact that I already tapped your ass before, I would be 100% sure you had an icicle lodged in there." The blond said with a careless shrug, unbeknownst to the growing murderous aura aimed at him. "So you're saying that you're chained to responsibilities, which is the reason you can't quit your current career right? I'm sure you'll be able to find a solution to fulfill your obligations while also finding some space in your life to do the things you like."

Sasuke rubbed his eyebrows exasperated. "I have already given enough reasons why I can't, and yet you usuratonkachi continues to be so stubborn. I can't juggle my time like that when—"

"What? Are you saying that Mister Sasuke Uchiha is incapable of achieving whatever goals he's set?" Naruto quirked a challenging grin. "And here I thought that you could beat anything that stands in your way. Pft, you're really a chicken wuss."

Sasuke at that very moment was glaring daggers at amused blue eyes. "You should know by now that the only reason my hands haven't automatically reached out to choke your neck is because I still need you alive for Mitsukoshi's construction. Just you wait that once it's done, I promise it'll be extra bloody."

"Hmm that option doesn't sound so interesting to me.” Naruto shrugged, with a pensive face. He quirked an amused grin. “I guarantee that my plans on this case are waaay more entertaining and pleasant to us both."

Sasuke rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"By the way, how much longer you’re gonna keep coming up with these excuses? Either if it's about tradition or responsibilities, you always prefer hiding behind it rather than pursue anything that would give you happiness. I'm sure that if you are determined enough, you will find the solution one way or another." The blond frowned. "Or maybe you don't like—"

"I can guarantee that my fascination with the Japanese culture has been around since I was a child dumbass." Sasuke snapped through gritted teeth.

"Then, I don't know why you're not pursuing it. In the end, responsibilities or not, outside interferences or anything…the only thing that is stopping you from going any further is you."

"How can you give this speech with so much confidence when you don't have a clue yourself on how to 'solve' my problem?"

"I'm optimistic? Seriously, my father used to be tight on money, I couldn't go to a good public school and I couldn't enroll in a college together with other guys my age because I didn't have the money to pay for it."

"So are you saying that in comparison to my pathetic problems, yours were considerably more difficult to overcome and surpass?"

"No, I'm saying that even though everything was going against me I managed to succeed and here I am now, working on the job of my dreams and participating in important projects. So, I'm sure you'll also succeed with your case." Naruto said in a matter-of-fact tone. "After all, I used to be called a loser in the past…I'm sure someone who's not a loser like you will be able to fulfill your ambition easier than me."

Sasuke gazed at him as he contemplated those considerate statements and the emotions illuminating Naruto's eyes, though somehow he couldn't keep up staring for too long. "…you're also not a loser…usuratonkachi."

There was a mischievous grin lifting Naruto's lips. "What was that?"

The brunet crossed his arms. "Fishing for compliments idiot?"

"Hey, after all the effort that I went through to change your stubborn mind, I deserve some praise, ya know." The blond felt his stomach growling and he groaned. "But now I'm f*cking hungry. Can we eat lunch right now?"

"You do realize that we haven't gotten any work done yet?"

"So? We can finish it later. You think I can really concentrate on our tasks while I feel that there's a black hole in my stomach? Nu-uh." Naruto stretched his arms wide and stood up. "It's Ramen-time!"

"We're obviously not going to eat that dumbass."

"What? Why!"

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Taking Naruto to eat kushiage proved to be an entertaining experience as Sasuke realized that the blond was a glutton (which made him wonder how he managed to maintain his chiseled body when his diet consisted of unhealthy choices of food). Japanese people disliked excess in overall, meaning that the amount of ingredients is always measured to be sufficient if you eat moderately. However, Naruto inhaled it in one mouthful, humming contentedly as he savored the flavor, only to pout forlornly when he was finished so quickly. He, again, fried two sticks with the same ingredients and stuffed them both at once, his cheeks puffing out while trying to accommodate everything inside his mouth.

Sasuke shook his head, watching amusedly at this display of the usuratonkachi's childish side. He couldn't get tired observing the blond's antics; there was something fascinating about him that drew Sasuke in.

Surprisingly enough, between bickering and chatting, Naruto managed to update the entire report regarding Mitsukoshi's initial construction, all the data and other information was stored on a flash drive for Sasuke. Therefore, the brunet thought it was unnecessary to continue the meeting if their tasks were complete for the day.

"That means we're going on a date?" Naruto beamed brightly.

"You think I would waste my time idly following you around to visit absurd places like those Otaku stores, temple of vagin*s or whatever else is going through your pea brain now?" Sasuke responded in a complete disinterest.

"Of course not! I guarantee that this time they are all worthy of your visit."

The brunet made a skeptical grunt.

"Plus, it's going to be my last day to really explore Tokyo before I start supervising Mitsukoshi's construction. If you would go with me, my life would be complete. Be a kind soul and help me fulfill this humble wish." Naruto emphasized pulling out his best puppy dog eyes.

However, as it appeared that the Uchiha's heart was made of stone, there was only a raise of a black eyebrow before he snorted and exited the restaurant.

"What? Hey! You're not seriously going to abandon me in the middle of this gigantic metropolis?" Naruto whined, following behind.

"Well you can ask any other victim to be your tourist guide, not me. But in any case if such strategy doesn't work out, I'm sure if you cry enough in the middle of the streets, someone will pity you poor lost child and help you out."

"Bastard." Naruto grumbled. "But it has to be you, now that you're here and have invaded my life." He said dramatically.

Sasuke had an urge to rub his face with his hand. "Usuratonkachi. Are those lame attempts of flirting some sort of new idea you created just to annoy me, or are you really trying this but failing miserably?"

Naruto huffed angrily. "I'm not failing that miserably you ass, and yeah, I'm interested in you."

The sincerity caught him off-guard as the brunet rebutted. "Really? But you were the one who suggested the whole 'Friends' thing."

"Welllll…but I changed my mind, I guess. Is that a crime now?" Naruto responded defiantly.

"…hn." Sasuke grunted, slightly uncomfortable now that he was put in an awkward situation between them. "So what changed your mind, may I ask?"

"And why would you want to know that you arrogant asshole?" Naruto glowered.

Sasuke smirked as a challenge, daring Naruto to continue. Peeved that somehow the tables had turned, the blond snorted and shrugged.

"Yeah well, I dunno. That's something I've been asking myself lately too. I mean, you don't have anything redeemable, you're too conceited, an egomaniac, too grumpy and are an icy bastard."

"Isn't that the nicest thing I've heard in my life...?" Sasuke said with a piercing glare.

Feeling that he should amend his previous words regarding Sasuke, Naruto said. "Well…but if you really want to hear niceties, I'll admit that you've got the nicest ass I have ever seen…!" He thought about something and added"…In a while."

"Nice ass?!" Sasuke shouted.

"Well, it is the truth—" The blond man tried (but failed) with his diplomatic skills.

"In a while?!?" The brunet raised his voice even further.

"What I really wanted to say is that you've got the best ass I've seen till now but then I'd make you sound like you're a girl." Naruto cupped his chin with his hands, pensive, and then said. "Are you saying that you'd prefer if I told you that you've got the sexiest ass I have ever seen in my whole life?"

One of his eyebrows twitched, Sasuke was itching to kill that moronic blond on the spot though unfortunately there weren't any sharp objects nearby. He swore that if he kept this up, his brain would be permanently damaged from hearing this kind of ridiculousness. "I've had enough. Go explore Tokyo by yourself or go look for another unlucky victim to suffer your incessant blabbering."

"Whaaaaaat!" Naruto whined. "But tonight I wanted to go to a restaurant called Ichiraku Ramen inspired by the Ramen stand from the legend of Naruto Uzumaki—"

"Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke automatically corrected.

"Whatever! So, wouldn't it be poetic if two guys who had their names inspired by the protagonist of this story and his side kick—"

"Best friend you idiot."

"Same thing. They would eat in their favorite Ramen stand just as written in the story! It's going to be an unforgettable experience!"

Sasuke opened his mouth to launch a sardonic reply until he felt a shiver crawling down his spine. His eyes frantically searched for a hideout, noticing a dark corner next to a pillar and dragged Naruto, growling. “Hide me.”

Blue eyes blinked in enquiry, until he heard girlish shouts. He moved to stand in front of Sasuke.

“He’s in this building for sure! He parked in this floor, we just have to find where he is.” They heard several steps echoing close, a group of women soon appeared glancing everywhere possible.

They noticed from afar Naruto’s golden hair glimmering in the dim light room, mumbling between themselves while they walked towards him. One tentatively spoke in English. “Excuse me…”

“Oh, not worry. I speak Japanese a little.” Naruto said in Japanese, generating an automatic raise of eyebrow from Sasuke, while he was still hidden inside.

Those women glanced towards each other, before settling to ask. “Have you seen Uchiha Sasuke-sama?”

“Uchiha Sasuke…sama, huh?” Naruto repeated numbly, extremely aware of piercing glare drilling holes on his back. “I did not see him. Are you…his friends?”

“We’re his fans!” One of them exclaimed.

“We’re all faithful members of Uchiha-sama’s fanclub, dedicated to worship his beautiful face, his ethereal presence, everything about him.”

“His wonderful personality too~” Another one gushed. “He’s so generous gracing himself to help restoring our city from the earthquake, talking to survivors and all. An absolute angel on Earth.”

“Yeah yeah yeah...so dashing, so handsome, so hawt. Hooray.” Naruto muttered to himself in English, rolling his eyes. He saw inquisitive gazes directed at him, smiling to smooth out their suspicions. A light bulb went off so he grinned inwardly, declaring. “I’m also his fan!”

Sasuke almost choked, narrowing his eyes.

“You…are?”

“Yes. I saw him on the news too, and he’s like…” Naruto fanned his face with his hands. “Everything I wanted. I helping you find him!”

All the women glanced briefly between themselves, before muttering. “Oh, it’s okay, but we’re fine by ourselves.”

“Really?” Naruto asked. “But I want help! Tell me how you managed to find him because I want to meet him too.”

“Um…” One of them stared with growing mistrust, muttering in a very low tone so Naruto couldn’t quite capture her voice. “Maybe it’s not a good idea letting this gaijin see Sasuke-sama. Right?”

“Well, we can’t tell him we hacked his cloud account to get his entire schedule too.” Another whispered in rapid manner, probably thinking that Naruto wouldn’t understand if she spoke fast. Unfortunately for her Sasuke heard the entire ordeal and scowled, already planning in his head contacting the entire IT team to fix this issue. He couldn’t believe that a bunch of fangirls managed to crack their system.

Naruto just smiled, but the corner of his lips was becoming strained.

“Anyways, Sasuke-sama probably already left the building.”

“Yes…well. Thank you for your help.” One of the fans mumbled.

“Sure.” Naruto nodded, gazing as they slowly left out of sight. “I think the coast is clear.”

“This is seriously an invasion of my privacy, for God’s sake.” Sasuke growled, fingers moving furiously on the smartphone’s screen to send a sharp message to his employees.

“Yeah, I agree. I mean yeesh…it’s kinda creepy too.” Naruto grimaced in sympathy.

After he pressed the send button, Sasuke looked at the blond man with mild bewilderment. “Why did you speak so badly when your Japanese is almost flawless?”

“Hm? Well...Japanese people usually regard any foreigner as an outsider, so I had to do this to drop their guards down.” Naruto explained in his perfect Japanese, grinning widely. “I mean, they wouldn’t tell me about the hacker thingie when they met me only once, so at least they can spill the beans while they were talking between themselves.”

Sasuke hummed in approval, acquiescing to Naruto’s well-crafted plan. “I should get going now.”

“What? After everything I just done to protect you from those fangirls, the least you could do is say thank you!” Naruto protested, chasing him from behind.

“Thank you.” Sasuke said dryly.

“Not enough. I’m lost Sasuke.” Naruto proclaimed with an extra flair. Sasuke stared with narrowed eyes. “You have to give me the directions to your heart.”

Summoning every fiber of his patience, Sasuke inhaled deeply, turning around.

“What! I thought this line was pretty cool!”

“Usuratonkachi, after that I wouldn’t go on a date with you even if you’re the last man on Earth.” He said with a sardonic smirk, speeding up his steps and turning on a corner.

Naruto sprinted after the brunet, almost colliding when Sasuke froze on the spot. He opened his mouth to complain, only to realize Sasuke’s fangirls were still around, blocking the entrance.

Sasuke turned back, grabbing his arm. “Well, what are you waiting for? Run!” They did a mad dash to Sasuke’s car, shutting the door loudly, tires screeching away before the girls could realize.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

"I have to admit that I'm a little surprised that you would be interested in going to Sumida river." Sasuke said while he parked his car, the adrenaline now simmered down.

"Well, it's quite an interesting place to admire and study in terms of landscape architecture, considering that all those small islands are artificially created." Naruto responded. "Why wouldn't I be interested in seeing it?"

"Hn. Matsuo Basho, the writer from Oku no Hosomichi used to live here." Sasuke answered with a satisfied smirk.

Naruto glowered. "Oh, the book that you forced me to read as inspiration for Mitsukoshi's primary sketches? Yeah, I remember that really damn well."

"You didn't read it, Sarutobi-san helped you out." Sasuke snorted haughtily.

"He may have helped a little, but I wrote most of the notes and came up with the idea. God, you were such a prick."

"And you were an irritating usuratonkachi. Well, you still are."

Naruto wrinkled his nose, harrumphing. “And you bastard gave me this free ride, so I’ll let this slide, for now.”

Sasuke smirked in response, pointing to one of the islands. "Actually, there's only one natural island, called Sarushima, it's inhabited though. Other islands were constructed as some sort of solution for the garbage disposal from the city, which is a good example of sustainable recycling." He explained.

Impressed, the blond approached to take some photos until he noticed that there was a beach in front of him. Grinning, he started to remove his shoes and socks, rolling the hems from his pants.

"What are you doing usuratonkachi?" Sasuke walked with crossed arms, staring as Naruto shoved his suit haphazardly inside his backpack and also rolled the sleeves of his shirt up.

"We're on a beach! You have to go bare foot!"

Sasuke made a sardonic chortle. "And feel the sand burning your skin? No thanks."

Sheesh. Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "Ok, but at least you have to feel the chilly water on your feet then."

"No...Japanese people really don't have this kind of habit. We can feel the waves perfectly with our shoes on."

"What? Are you crazy?" Naruto rebutted with a disbelieving tone. "C'mon, it's the beach! Look at the radiant sun, the sparkling sea, the natural sand. You have to properly enjoy 'em!"

"It's the beginning of spring so it's still cold, this is a river, not the sea and the sand is actually made from recycled trash. Just give it up you dumbass." Sasuke deadpanned, placing his hands in his pockets.

Naruto scowled at the picture of dispassion displayed in front of him. Sasuke was still wearing a suit, his skin as pale as ever and in complete contrast with the scenario around him. Something had to be done to change all this.

Onyx eyes narrowed in suspicion when he saw a dangerous glint from the whiskered face as Naruto sauntered menacingly towards him.

"Dumbass, don't you even dare do what I think you're going—"The brunet couldn't finish his sentence because Naruto grabbed both of his kneecaps and pulled until he fell haphazardly to the ground.

The blond grabbed the first shoe with the full intent of removing it until Sasuke kicked close to the tanned cheek. "Hey! Careful you bastard!" He continued with his attempts to dislodge the shoe; however, Sasuke stubbornly tried to retract his legs.

"Then stop doing that you idiot!" Sasuke straightened his spine (his ass was still stinging like hell from the fall) and used his hand to pry Naruto's fingers away from his shoe.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto quickly maneuvered the other shoe and removed it smoothly. "You should stop being such an icy asshole." Jeez, that bastard can't seem to appreciate his efforts to make him savor some joys of life. His fingers picked the tip of Sasuke's grey sock though the brunet kept kicking forward.

"You should stop with your moronic ideas." Figuring that this craziness wouldn't ever end if Naruto's hands were near his feet, Sasuke decided to shove Naruto away with his arms.

But this only resulted in making the struggle more heated, as neither were holding back their strength and were equally determined to reach their goals. Naruto continued to attempt to remove a sock or shoe and Sasuke was either kicking or pushing the blond away from him. After some grunts, groans and protests, they managed to tangle their limbs with Naruto's face close to Sasuke's.

Both young men widened their eyes in astonishment, not expecting this sudden change of events. Naruto was the first one to adjust though as he pressed his body closer to Sasuke's, the heated skin could be felt through the thin layer of fabric. Sasuke found himself unable to move, his eyes capturing frame by frame Naruto's approaching face until his vision centered solely on brilliant cerulean irises, lowered eyelids covering a little of that vibrant hue.

His breath hitched when dried lips lightly brushed upon his, Naruto automatically wet his lips as his tongue slid over Sasuke's briefly, but it was enough to cause an electric sensation on his skin. The brunet could feel each huff of air coming from Naruto's mouth until the blond man closed in and quirked his lips into a sexy smirk, whispering:

"Tempted to kiss me now?"

It was a veiled challenge, Sasuke knew it, and it took every ounce of his self control to resist this desire, eliminate the last hurdle by kissing the idiotic blond into oblivion. Sasuke impatiently pushed away to widen their distance but any words of dismissal simply died in his throat. Naruto appeared to sense his hesitancy as he leaned back to leave a comfortable space between them, even though Sasuke's body was screaming in frustration and his mouth was still tingling from the previous sensation.

Suddenly, Naruto's head ducked down and alarm bells were ringing in Sasuke's head. Is he…? His analytical mind was devising plans on how to escape that sweet torture even if his co*ck twitched in interest (and betrayal).

"Hah!" An exuberant shout broke the tension out of nowhere and Sasuke looked upwards, noticing that the blond had grabbed his socks with one hand and his shoe with the other. "Now you're ready to have some fun on the beach. C'mon, let's go." Naruto said as he stood up.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, the sudden change of mood made it easier for him to organize his feelings. "Do I really have to…?"

"Jeez, it wouldn't kill you would it? Let's dip our feet, it's so relaxing!" Naruto said kicking the water a little bit.

Sasuke conceded at last, wiping out the excess of sand and feeling the chilly water reach his tiptoes. It was refreshing and it did give him an invigorating sensation…not that he would ever admit this to the usuratonkachi.

"So, after this, I also wanted to go to the Asahi building ." Naruto said after some time.

"Typical, a beer company."

"Shut up bastard, I don't want to visit that; I wanted to see the poo statue !"

The what? "What are you talking about you dumbass." Sasuke crossed his arms impatiently.

"That statue that is all golden and curved and is placed at the entrance of Asahi. It looks like some weird spermatozoid or a poo. Well, sincerely I think it's more similar to a poo because—"

"It's not a poo you moron, it's a statue symbolizing their flame."

"…but calling it the poo statue is so much funnier." Naruto rebutted.

"As expected coming from a usuratonkachi like you."

"Whatever, so…we going?" Naruto said as he retrieved his socks and shoes.

"…no. As a matter of fact, that's enough for today."

"What?" The blond complained. "Can't be, the night is young and we still have much to do!”

“I have a soul of an old man and now all I want to do is rest.” Sasuke noted, a smirk playing on his lips.

“...then I’m gonna find the nearest reporter in Tokyo and talk how much you’re a meanie!”

“Sure.” He rolled his eyes. “As if you would be evil enough to do this.”

All of a sudden, Sasuke's cell phone rang.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

At first, Sasuke thought that it was probably his secretary asking his current location as he was supposed to be inside their office working. However, he saw his father's name displayed on the screen instead, bewildering him. As far as he knew, there wasn't any significant issue regarding Uchiha Corporation that they should discuss today. He gingerly pressed the button to receive the call:

"Sasuke…we've found him." The frantic relief was barely restrained from Fugaku's tone.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes confused, unable to decipher this short sentence. "Father, you found who?"

"Itachi."

And with only one word, his whole world had turned upside down. He felt as if a hand was slowly encasing around his heart and also cutting the air supply to his lungs, his head started throbbing with an insistent buzz. Sasuke could only dumbly recite that name again, that person that had always haunted his family and himself.

"Itachi…he—what?"

"We found his whereabouts in Somalia. One of our agents caught some clues about a Japanese man living there and once they found him; your brother was willing to contact them. As soon as Itachi is done with his business in that country, he is going to take the first flight and come home to Japan." As Fugaku kept explaining the situation, the burbling happiness was becoming more and more discernible. However, as Sasuke kept listening, the feeling of dread kept growing and lodging in his heart.

He could barely mutter back any intelligible response.

Naruto studied at Sasuke's reactions. At first, he didn't pay attention to the conversation since it was probably something business related and it'd be rude listening to it, but once he saw Sasuke's shoulders tensing with a strained tone in his voice, the blond approached, mildly alarmed.

"Fourteen years…for fourteen years he's been missing and we haven't found any information or even one photo. Now finally…our son is coming back."

Sasuke painfully shut his eyes, feeling a cold sweat running down his spine. His hands were trembling, so he closed them tightly into fists.

"Your mother is ecstatic…she's asking for you to go home now, and I think it’s a great idea. There are also other details that we found out about your big brother—"

At last, his mouth was moving on its own accord and Sasuke spilled forth whatever was going on in his mind. "I can't."

"…I can cancel whatever meeting you have to—"

"I really can't." The youngest Uchiha growled. "I—" He was suddenly aware of the other presence standing next to him, confused by the fact that Naruto hadn't gone away to continue his tour. "I have to—Uzumaki-san is now in Tokyo and I'm helping him visit some interesting landmarks. Today is the last day of his vacation."

Fugaku paused in apparent confusion until he answered. "Well, fine, you can ask one of our staff or hire a tourist guide in this case, this way you're free from this task."

"No. I don't—he personally asked me for this, since I live in Tokyo."

"Dismiss him then, apologize for this inconvenience! How can you put a higher priority to someone else when your brother is finally returning after so long…"

"I don't care!" Sasuke shouted in a sudden outburst. "I have to go now - I'll go home once I'm done."

"Sasuke, why are you—"The brunet could detect that familiar disapproving tone that Fugaku always used on him so he blurted out:

"I'm sorry… I'm busy so I have to hang up. Goodbye." He frantically pressed the button, his breath erratic. Sasuke sensed Naruto next to him so the brunet threw the most venomous glare at him. "What?"

Naruto shifted his legs awkwardly, muttering. "So did your father ask for anything bad or demanded for something you’re uncomfortable to do?"

Sasuke frowned, staring at his cell phone. "Yes…but fortunately, I could dismiss it."

"Uh yeah…using the excuse that you had to help me out and be my tourist guide. I heard that part." Naruto quirked an uncomfortable smile, feeling powerless to help the situation.

"Yes…so? Aren't you glad that the tables turned in your favor?" Sasuke replied sarcastically.

"Hmm…but you just rejected me so heartlessly when I suggested going for some sightseeing…I can't see why I should help you out covering up to avoid obeying your father." Naruto said airily. He stared at Sasuke, who at this moment had a complicated expression ranging between anger and frustration, so he quickly changed tactics with an easy smile. "But I can't deny that you're a decent tourist guide. So, let's go."

Naruto saw and was relieved, when Sasuke's features visibly relaxed and the brunet slowly returned to his standard nonchalant expression.

"Hn. But if I'm really going to be your tourist guide, then I get to decide where we're going to visit."

"Oh? Where?" Naruto asked curious despite himself.

"The Uchiha Clan's private shrine."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

The shrine was actually located in a nearby town outside of Tokyo, so it took some time for them to arrive. Naruto stared impressed at the gigantic wooden Shinto gate, a long path made of stones lying beyond as verdant forest surrounded them. Once they started walking, the place gave a peaceful sensation, the serene quietude, contrasting with the frenetic lifestyle of urban life.

There were security guards standing in strategic places, though once Sasuke passed through they would bow politely.

"I thought that most shrines were public." Naruto commented.

"This one is different. We're not praising some Shinto god or Buddhist saint, we're simply honoring our ancestors by creating this place."

They arrived at the main building and much to Naruto's dismay, there was a loooooong staircase to climb to the temple. Sasuke didn't mind this fact though as he had always thought that climbing those stairs was some method to purify your mind away from negative feelings and he had always escaped to this place whenever those emotions would overwhelm him in the past.

"Um…so…do we have an elevator somewhere?" Naruto asked, glancing sideways.

"Of course not, there's only one way to get to the top, which are those stairs." Then, Sasuke smirked. "Or are you saying that Uzumaki Naruto-san can't accomplish such a small feat as climbing those kiddy stairs?"

The blond scowled. "Fine then! Just a little bit of a workout won't defeat me. Just you wait till I arrive before you in the end then!"

Unfortunately both took a while to reach the main temple, as the lengthy staircase proved to be endless. Once they arrived there, they took some time to catch their breath as Naruto stared at the temple.

Surprisingly, it wasn't grandiose and it didn't emit an overwhelming aura, it was a normal sized temple with clean designs and few details here and there. Sasuke united his palms in a prayer.

"This shrine is my personal favorite place. I always liked how it peaceful it is, no matter how sad or distressed I was it’d calm me down." He confessed.

Naruto nodded in agreement, also praying. "It does give those sorts of vibes."

"I assume that I'll need that…now that they have found my older brother healthy and alive." Sasuke muttered almost inaudibly.

Blue eyes widened astonished in response and Naruto blurted out. "Wow, that's great isn't it? It's been so long since you've seen him; and thank the gods he's still alive!"

"…I suppose." Sasuke whispered.

"I bet your whole family must be so relieved. After all, he's your brother, you're probably overjoyed now, right?" Naruto asked, searching for any sort of concurrence on Sasuke's face. However, he received none.

If this was supposed to be some sort of positive news…why am I unable to see happiness reaching to your eyes?

"And once he's back, I'm sure that there will be a lot to talk between you two brothers, but I’m sure that everything will go back the way it used to be bef—"

"No." Sasuke suddenly interrupted. "I don't want him to wreck my life again, I don't want him to return and simply change everything in my life on his whim. I don't want him back."

Naruto paused, only to speak hesitantly. "But he's your brother…?"

"So what. He created more damage than anyone I have ever met in my life - I don't want him near me, I don't want him to suddenly show up in front of us and receive absolute forgiveness and adoration from my p—" Sasuke clamped his mouth shut, in attempt to block any further resentful words spilling to his tongue. "Besides, I hardly doubt he was found from our investigators. He's a genius and has managed to hide from everyone for fourteen years, I'm sure he has the ability to cover any trace of his presence from the world if he wanted. He must have left those clues on purpose, he…he wouldn't commit such a slip."

"So are you afraid about whatever plan he has once he's back here? Are you scared how much he’d influence your family…?"

"Yes." Sasuke confirmed, his shoulders hunched and fists tightly balled. No…that's not all… "He'll come back, ready to receive my father's praise and respect so freely when I have always failed to achieve it - because in the end, I'm just the second unworthy son. I'm not a genius; I'm not worthy to have his attention."

"What? No Sasuke…but your father does care about you, he also recognize you as his son." Naruto shook his head, placing both hands on Sasuke's shoulder but the brunet swatted them away.

"So maybe he does care about me but he would never…he'd never…" Sasuke felt a lump slowly emerging in his throat and he swallowed dryly. "It was never enough. I have never…achieved enough. I can't be the best, because this seat was always occupied by Itachi, if he hadn't disappeared…then I would have remained completely insignificant."

His eyes were practically burning, fogging his vision…Sasuke gritted his teeth with an angry huff, blinking rapidly to clear them.

"There would always be some sort of comparison…he would always haunt me wherever I went, he was always—always greater than me. Then, just the idea of seeing him return—just like that. Because he suddenly wanted it and now the rightful heir is back, then I—I—"His vision was becoming misty again, so he furiously wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"No wait, Sasuke." Naruto gently enveloped the wrist with his fingers and spoke. "Sasuke…if you really want to cry, you don't have to restrain yourself."

Sasuke scoffed disdainfully, removing his hands from the tanned fingers. "I'm not crying, I'm not going to cry. Why the hell would I want to cry?"

"Because…" Naruto sighed, remembering old memories that still plagued him sometimes. "Because you've built up those negative emotions for so long, and you have to let them go, or else they will haunt you for the rest of your life." He said, trying to approach and comfort Sasuke.

"I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to do something so…weak and cowardly like that." Sasuke took some steps backwards. A few tears leaked from his eyes and he quickly wiped them away, breathing heavily.

"Sasuke, you have to cry. You have to stop piling up all this resentment, this fear. You have to expel this sadness before it consumes you entirely. And you…you want to cry, don't you?" He added softly.

"No!" Sasuke screamed in denial, his guard up. "Doing something weak like that, I'm not going to be someone weak like that. I'm not going to allow anything to overwhelm me, because I'm not the type of immature brat…who would foolishly depend on emotions and cry…because I was too weak."

A tense silence stretched between them, as the brunet glared defiantly towards Naruto, his stomach churning from the possibility of seeing pity in his eyes, something that he didn't want to happen, not from Naruto.

However, with an unreadable expression, the blond simply shifted closer, raising his arms with each step. For a wild moment, Sasuke thought that Naruto was going to kiss him and his body was ready to repel it completely—

But those arms simply curled around his neck, pushing his face forward and placing it on Naruto's shoulder, the hands sliding over his back in soothing motions. This simple action made Sasuke's legs lose their strength, slowly bending until they were both sitting on the ground.

Naruto moved until Sasuke's head was settled on Naruto's warm chest, the latter placed both arms and his chin above the dark head and whispered slowly.

"You see…there's no one here in this whole shrine. This is a private location; all the security are placed far away from here. If you're weak or strong, that doesn't really matter now, no one is here to see you or judge you." He tightened his arms around Sasuke's neck and shoulders and continued. "No one is going to see whatever you're going to do now -no one is going to hear whatever you want to say. That's why…it's ok. It's ok…"

As the words slowly sunk in and Naruto's scent was giving him another form of solace, he felt one tear sliding down his pale cheek and dropping to his leg. Then, others were falling one after another, until it poured down, cleansing his soul.

They stood in that position for a couple of more minutes, Naruto could feel the occasional hiccups vibrating in his body, as he patted the dark hair. He waited until it subsided, disentangling his arms when Sasuke raised his head, his eyes a little bit reddened as a result.

He couldn't resist when his hands moved to cup the pale cheek, his thumb wiping some stray tears as he caressed the smooth skin. Sasuke's eyes gradually returned to their usual clarity as he stared at Naruto, one pale hand resting on Naruto's shoulder. It moved to the junction between neck and shoulder, sliding upwards until it settled on the nape, lightly playing with the golden strands with his fingers.

"…Naruto…" Sasuke whispered.

It felt natural when his body began to automatically tilt forward, Sasuke's eyelids felt heavy as Naruto's breath fanned his face. He tightened his hold on the blond's neck to keep it steady as his mouth slowly descended, reveling in the thrill as cerulean eyes were also closing, the tanned face angled a little bit. However, the moment he felt Naruto's hand moving to comb his hair Sasuke's eyes snapped open, moving backwards:

"No."

The blond man blinked wide, a little bit dazed and completely befuddled.

"No…Naruto, I—we can't—" Sasuke felt his stomach drop when, once gaining full comprehension, the blue eyes narrowed in obvious hurt and rejection, Naruto immediately straightened up, turned around and ran towards the exit.

Sasuke also stood up quickly, trying to catch up to Naruto, as he said, "Wait, Naruto—I'm sorry but I—wait." One of his hands succeeded in reaching one shoulder—

But the blond violently shoved it away, turning around. "Sasuke, you let me go right now or I won't waste one f*cking second punching through your thick skull." He snarled.

Whatever excuse he was trying to come up with slipped away as his hand lowered, watching Naruto walk down the stairs and disappear from his field of vision, his heart hammered so painfully that it forced Sasuke to admit one painful truth:

He had definitely done something wrong this time.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

"There you go, giving a deer to another deer Shika." Naruto placed the small statue in Shikamaru's hand as the latter placed it on his desk with a roll of eyes.

"So I take it you went to Toudaiji then?"

"Yep, but all of those deer are absolutely crazy. They would eat anything that is in front of them, you have to be careful or else they would end up eating your map." Naruto complained.

"Hmm. What really surprises me is that you chose to go to popular tourist spots instead of choosing unusual ones." Shikamaru said, still so occupied with drawing a plan on the computer that he didn't see Naruto's eyes darkening a little before erasing it with a grin.

"Yeah, I thought that I should go to at least one of those right? Since it's really interesting to study the techniques they used to apply centuries before."

Since Shikamaru was busy, it didn't take long for other employees to surround Naruto asking questions, some happily receiving the souvenirs the blond bought for them as he also updated Sarutobi on the relevant trip details.

"Oh yes. Did you like Ichiraku's Ramen in the end? That restaurant is more famous for its name rather than quality unfortunately, so I was unsure if I should recommend you going there. But you sounded so excited about it…" Sarutobi said.

"Don't worry about it Sarutobi-san. Whenever there's something related to Ramen, I'm sure that even the worst Ramen in the world is like the nectar from the Japanese gods as Naruto has always eloquently explained." Shikamaru muttered with a snort.

"Well…but seriously, was the taste decent enough?" The old man asked.

Everyone stopped talking, expecting Naruto's answer but those blue eyes were set on a faraway place, remembering something. The blond suddenly realized where he was and he settled with a scratch at the back of his head.

"Hah…well, can you believe it Sarutobi-jiichan? I got busy and didn't have the time to taste it, unfortunately."

"Really? Well, you can try it out later, sometime." Sarutobi answered.

"Yeah…yeah, maybe." Naruto grinned wide, changing the subject as he described Tokyo's bay landscape.

However, Shikamaru could no longer pay attention to the conversation because only one thought was stamped inside his brain.

Naruto was lying.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

When Shikamaru commented that Naruto was a terrible liar, he really meant it. It was easy to corner him and then extract all answers, when his feelings were exposed like an open book.

However, Shikamaru also knew that Naruto was more than goofy smiles and stubborn determination. The blond had an uncomfortable past that he'd rather keep to himself than share with anyone, for whatever reasons and Shikamaru respected that.

But in a few instances, Naruto could lie well; when he was hurt on the inside and didn't want to burden other people around him. Actually, regarding this subtlety even he, who had been Naruto's friend since middle school and was an observant person, took a long while to notice it, seeing that even though the blond laughed it off whenever someone degraded him, he was more hurt than he let on.

So obviously whenever he did that Shikamaru knew that whatever was happening to his friend was an important matter, he intended to ask what had been troubling Naruto lately. He was mildly surprised when he went to smoke in the Emergency Exit and the blond was there sprawled on the ground, staring at the clouds.

"I thought cloud watching was my hobby." Shikamaru said when he sat next to his friend.

Naruto shrugged. "Nah…it's fun to do it once in a while, just to organize your thoughts."

"What kind of thoughts? Having some kind of problem lately?"

"Yeah…Yeah…nothing bad, actually. Just…" Naruto didn't finish the sentence.

"Is it related to Sasuke Uchiha?" Shikamaru asked, noticing the instant stiffening of his friend's shoulders.

"Uh—yeah. But it's nothing tragic, really." Naruto laughed awkwardly. "He rejected me, that's all."

"That's all? That's all. So, have you finally changed your mind and given up on this pursuit, I hope?"

"Maybe…maybe. It's just that…lately I've been wrecking my brain about why he would do such a thing, why he would shove me away when I could feel—" Naruto sighed tiredly. "Maybe since he's gay and famous, he can't have any public relationship, or maybe it's something related to his father or brother, maybe…maybe I was wrong and he didn't feel the same way so maybe…it was just a spur of the moment and everything was wrong…then I kept thinking on those maybes and I couldn’t find a solution."

Comprehension dawning on his brain, Shikamaru stared with some sort of sympathy towards his blond friend. He said. "That's why the best way to do it is to forget about it, forget about going after him. He's not worthy. Also, like I've said, you get too emotionally attached."

"I'm not. I'm fine - I'm sure."

"If you're so sure, then why do you look so sad ever since you've been back from Tokyo?"

"I'm just feeling a little bit down, but that doesn't mean anything." Naruto defended back.

"Why do you keep making excuses for Sasuke Uchiha's sake? When he was the one who rejected your advances?" Shikamaru criticized.

"It's not that easy." Naruto said, shaking his head. Then, he looked guilty. "Sasuke also has some problems—"

"You called him Sasuke." Shikamaru suddenly interrupted.

The blond widened his eyes and he grimaced.

"Wait, you're really calling him Sasuke?" Shikamaru raised his voice, startled. "You have always followed the policy of this company; you wouldn't ever call any of our clients by their first name. You never broke this regulation before, even though there were some clients that you were interested in romantically or they were a friend of yours. But with Uchiha you're making an exception. And you really think that you didn't overstep any boundaries? You are getting too emotionally attached to him!"

"Okay! So maybe I am—a little bit!" Naruto protested, throwing his arms in the air in frustration. "So why is this so important? I'm just getting more involved than normal, that's all!"

"His rejection is so important to you, and now you're hurting, when you promised that you wouldn't fall for him!" Shikamaru rebutted.

"I—I…" Naruto placed both hands on his face and massaged it gingerly, groaning loudly. "That doesn't matter! I was just surprised, once I find some sort of ground, I'll—"

"For how long are you going to insist denying this situation?" Shikamaru shouted. "He has already gotten under your skin, you have become too sensitive to his presence, that's why he's capable of hurting you so easily without even trying too hard!"

Naruto closed his mouth, unable to come up with any other excuse. His hands were resting on his thighs, his face still contorted, pensive.

Shikamaru sighed deeply, wondering if it was really going to be ok to attempt to destroy those blooming feelings. With one hand on his shoulder, he shook him lightly, gaining Naruto's attention to his words.

"But even if you've gotten involved with him…even through those problems…in the end your attraction is only based on the fact that you both made a mistake at the wrong time. You don't really know him; you don't really understand his personality. It's just physical attraction; once you see his flaws everything will fall apart. And you're just doing this because it's the first time you're attracted to a guy. It's something different, something new. Once this whole novelty wears off, you'll be left with nothing but disillusionment. You don't really like Sasuke Uchiha."

Blue eyes widened slowly as his brain attempted to absorb this concept, his head hanging low.

Shikamaru threw the last bomb, with one last forewarning. "So you better stop all this…before it's too late."

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 11: Premonition

AN: Don't kill Shikamaru. Seriously, don't. He has a good reason why he's doing this as Naruto's friend that will later be explained in the next chapter. So see! You guys kept complaining about chapter 9's cliffhanger, this one is worse! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Some sources:

And Tokyo Bay, the sight is pretty in my opinion. It's kinda different.

en.wikipedia wiki/Tokyo_Bay

Although the Uchiha shrine is a fictional place, I based in a real shrine (in which I completely forgot the name about it so…sorry.) It's also in a neighboring town from Tokyo, I thought it was pretty even though it was in a humble size in comparison to other temples I went.

And lastly about Japanese people not removing their shoes whenever they're on the beach. Although they are changing lately, but mostly they still won't remove it if they aren't wearing bathing suits. It's really weird seeing a bunch of kids running on the beach but still wearing shoes and clothes, it's like they can't have 100% fun right? But yeah, it's more common than you think. (ew gross, soaked socks and shoes)

Come to think about it, I remember the time when I went to Tokyo Bay and I also wanted to remove my shoes but my tourist guide went all "Uh…do you really have to?" but unlike Naruto, I got discouraged and gave up. lmao

Chapter 12: Report 12

Chapter Text

Report 12: In the end…we…

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

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 along 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 him down 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 narrow point of view that couldn’t get past preconceived judgments.

But despite all those hurdles, everything had been worth it because Temari was by his side. She made everything much more bearable, supporting him, fighting as hard as he would to show that there wasn’t anything to be ashamed of. Temari helped him to believe in a better future, and even if they didn’t succeed in convincing others, at least they still had each other.

This is the reason why he was apprehensive about Naruto if his friend validated his feelings towards Sasuke. Having to deal with a small number of arrogant people was a rather small feat, in comparison to having to confront public scrutiny, especially considering the japanese population is overall an uptight society too.

Above all, there wasn’t any sign of reciprocation coming from Sasuke. Naruto admitted that the Uchiha had already rejected him; all signs were showing that everything would go downhill if he persisted. 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 coming 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 each step, losing his concentration, his mind basically in la la land, at least Shikamaru thought that it was better than engaging a losing battle. What he was feeling was probably in the early stages, so there was a good chance that he could heal and recover sooner or later.

In the next few days Sasuke Uchiha would arrive in New York for their last set of meetings. In the meantime, Naruto would have to reorganize his current 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 one-to-one 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…

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Sasuke stared at the tall skyscrapers passing by through the window of his car, 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, he couldn’t postpone any of those meetings that were already put off the day he spent playing ‘tour guide’ to the blond man in Tokyo. Who’d have thought the situation 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 in the proper way. Usually, he could come up with a sure strategy or speech, 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 his own mind. 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.

On the other hand, he disliked the increasing rush of feelings that Naruto evoked, 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 Naruto’s feelings but he 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 it later.

The Uchiha quickly strode inside the office’s entrance, barely giving a nod to the receptionist. Everyone was used to his presence after numerous visits, so 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, as he knew Naruto would avoid their impending conversation to concentrate on the project, so the best plan was to find him beforehand and talk to him before Naruto could have the chance to barricade himself.

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 Shikamaru on the other corner of 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 their gazes met, eyes widening. Sasuke’s heartbeat immediately quickened; startling him by this unusual reaction. With a sigh, Shikamaru picked up his wallet and walked towards them. 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.”

His mind went completely blank; the silence ringing between them was unbearable. 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 him, 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 that Sasuke couldn’t find a way to breach through. The cold feeling now had completely settled in, leaving him 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; for the first time between them the air had become stagnant and unyielding.

Naruto was fully focused on drawing some plan, no longer raising his eyes to see Sasuke. If he had done that, 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.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

This was a nightmare. Sasuke hated to admit, but Naruto’s change of attitude was an 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. Through this entire 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 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 he had the permission to manipulate something that didn’t involve him? Because Sasuke could detect the way Nara was silently disapproving 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. There were constant whispers 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 these 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 against him.

However, he’d never admit defeat; he’d have Naruto back at his side no matter what…

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

The days passed excruciatingly slowly, but before he could notice, they had reached their last day of meetings in NY with no significant development. Naruto had successfully controlled his temper and kept his feelings in check, no matter how much Sasuke taunted or coaxed him for any kind of genuine reaction. Sasuke knew that once done all meetings in person would be over, and Naruto would have his hands full with the construction of Mitsukoshi, so the best chance to say something was now.

“That’s it for today. I’ll take some weeks to organize my schedule 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 man 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 chimed, 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 in the meeting with Naruto-kun?” Fugaku asked.

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“I thought you knew regarding today’s important event.” 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 probably wouldn’t have free 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 designer or any artisan?”

Sasuke shook his head. “No…not that I’m aware of.”

“Then, there‘s a department store called Saks that has the most prestigious designers from all over the world. Maybe you’ll find something that you’ll like to get for your mother. There’s also Tiffanys…”

Sasuke answered. “No, not Tiffanys. She already has a number of pieces my father bought for her.”

“Then…um. I’ll ask if any of my previous clients know somewhere 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 questioning 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 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—

“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?” He 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 gift 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, dragging a step backward and releasing Sasuke’s hold on his arm. He fixed his gaze to the ground, mumbling. “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 sub me. I’ll just explain for 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 to reach his friend. 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 rolling his eyes with a sigh as he returned to his desk.

“Sa—“Naruto closed his mouth and corrected. “Well, let’s go.”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

During the short trip, the air between them was still tense and awkward, but at least it wasn’t as bad in comparison to previous days. Naruto would occasionally explain important landmarks while Sasuke would nod in response, though he 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, clearly 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 own 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 magnetic thrill coursing 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 the circ*mstances, 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. Naruto continued to hear the repeated announcement, though he no longer had the heart to properly pay attention to it. His only thought was:

Sasuke!

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

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 by instinct, searching toward the sound of her voice until he found a small girl crying, crouching in the middle of a circle of fire. Sasuke overstepped the circle taking advantage of his tall height, getting to her fairly easily and asking if she was alright.

The small girl simply nodded, hiccupping, as he 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, in 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 towards 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 sprint 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 f*cking 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 an Emergency Exit nearby 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 probably shut it to avoid further spreading of the fire. Naruto tugged on the door but it wouldn’t budge.

“f*ck…I think the door is jammed.” The blond concluded after a few minutes of trial and error.

“This can’t be…” Sasuke also helped, though 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. 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 smartphone.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them, Sasuke curled his fists in disbelief 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 unharmed 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 f*ck!” Naruto protested. “I know that this building is f*cking old but seriously, do we really have such nasty luck 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 really believe that karma is enacting its revenge after all the pranks you’ve done back 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 snapped his jaw shut and looked down, moving upstairs.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. “What? You didn’t finish your sentence.”

“It’s nothing big.” 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 instead of resorting to such cowardly tactics.” Sasuke said with a snappish tone.

Naruto paused, swallowing dryly. “What?”

“I said - stop avoiding me and f*cking look at me dammit.” Sasuke growled out.

“…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 little whim.”

Sasuke tried not to recoil in response, though he used his pent up anger to expel more hurtful words. “What is wrong with you? You really think so highly of yourself that you can keep on ignoring me then?! You’re nothing but a stupid 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 getting involved with me now, at least have the balls to acknowledge this to me then!” Sasuke yelled.

Naruto snorted. “Do I really have to bow down and obey your arrogant ass?! You already have tons of others ready to lick your shoes; I’m not going to give you this satisfaction just to stroke 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 f*cking 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, reverberating a painful shout in reaction, 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 did this attraction had only increased even further, despite 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 sharp on their skin. 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 f*cking 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 f*ck…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 kissed one corner of the mouth, before returning 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 the fresh wounds, 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 he 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 he 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 whispered, his voice heavy from all the emotions surrounding him. “…I…“

Onyx eyes widened in alarm, his heartbeat thudding so fast in his ribcage and he 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 blue 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 all too 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 too disoriented 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?

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

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*

Chapter 13: Report 13

Chapter Text

Ah, blessed drink from the heavens…Jiraiya opened his beer and emptied it in quick gulps, already picking up another can from the refrigerator while he rummaged around to find some decent food. He heard some keys dangling and quietly opening the door as he shouted to his son:

“Hey brat! Sorry I didn’t warn you before, but my editor called me all of a sudden to attend an interview in New York and I thought I could crash in your house tonight if you wouldn’t mind.” He continued to examine the refrigerator as he complained. “You need to restock your food, I’m not seeing anything healthy aside ramen, some leftovers, junk food…you really need to eat some veggies brat!”

“Ero-sennin.”

Hearing the tone, Jiraiya immediately dropped what he was doing and ran towards the living room, alarmed:

“Naruto, is there something wro—“ His eyes widened when he saw the state of his son. Bruises all over his face and arms, clothes all tattered. The oddest part of all was that he reeked of smoke—some parts of his blazer were charred. “What—what’s…are you alright???”

Jiraiya tried to survey any other possible wound or bleeding, uneasy that the blond was so quiet. Worried, he peered at Naruto’s eyes, noticing a blank stare, the fogginess permeating inside. Jiraiya shook his son’s shoulders, asking:

“What’s wrong with you? Who did this to you? Naruto?” He shook him again in emphasis.

As if he was snapped out of stupor, Naruto blinked several times before acknowledging Jiraiya:

“Father.” His voice still bleary from all the emerging feelings surrounding him.

The blond placed a hand on his temples, murmuring to himself.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me…”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Report 13: Trapped inside immaterial walls

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

He couldn’t think of anything else, hear anything else, see anything else aside cerulean eyes that expressed so much grief and frustration, warm droplets falling on his pale cheeks. Painful words were uttered, intensifying the emotions being poured out. He couldn’t bear seeing such sadness in Naruto’s eyes, wanting to stop that voice from saying those hurtful words, craving to end it, interrupt, do whatever it took to halt the pair of tempting lips from moving.

On a whim, fingers quickly grabbed the back of the tanned neck and he effectively silenced Naruto by sealing his lips onto his. In this instant, everything felt right, like every piece had assembled perfectly. Ignoring the startled gasp, he delved inside, tasting Naruto, not leaving any part unexplored.

It was bliss—he’d never imagined how much he had missed this, but now he definitely didn’t want to stop it. Feeling that warm skin, tasting his delicious mouth, their bodies melding perfectly, as if Naruto was made perfectly to fit him—

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.” Sasuke thought to himself, sighing inwardly as he rubbed his eyelids. Glaring at the spotlights that were almost rendering him blind, he attempted to focus on Fugaku’s speech to the press.

Fortunately, all the cameras were recording his father, so no reporter would be able to register his distress. If any of them would trouble themselves to notice his behavior though, they would see a perfect mask of nonchalance - coolly clapping his hands while Fugaku delivered his speech. Lucky for Sasuke, he was able to keep a poker face. This way, no one would be able to see him desperately trying to remove stupid tasty blondes from his head, the addicting kisses, the way fingertips had caressed his skin—

Their lips moved frantically as their tongues clashed and slid together, nibbles and gasps alternating in between. His head was throbbing from all the sensations, from the swollen cheek, the bruises that kept stinging from time to time, to Naruto’s arms tightening around his body, his tongue running smoothly on his lower lip. A set of teeth sank lightly on it and Sasuke succumbed, continuing their open-mouthed kisses.

“Uuuuuugh.” Aside the current mental scream Sasuke was having, there was only a slight twitch of his left eye that betrayed his stoic expression. He just couldn’t stop the onslaught of images from rampaging his brain. A week had already passed but the memory was still fresh as if this incident had happened only a few seconds ago.

Because he had been wounded from the fight he had with Naruto, he had no choice but to arrive a few days later on the day of his mother’s celebration. The instant he arrived via the Uchiha’s private plane, he applied the best medicines and salves all over his skin, also asking his staff to cover the bruises with some subtle makeup and thin Band-Aids. He called his father and explained that he still needed to find a suitable present for his mother before meeting with the family. A bit disgruntled, Fugaku conceded and told Sasuke he had already arranged for a necklace from an Italian jewelry artisan. Both agreed that considering it was a special present to Mikoto, Sasuke should retrieve the gift since it was also on his way, which conveniently allowed Sasuke one extra day for healing.

His mother also shared his interest and passion for Japanese culture; being the one who introduced Sasuke to the subject, so he figured he should buy an original print from Hokusai; finding one from an art dealer in Hokkaido. Framing took another few hours so once he arrived home, his most prominent injuries weren’t as visible and some of the gashes were also healed. Fortunately, Mikoto didn’t question much the reason why he had make-up on his face.

At the moment he was attending Mikoto’s official celebration for her successful nomination, every important name or politician attended this important party, meaning that he didn’t have the luxury to commit any kind of mistake. He should concentrate on the task of welcoming the guests, not letting his mind linger on memories of the close proximity of Naruto’s warm body that set his heart ablaze, his lips brushing his, fingers gliding lightly over his dark scalp as—

Wait.

With another twitch of his eye, Sasuke diffused his wandering thoughts, narrowing his eyes on a very recognizable and yet distant figure.

Itachi.

His older brother was the first one to greet him once he was home, with the same serene smile that, ages ago, would soothe Sasuke’s restless heart, but now it only left a bitter taste of resentment in his mouth. Whenever Itachi tried to start any conversation, Sasuke would just grunt back, clearly not in the mood to have any sort of interaction with him.

Mikoto, on the other hand, was absolutely ecstatic that every member of their family was united once again, hugging her sons with a blissful smile that tugged Sasuke’s heartstrings. It made him wonder how much she must have suffered from Itachi’s absence, even though he suspected his mother purposely hid those emotions to unburden this family. Witnessing the relief and joy brightening her eyes, was the only reason Sasuke didn’t start a full-blown argument with his older brother.

Fugaku silently observed the interactions with a guarded stare, crossed arms expecting some sort of closure coming from Itachi. Once Mikoto released him from the hug, Itachi turned to face his father with a solemn look, appraising the situation in a silent moment.

Startling everyone in the room, Itachi kneeled in front of his father, the bowing position already showing his intention.

A request for forgiveness.

Sasuke paid close attention to see if he could detect any sign of a lie or false expression but Itachi appeared to be completely sincere. His speech didn’t seem to be rehearsed; his eyes conveyed every emotion that fit with his words of repentance, making it hard for Sasuke to be mistrustful of this new revelation. However, this also increased his resentment and abhorrence towards his older brother, an old emotion that throbbed with lingering insistence. So the youngest Uchiha listened detached as Itachi declared that he missed his family and desired to make amends for all the grief he caused in the past.

In an instant that passed into eternity, Fugaku’s eyes softened - his rigid posture no longer unyielding and judgmental - and placed one hand on Itachi’s shoulder -requesting his son to stand up, pulling Itachi into a comfortable, albeit hesitant, hug. Forgiveness. He had learned his lesson. It was the end of a long journey.

The Prodigal son was back.

Sasuke snorted humorlessly to himself, noticing the irony. Unforgotten emotions were resurfacing once again…but on the other hand, other unnamed feelings were emerging, ready to engulf him completely—

Sasuke’s hands securely held the tanned neck as moist lips caressed his mouth and a probing tongue casually explored inside. Each time Naruto halted his movements, Sasuke would almost groan in frustration, his lips still tingling from a sweet ache that could only be soothed once that addicting mouth moved in tune with his own. But Naruto was decreasing their contact bit by bit, each added second that ache would increase, pleading for more, gradually pulling out an emotion that rested at the farthest place of his heart. With every pause between kisses, their physical bodies widening their distance, Sasuke felt that emotion emerging, almost demanding to be recognized, until they finished with a simple peck of lips, gradually opening their eyes…to realize.

Ugh. He really should stop this, Sasuke mused with a frown.

It was surreal. Back when he had sex with Naruto, he had been able to keep his lust and emotions under control. Sure, he dreamed about that unforgettable night on the first days, sometimes even org*sming from those memories. He admitted liking it, the intense desire shared proved to be one of his best sexual encounters till now. But everything had been manageable in comparison.

But now, look at him. Remembering and rewinding and replaying a simple kiss over and over again, as if he was some sort of pathetic prepubescent teenager daydreaming about his first crush! Sasuke groaned exasperated, he looked ridiculous. And this time he wasn’t sure how he would face Naruto if he saw him, this kiss was giving too much impact on whatever feelings he was having towards Naruto.

“And now, I’d like to share some fortunate news with you all. After some years, our son; Uchiha Itachi, has returned to our family.” Fugaku’s voice cut Sasuke’s line of thought, the youngest Uchiha raising his head to notice everyone clapping as Itachi approached their father.

Sasuke couldn’t stop the bile coming to his throat when Fugaku once again pulled Itachi into another hug, the applause increasing under continuous noises of flashes from cameras. For the sake of appearances, Sasuke also clapped with them, approaching the family as they had another official shoot that would no doubt be tomorrow’s headlines all over Japan.

He could feel the happiness radiating from his mother and the silent acceptance from his father as both parents tightened their hold around their oldest son till the photo shoot was over. Everything was going exactly as Sasuke had predicted…aside one important fact: his own feelings.

He expected that his animosity would be stronger, to the point where he wouldn’t be able to hide them from his family. The bitterness still resided there, seeing his father’s attention refocused on the ‘prodigy and rightful heir’ of the Uchiha clan, and he would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit he feared the future that lay ahead of him. However, he found he could sympathize with the relief their parents were feeling now…and, somehow, as he watched Itachi become the center of attention again, the throbbing stab in his heart wasn’t as excruciatingly painful…he wondered why the change…

“Sasuke…but your father does care about you, he also recognizes you as his son.” Concerned blue eyes looked directly towards him, conveying absolute sincerity in his words.

Are those wounds really closing up to leave only a scar in the end?

“Why can’t I stop thinking about that dumbass…” Sasuke wondered to himself, rubbing his temples.

Staring with an absent mind while his mother delivered her speech, he continued to contemplate how Naruto managed to affect him so much. Aside his family, it was the first time in his entire life that someone had ingrained so deep in his mind, and this fact was what disturbed him the most. Even though they’d only known each other for a short time, it was undeniable that he felt the closest to Naruto than to anyone else - his soul had awakened a craving towards him on an aggravatingly persistent basis. He even resorted punching Naruto to attract his attention and satiate his own frustration. These thoughts and feelings only lead to an abnormal situation that, once again, had stripped him of all his defenses.

His cheeks were enveloped by a pair of tanned hands, blue eyes staring in earnest, liberating a flurry of emotions that ruptured through the casket of his heart.

“Sasuke…..I…”

“…” Onyx eyes trailed to a distant point, unfocused, paying no mind to another round of applause as the orchestra started playing a classical piece. Sasuke noticed though that someone had placed their hand on his shoulder and turned to glare at the person that disrupted his thoughts.

“We should attend to our guests.” Itachi offered a glass of champagne to his younger brother. “You looked distracted through this whole event. Something on your mind?”

Sasuke ignored Itachi and grabbed another glass of champagne from a waiter. Fugaku approached his sons and spoke. “Sasuke.”

The youngest Uchiha immediately straightened up. “Yes father?”

“You will accompany me tomorrow to New York, there’s some business to attend to. I have already had your appointments rescheduled and travel arrangements made, so be prepared to go first thing in the morning.”

“New York??” Sasuke widened his eyes, quickly adjusting his expression as some guests approached with glasses in hand. New York…

He wondered what Naruto was feeling right now…

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

“Zombie version 2.0. Definitely zombie version 2.0.” Shikamaru stared, mildly impressed and alarmed at the completely unfocused, open-mouthed and brain dead expression on his blond friend as the latter sat haphazardly in his seat.

On the day of the fire, once he saw the news, Shikamaru immediately called Naruto, worried if the blond had escaped safely and was ok. His concern further escalated when Naruto hadn’t return his call four times, even though later the news reported that no one was heavily injured in the incident. It was only on his fifth try that he succeeded, but the one who answered was Jiraiya, assuring him in a clipped tone that everything was fine. Jiraiya had also asked Sarutobi to grant Naruto a short vacation, stating the need for some ‘father and son bonding time’ so Shikamaru didn’t see him until after the weekend.

The moment Naruto stepped inside the office, his appearance increased Shikamaru’s concern. Not only were there noticeable injuries in several places on his body that were in the process of healing, it was obvious that they were recently made, but whenever Shikamaru asked about the incident, Naruto trailed off, his mind basically travelling to outer space.

It had been hard enough to stay on task before meeting Uchiha, but now he couldn’t concentrate at all. He could do some things on auto-pilot like fixing calculations in AutoCad or organizing materials, but he couldn’t pay attention to any conversation with his co-workers or clients, so Shikamaru wisely postponed the rest of his meetings until the next week. This time everyone noticed the blond’s behavior, to the point that Sarutobi gently offered another day off to Naruto, which he politely declined.

Unable to extract any information from Naruto and having to put up with the constant sighing and those blue, unfocused eyes, Shikamaru deduced some vague conclusions of his own. Uchiha and Naruto probably fought during the fire accident which probably resulted in ending their relationship and they parted ways. Naruto was still feeling the side-effects from this upsetting conclusion, and thus, this whole odd behavior.

Good God, this was, by far, the most complicated crush Naruto had ever had. Shikamaru groaned, lightly whacking the blond’s head, only to be left unnoticed by his friend, his head facing the ceiling, mouth hung low. At least in Sakura’s case, all he did was cry for a few days followed by drinking copious bottles of beer, courtesy of Jiraiya. This situation was dragging on waaay too long.

On the other side of the city, the Uchihas were finishing another meeting when Sasuke noticed on his agenda that he had some free time between meetings. Maybe it’s a small break…? His heart skipped a beat when he realized that it was the perfect excuse to visit Naruto, maybe…Sasuke admonished himself. He really shouldn’t attempt to see Naruto, who knew what would happen if he did? How deep would he fall towards that pair of blue eyes?

“Sasuke, we have another matter to attend to. Come with me.” Fugaku said, interrupting his line of thought.

The young Uchiha looked confused. “But you hadn’t scheduled anything now. Why haven’t you warned me about this before?”

“It’s going to be resolved quickly, I hope. That’s why I thought there was no need to warn you.” His father answered, getting into the car.

Bewildered, Sasuke obeyed, the limousine exiting the building and driving to an unknown location. A few minutes passed, as Sasuke idly observed the movement on the streets until he started noticing, alarmed, a very familiar route the car was taking.

This was probably a coincidence right? Even though his rational mind knew that there weren’t any other partners or branch companies that had offices there. It was only when the vehicle stopped exactly in front of Sarutobi’s office building that Sasuke’s suspicions were confirmed. He stared at his father, who was nonchalantly stepping outside and gazing back at him, silently ordering his son to do the same.

As they approached the office, puzzled, the receptionist identified Sasuke, but swiftly composed herself once she also saw that his father, the CEO, was with him. Fugaku declared:

“I’d like to talk with Uzumaki Naruto now if it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

The receptionist nodded nervously and picked up the phone, calling the blond architect. She showed them to the meeting room and arranged for coffee and tea for them as they waited. Something in Sasuke’s gut was foreboding unpleasant things.

Not long after, Naruto arrived as confused as ever, staring at the situation in front of him until their gazes collided and Sasuke tightened his hands to prevent any illogical act. Only one week had passed and he still had the ridiculous urge to kiss the daylights out of Naruto. The blond kept that stare for a couple of seconds, until his head lowered and he turned to Fugaku, bowing politely:

“I’ve heard that you’re looking for me. Is there a problem?”

Fugaku cleared his throat, standing up. “Yes, actually, it’s something that caught me off guard. A Japanese newspaper rudely contacted me in regards to these photos here.” With a folder in his hands, he pulled out some photos and placed them on the table.

In an instant, the world had turned upside down once again. Sasuke felt his blood draining out of his body, his head throbbing erratically as he stared at the contents of each photo. The first one was him giving the plane ticket to Naruto, a visible smile on the blond. Several other pictures were of both of them looking at an art exhibition, other photos showed them walking towards the temple. Photos with Naruto praying in front of the temple while the brunet stood next to him and then one with Naruto whispering close to Sasuke’s ear, the angle of the photograph increased the sensation of intimacy between them.

The young men inside the room continued to stare incredulously at each photo. As the story progressed, each photo had been taken with the distorted intention of showing them close to each other, but portraying as if it was something wrong, illicit. Unfocused pictures of them eating kushiage at the restaurant, later Naruto getting into Sasuke’s car. All the shared experiences that at that moment had been carefree for them, somehow now showed in a negative light.

And the last ones…Naruto trying to remove Sasuke’s shoes at the beach. One photo managed to frame exactly the second when their bodies were pressed closely, their faces just a few inches apart. This moment was supposed to be something exclusively between them, was now exposed to his father and potentially to the whole world.

Fugaku sighed, shuffling the photos. “They warned me beforehand about their intentions of publishing those photos, but fortunately I negotiated with them to trade the information as well as the negatives with a sum of money and also giving them exclusive footage of Itachi’s return.”

Unable to move an inch, their whole bodies were numb, until Fugaku placed one hand on the table and said with an imposing tone, making them flinch a little.

“Although it astounded me seeing so…evidently my son’s preferences, there’s another issue that should be addressed, since the other one involved is you, Uzumaki Naruto-kun. So, I’d like you to tell me, what kind of relationship do you have with him?”

All air escaped from his lungs, Sasuke felt like he was suffocating—the lights dimmed in his blurry vision, panic slowly building in his mind. He tentatively glanced towards Naruto, completely lost.

However, Naruto looked back, his tanned skin now sickly pale, his expression perplexed. His eyes were silently begging the same question, waiting for Sasuke.

A cold sweat gathered to his palms, and before Sasuke could even form any sort of rational response, words were stumbling out…:

“It’s…it’s a misunderstanding father. We don't have any kind of relationship you’re implying, nothing that goes beyond co-workers.” His mouth was moving without his accord, sentences forming like sharp icicles, but it felt like his own heart was breaking apart. “I would never get involved with him, those photos, none of them are true.” Sasuke gulped dryly and let out a contemptuous chuckle. “As if anyone would be interested in a poor, insignificant idiot.”

A sharp pain burned against his face in a split second, a solid fist brutally colliding with his cheek, making him stumble over chairs and tables, sounds of clattering echoing everywhere. He was expecting this, which was something that terrified him the most, this feeling of being at the edge of a cliff. Sasuke turned around by reflex towards his assailant, only to meet such pained blue eyes that directly mirrored his own.

Before Naruto could make another move, Fugaku swiftly appeared between them, one hand securing the blond far away from his reach, positioned to protect his son. “Stop this right now! What’s the meaning of all this?!”

Fugaku’s menacing voice felt like a cold bucket of water on Naruto’s senses. He…just punched the son of an important CEO from a top, multinational corporation, obviously he wouldn’t be able to escape unscathed after all this.

Fugaku continued, while directing Sasuke to sit down. “I knew that you could be a very impulsive young man based on our first meeting, but I believed that you would restrain your behavior, since you’re part of Sarutobi’s staff. I’m deeply disappointed in you, Sarutobi clearly misjudged, if this office is filled with undisciplined people like you—“

“It’s not Sarutobi-sama’s fault.” Naruto blurted out.

Fugaku narrowed his eyes in response. “Care to explain?”

Naruto looked down. “Please, don’t place the blame on Sarutobi-sama or this office. This was entirely my fault and I guarantee that the only mistake Sarutobi-sama has made was to be too trusting of me and I have abused that trust. That’s why…please, don’t blame him, this mistake that I’ve made shouldn’t concern the friendship between the two of you.”

Fugaku paused in contemplation, crossing his arms.

All of a sudden, the door burst open and the receptionist entered with a worried face. “I heard loud noises, is everything alright??”

The eldest Uchiha turned to face her, responding. “Don’t worry about it, it’ll be over soon.”

However, it appeared that this answer wasn’t enough to calm her down, as she, respecting his answer, gave a quick nod and closed the door but they could hear sounds of steps going towards the main office.

Fugaku turned to stare at Naruto, unperturbed by the growing commotion and spoke with an intimidating tone. “If you’re accepting the blame then you do realize that you have to take complete responsibility for your mistake right?”

Naruto nodded, bowing in humility. “Yes. I’ll resign my post as the chief architect of Sarutobi-sama’s office now. I just have a small request…that this issue won’t compromise the ongoing business with the Uchiha Corporation as well as the reconstruction of Mitsukoshi.”

As he absorbed Naruto’s words, Sasuke eyes widened as he stood up. “Wait—you—“He approached the blond, but the latter kept a guarded face. This situation was slipping away from his hands, mercilessly falling apart leaving nothing but sharp shards of glass.

At last, Fugaku conceded, no longer expressing a menacing aura. “I won’t. Now that we’ve solved this problem, you’re allowed to go.”

With a long intake of breath, Naruto nodded back, preparing to turn around when a voice suddenly interrupted him.

“Is that it?” Fugaku said. “You’re really shouldering the entire blame on yourself? You don’t want to add any remark about this, or explain yourself why you’d want to punch my son out of nowhere?”

The blond head slowly turned back to reveal an expression that would fix inside Sasuke’s mind forever. There wasn’t any trace of bitterness, anger or even thirst for revenge.

What reflected on Naruto’s eyes was…understanding.

The blond man said. “There’s nothing else for me to add, it’s exactly as Uchiha-san said: we don’t have anything beyond co-workers and we’re not involved in any way as the photos had falsely insinuated. I just…” Naruto sighed, grasping the door handle, wanting to flee. “I just punched him because he offended me, that’s all. Now…”

As he opened the door behind him, gradually widening the distance between them, Sasuke stayed rooted to his spot, as if there were shackles tightening around him. He saw Naruto’s hand was still desperately clutching the handle and feet taking subtle steps backward symbolizing another piece shattering beyond repair and no matter how much the very core of his being wanted to deny it – he refused to admit that he was the one that pushed this situation to the edge of the cliff.

“I’ll excuse myself then. Uchiha-sama.” Naruto bowed once again, closing the door.

When there was nothing left but a sliver of light, the blond murmured.

“Goodbye Sasuke.”

Turning around, the blond instantly choked a sob, grateful that there was no one in the corridor nearby. Naruto furiously rubbed his eyelids before they could make his vision misty, trying desperately to force his mind to calm his turmoil. He could hear hasty steps coming closer; in which he feared it’d be Sarutobi and Shikamaru. They would definitely drag him back for a proper explanation, and no matter how much he would try to avoid conflict, Sarutobi would still discuss it with Fugaku. Naruto would hate to drag Sarutobi down, just because of his actions.

I don’t want to go back…

He checked and found he had his wallet and car keys. He couldn’t go back to his table or ask for his resignation now. Guided by his impulses, Naruto sprinted towards the exit and ignoring the startled shout of the receptionist, he practically punched the button for the elevator. A few seconds passed but the blond couldn’t wait any longer, the painful stabs were suffocating him, so he burst open the emergency door, ran down the stairs and gasped for air.

He couldn’t think and didn’t want to spare a second to form a rational thought and before he could realize himself, his foot was already gunning the accelerator, driving at top speed.

Sasuke, however, couldn’t move an inch, his body inanimate until the door opened again, Sarutobi exclaimed:

“What happened here!?”

Fugaku sighed, closing his briefcase and readied himself to explain the situation. Shikamaru however, was quick to notice something was off, questioning with narrowed eyes:

“Where’s Naruto?”

Hearing his name tugged painfully at Sasuke’s heart, his cue to really realize all the damage he had done. Shikamaru didn’t wait for any sort of explanation as he ran out to the reception area, Sasuke followed him, noticing that the dark-haired architect was asking his co-worker about Naruto’s whereabouts.

“So where is he?” He asked to Shikamaru.

“We’re asking the security if he already left in his car.” Shikamaru replied slightly impatient, waiting for the receptionist’s response, as she confirmed that Naruto had already left.

Shikamaru then picked up his cell phone and returned to the meeting room. With one last look at the elevator, hands balled into tight fists, Sasuke returned as well and saw Shikamaru calling and waiting for Naruto to pick up. Fugaku and Sarutobi appeared that they had finished their conversation, though Sarutobi had a distressed expression while Fugaku still maintained his nonchalance.

One of their assistants appeared, with a cell phone vibrating in her hand. “Shikamaru. Naruto’s cell phone…” She gave it to Shikamaru, who sighed in aggravation and turned off his cell phone.

“I’ll call him later, it’s possible he’s heading home and it’s a little bit far from here.” Shikamaru said to Sarutobi, the old man nodded in agreement. Shikamaru murmured. “So what happened…?” Sarutobi cleared his throat, prompting his employee to close his mouth.

Everyone glanced subtly at Sasuke, an uncomfortable silence hanging inside the room.

“Sasuke, we should go.” Fugaku said, seemingly unaware of the desperate look on his son’s face. “We have another meeting in a half an hour.”

But…

Sasuke tentatively responded. “Maybe…maybe we should first make sure Na—Uzumaki-san has returned safely home, I—after all, I—“

“There’s no need Uchiha-sama.” Shikamaru intervened brusquely. “After all, this situation is beyond your control so there’s no need for you to waste your time here. You should go.”

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows, frustrated. “…but—“

“Sasuke.” The imposing voice of his father broke his line of thought. “Nara-san is right. It’s not any of your business to meddle in this situation.”

The youngest Uchiha swallowed dryly, still hesitating between obeying his father and obstinately waiting for any kind of news about Naruto.

“…unless you have a good reason wanting to know his whereabouts?” Fugaku said.

Onyx eyes widened, unable to come up with any excuse, he saw Nara giving the briefcase to him and with a knot in his throat, Sasuke accepted it silently.

Once they exited the building, Sasuke heard his father mumbling in contemplation. “It is a shame he’s gone. He followed his principles till the very end, and I respect him for doing that.”

Needless to say, Sasuke couldn’t pay attention to one word during the meeting they attended afterwards.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Three days. Three whole days had passed - every hour excruciatingly slow. Sasuke couldn’t stop replaying the disaster in his memory over and over again, a turbulent storm of emotions corroding the last of his fortitude. Unable to concentrate on anything, thinking only about Naruto, feeling like his soul was split in two.

Regret, resentment towards himself, frustration…fear that he had messed up to the point where it was too late to make amends, that he most probably had screwed everything so royally that he could no longer fix it ⏤ he was going to lose Naruto indefinitely.

His cheek stung whenever he thought about it, as a physical reminder of his mistakes. He actually mustered enough courage to defend Naruto, claiming that he did indeed insult him so his resignation was uncalled for. His father answered nonchalantly while handing him the salve:

“Well, if you weren’t offended by the fact that he punched you, I don’t see any problem undoing his decision. Contact him and solve this issue as you see fit.”

So it all narrowed down to Sasuke staring at his cell phone for an indeterminate time, Naruto’s name displayed on the screen. He tried to come up with an excuse or explanation…none of them sounded convincing enough. He couldn’t find any solution to this dilemma; mainly because he knew he’d end up hurting Naruto’s feelings even further since he still had no intention of admitting his own, he couldn’t find a way to move beyond this point. And in the end, Sasuke waited long enough to be interrupted by his secretary or he’d placed the cell phone too far away from his grasp, figuring that he should give Naruto some space.

Deep inside, however, he knew he was simply attempting to escape from the inevitable and he chastised himself as all sorts of coward.

But even though there was one side of him that wanted to avoid the confrontation for as long as possible, his longing emotions only increased. If thinking about him almost 24/7 wasn’t enough, memories continued to haunt his dreams. Sasuke would get worried about Naruto then, wondering how he was managing after all this. Staring at the phone, obsessing over Naruto, his mind almost unable to withstand the constant yearning, his mask cracking with each tick of the clock – he was coming undone.

Just at the moment Sasuke was trying to formulate another excuse, his cell phone rang, he didn’t recognize the number. With a dreadful feeling in his gut, he answered the call:

“What have you done to Naruto?” An angry voice hissed.

“…what?” Sasuke responded.

The voice replied. “It’s Shikamaru Nara. I don’t know what happened in that room, but Naruto has been missing ever since!” Sasuke was sure that his heart had stopped. Shikamaru continued. “His father is worried sick about him. What exactly did you say that caused such a strong reaction?”

Sasuke recoiled heatedly, also frustrated. “Didn’t Sarutobi-san already give you an explanation?”

“He only gave a vague excuse and said that due to some misunderstandings, Naruto made a mistake and the discussion escalated until Naruto felt forced to leave that day. Has he tried to contact you since then? Have you received any calls or…anything at all?”

“No…nothing.” Sasuke answered quietly.

“I don’t get it. Naruto has never acted so desperately before. Normally whenever he encounters a problem, he just bounces back as if it were nothing extraordinary. This is the first time I’ve seen him do something so—uncharacteristic. At least he’s strong minded so I don’t think he’ll do anything rash.”

“You don’t have any clues, anything at all?”

“Actually, his father is asking the credit card company to track the last time he used it to see if he slept in a motel or anything.” Shikamaru explained and then paused to contemplate. “I still don’t understand…how can you affect Naruto so easily. He has never reacted this way before, and I’m now just wishing whatever bomb you’ve dropped that day…hadn’t devastated him so much.” Shikamaru said bitterly.

Sasuke retorted annoyed. “It wasn’t my intention. If I could retract some of the words I said that day—“

“Frankly, I don’t care whatever issues you’re having to act that way, just don’t drag down a good guy like Naruto. He doesn’t deserve whatever this is.” Before he could hear any snappish response from Sasuke, Shikamaru spoke again. “I should go. I’ll ask some of his friends or colleagues. Goodbye, Uchiha-san.”

Sasuke sighed, running his hand through his hair. “If there’s any new information about him…please…notify me.“

He heard a groan. “Whatever.” Shikamaru retorted with a tired exhale. Before he hung up, Shikamaru murmured almost inaudibly, as if he was talking to himself. “…getting involved with you was the worst mistake Naruto has ever made in his life.”

It took a few hours for Sasuke to recover himself from that last sentence ringing in his mind, hating the fact that statement was probably true.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Arriving a few hours earlier than normal, Sasuke walked straight to his office, ignoring the polite greetings as he walked past other subordinates. He slouched in his seat with a sigh, placing both elbows on his desk and rubbing his face with his hands. He seriously wasn’t in the mood for anything let alone a meeting which his secretary noticed immediately when she saw him glaring daggers at anyone who passed near him.

Under normal circ*mstances he would admonish himself for this lack of concentration and his lack of competency to properly fulfill his duties, but his concerns over Naruto had overwritten everything else.

What if Naruto had been in a car accident? Or maybe he got so drunk and ended up being robbed. What if he moved to another city to get away? That dumbass, getting into trouble and making everyone worried about him. Sasuke groaned - multiple scenarios and questions filling his brain, he was going insane.

Nara Shikamaru hadn’t contacted him yet, making him increasingly restless. Sasuke hated this constricting sensation, unable to help in any kind of way. His feelings towards Naruto, the guilt and regret eating away on the inside and now Naruto’s sudden disappearance, everything had spiraled out of control and threatened to break the last residues of his composure. Sasuke attempted to focus on any way he could think of to try and find the blond - perhaps the car had a GPS that could be accessed to find his current location? He’d have to know Naruto’s license plate nevertheless, and he imagined that Nara was less than willing to reveal the numbers. He figured it was possible they had already considered this possibility and had gotten negative results. Then… he considered Naruto’s personality – what sort of places would he go in these circ*mstances?

Too engrossed in his own world, Sasuke didn’t notice quiet steps approaching until a calm voice spoke:

“You look extremely distracted now, otouto.”

Itachi. Sasuke threw a nasty glare towards his brother. He didn’t want to deal with this annoyance now. “Why are you here?”

Itachi appeared unruffled about Sasuke’s caustic words, smiling indulgently. “What’s the matter? Father asked me to come here and talk with some of our main investors, so I thought that I would also pay a visit to see how my younger brother is managing.”

“I don’t care. Now that you’ve already succeeded in bothering me, go away now.” Sasuke grunted out, purposely focusing his vision on the monitor, eyebrows furrowed.

“I don’t understand. Why are you acting so rashly towards your own older brother?” Itachi asked.

Now that’s something rich. Sasuke snorted scornfully. “Do you really think you’re free from any guilt, after what you have done to this family? After breaking it, do you really think that you can just waltz back into our lives, as if nothing bad had happened?”

Itachi sighed. “I’m aware of my mistakes - that’s why I returned so I can make amends.”

“But I don’t want you to try and make any amends with me. I’m fine with everything being just the way it is.” Sasuke hissed, his patience wearing thin.

“You shouldn’t act this way towards anyone, especially with someone from your family.” Itachi murmured.

Sasuke immediately straightened up, his palms banging on the table. “Family?! Don’t you dare speak to me as being part of my family when you were the one who walked away and abandoned us for your own selfish reasons!”

“I did walk away, that’s why I’m back, in hopes that you’ll for—“

“Well, you won’t get any from me! You completely destroyed my life!”

Itachi blinked slowly. “How did I manage to destroy your life?”

This sincere confusion coming from his older brother, instead, managed to rile Sasuke even further. “How? HOW?!” He sputtered. “You abandoned us and threw me in this hell! Every day, every single day I’m forced to wear your shoes and suffer the inevitable comparison!! Every time, I try to fill the void you have left but I’m never enough! Every goddamn time, no matter what I accomplish, father looks at me, wishing that it was you instead! They threw your duties on my shoulders while you disappeared from the map!”

“I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused you, but they shouldn’t have pressured you so much. And you too…you shouldn’t have sacrificed your entire future for their sake.”

Sasuke threw a sardonic chortle. “I’m not going to listen to someone that ran away from home and returned with his tail between his legs, begging for forgiveness.”

“I regretted cutting the ties with our family, I didn’t regret my decision.” Itachi answered, unperturbed by his younger brother’s rash words. “Family is important, but not enough to stifle your own happiness. There’s no need for you to listen and obey our father’s every command. Besides…who exactly are you trying to fool by playing the part of the perfect son?”

Sasuke threw an ashtray that flew past Itachi, barely grazing his left ear and crashed noisily to the ground. His shoulders were tense with balled hands, silently conveying how much he wanted Itachi out of this room.

Itachi however, just continued his speech, relentless. “Isn’t that the truth? You don’t want to admit an ugly part of yourself, so you’d rather project this hatred on someone else. Whether our father crushed your dreams or I inadvertently placed a weight on your shoulders, you don’t want to admit that you fear changing.”

A vivid image of golden strands of hair gleaming in the sun, turquoise colored eyes and a bright grin overflowed Sasuke’s memories, painfully clenching his heart. He squinted his eyes with an agonized sigh, feeling his head throbbing so much that it was going to explode.

“You fear change…even if it’s a positive change. That’s why you’re unable to move, the biggest obstacle will always be yourself.” Itachi paused, staring with pity in his eyes. “Because in the end, deep inside—“

That’s enough, he didn’t want to hear it…I don’t want to hear it!!

“—You’re just a coward.”

“SHUT UP!” Sasuke screamed, throwing everything on the table to the ground. Documents flew astray, the monitor broke in half, the keyboard and mouse fell with a loud thud and the youngest Uchiha glared venomously.

Itachi glanced briefly at the broken objects around him, exhaling a heavy sigh and murmured. “You haven’t changed at all…resorting to violence whenever you reach the peak of your very limited patience.”

“And you should keep your mouth shut while I’m beating you. That’s the least you could do after being gone for so many years.” Sasuke snarled.

“If your rage was truly directed at me, I wouldn’t mind facing it since I deserved it. But this is not the case. You’re only doing this because you’re frustrated with your inability to change and you need a scapegoat. You’re cornered but you’re too weak to voice your own desires, even if your alternative is a chance for a happier life.”

“I told you to. Shut. Up!” Sasuke threw the telephone towards Itachi’s face who avoided it in time to have it miss him by a hair.

“You complain so much about your current ordeal, but you’ve never moved on your own to change it. You’re just too scared to face the unknown and lose the stability that you have right now.”

“SHUT UP!” Sasuke shouted, throwing nearby objects, everything within his reach met its doom.

“You’re incapable of disagreeing with our father’s orders, even for a worthy goal to pursue after. Why? Because you are insecure and don’t have a strong will to defy him.”

“SHUT UP! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANY OF THIS!! SHUT UP!!!” Sasuke yelled nearly in hysterics, destroying statues and all the expensive trinkets in his office while Itachi continued to recite, unmoved.

“You’re trapped by the shackles you created yourself, unable to chase your happiness and losing what’s really important to you because of your own cowardice.” Itachi turned around to look at Sasuke. “Even now, in your most wretched state, feeling nothing more than utter sadness, you’d prefer drowning into deeper darkness rather than fighting against it. You’re losing a chance for something precious and yet you’re not moving a finger to chase and hold it close to you.”

With every object inside his office now broken beyond repair, Sasuke gasped breathlessly, his energy spent.

Sasuke rasped out, his voice guttural and tired. “Stop this…”

Itachi continued to stare at him, his expression neutral but with a tinge of compassion. He spoke quietly:

“Just look at yourself. I’m sure that at this moment, no one in the whole world is more miserable than you. So what’s your point of prolonging this any further? For how much longer are you going to keep rooted in this stagnation, unable to move against your own fears?”

Sasuke lowered his hands, incapable of moving any further as he stared at the floor, pieces of glass and other objects scattered around. He remembered about those words again…spoken with a more sympathetic tone and accompanied with an encouraging smile that gave him a sensation of unwavering strength to pursue his own dreams. But why did he decide to reject Naruto’s presence in the end? How could—

“And even now when you had many opportunities to injure me, you couldn’t dare to throw one punch against me. You really are a spineless coward.” Itachi taunted, narrowing his eyes.

Sasuke instantly saw red and went berserk as he aimed his fist at Itachi’s face. However, before he could reach it, Itachi twisted his arm and threw him to the ground. The older Uchiha shook his head, finally walking towards the door.

“Just because I incited your anger, doesn’t mean I wouldn’t react back. Remember that I’m a black belt in judo, foolish otouto.”

Staring at the ceiling and feeling utterly defeated, the passage of time was barely noticed by Sasuke. A tight knot gathered in his throat but no tears would come out. His world was breaking apart, every single emotion was threatening to burst out and yet he was incapable of letting it all out, feeling undeserving to do so. Now there wasn’t anyone that he would be willing to expose his ugliest side to and would accept him the way he was, no one that could embrace his weakness and allow him to cry…recognize he was only a fallible human. He no longer had someone that understood him - Naruto left a void that was impossible to fill. Why was he finally realizing Naruto’s importance now that it was too late? Sasuke covered his eyes with his hands, expelling a trembled sigh.

“Naruto…”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

“Shikamaru, Mr. Sasuke Uchiha is on the line.” The secretary informed him, Shikamaru felt grateful for the empty office, knowing that the pending discussion would most likely be unpleasant.

“Shikamaru Nara speaking.” He said.

“A whole day has passed and you haven’t called me back. You said you were going to let me know when you found him.” Sasuke said with an impatient tone. “Did his father find out any information from the credit card company? Do you have any clue about Naruto’s current location now?”

Shikamaru sighed. “I never promised that I would inform you about it, and also, I can’t see why I should share this information with you.”

Sasuke growled, he had enough of people defying him. “But I don’t understand why you won’t share it with me. Naruto disappeared and he could even be dead and I have resources to help you in finding him but instead, you’re wasting my time.”

“Hm. Then, let me ask you one thing Uchiha-san. Why is Naruto’s whereabouts and situation so important to you? Wasn’t he supposed to be only an insignificant employee to you?” Shikamaru asked.

“…that is none of your concern.“ Sasuke answered with a clipped tone.

“Sorry…” Shikamaru took a long intake of breath and said. “Naruto is my friend, so this concerns me.”

At first Shikamaru hated to admit, he was so angry with this aggravating situation that, once he realized that Naruto disappeared, he had acted on a whim, calling Sasuke Uchiha with the intention of putting the whole blame on him. He didn’t want to admit his own guilt, that he was probably part of Naruto’s sudden departure, when he pushed his friend to abruptly terminate his feelings towards the Uchiha.

He should have figured that Naruto wouldn’t be able to cope with this sudden change, attempting to rationalize something that it’s impossible to process only through logic. He also wasn’t expecting Sasuke’s own response over Naruto’s sudden distance, didn’t know that the Uchiha would react so strongly, and he miscalculated that Naruto would miss Sasuke back with the same intensity.

Once Shikamaru realized all of this, his mind was filled with shame. He hated so much when people misjudged his relationship with Temari, observing and making shallow conclusions about them, but he had done the same thing with Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship. Now that this situation was out of control, Shikamaru felt that he shouldn’t underestimate their feelings. Maybe he would give the Uchiha a chance, in hopes that it would make a positive difference.

He said. “Naruto is probably suffering now, to tell the truth, I don’t want anyone meddling in his life so carelessly and knowing that you were the main reason for his torment, why should I even bother talking to you?”

Sasuke snapped. “I’ve made mistakes before, but I’m willing to set things right now.“

“Why? Why are you so determined to fix this? Because you feel guilty? Then, I’ll say that it’s totally unnecessary, Naruto doesn’t need to be involved with you again just so he can unburden your conscience.”

“You don’t underst—“

“You’re worried then?” Shikamaru interrupted. “Well I’d rather you stay far away from Naruto, since you caused this whole problem. It’d be better if Naruto never got involved with someone that will only bring him down emotionally.” Shikamaru added darkly. “If you even dare to say that you want to know just because you’re curious, I swear that I don’t care if you’re an Uchiha, Sarutobi will have to find yet another chief architect to tolerate your presence.”

Shikamaru waited for Sasuke to absorb his words, as he concluded:

“If you want to know about Naruto’s whereabouts purely because of one of those reasons I had mentioned, I refuse to inform you, no matter what the circ*mstances. So tell me, why…why are you so determined to find him? What makes you go so far for him? I’ll withhold any information till you give me the answer.” Shikamaru hung up the phone, praying that he made the right decision.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Sasuke threw his cell phone haphazardly to the ground, his mouth opening in a silent yell while his hands scratched his scalp. He wanted to have the heart to be rightfully angered with Nara’s presumptuous action, but he was simply tired.

How dare he meddle with this situation, asking such an intrusive question in which Sasuke always had instinctively known the answer…

Why?

I miss Naruto.

Sasuke sobbed quietly in the midst of the dark living room. He missed everything about the blond -the way his laugh almost literally brightened the room, his stupid grins even his weird obsession for ramen. He missed the connection they had whenever they recognized the loneliness in each other’s hearts, missed recognizing the occasional bitter side that Naruto portrayed only to him. He missed their crazy bantering, the natural way Naruto treated him. He missed Naruto’s good qualities, flaws, everything, the way he completed Sasuke in a way that no one had ever came close to before in his life.

Onyx eyes slowly widened, reaching an epiphany.

I…

AN: 2 more chapters and we’ll finish this fic!!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

Chapter 14: Report 14

Chapter Text

Sasuke stared down at his hands resting on the table, noticing that they were trembling a little. He covered one hand above the other with a groan, glancing at the clock and calculating the few hours left for his meeting with his father.

Logically, it would have been better if he had chosen to talk after work but he couldn’t wait any longer. He had wasted too much time feeling cornered, immobile from his own fears when Naruto may be in danger right now.

Sasuke had to convince his father that he should return to New York to search for Naruto. The brunet was already predicting the inevitable confrontation; Fugaku would probably accuse him of neglecting his duties, asking for explanations…the youngest Uchiha was ready to face the inevitable scene head-on, now that he had finally sorted out his own feelings. He was prepared to forfeit his position in the company if necessary…they were nothing but annoying tasks that his parents forced him to fulfill.

Sasuke shook his head, trying to dispel those dark thoughts. He shouldn’t dwell too much over the small details, his first priority would be finding Naruto, assure he’s safe and sound, then get ready to face whatever the consequences. He couldn’t stand being swept by merciless tides, everything going against his wishes as he stood inanimate. It was about time to move forward, now that he had something worthy to fight for.

Sasuke snorted to himself, the melodramatic words running inside his mind were nice, but he still couldn’t cover the fact that he was pretty damn nervous about all this. He didn’t even know how he was supposed to start this whole speech…how was he going to explain to his father that not only was he hom*osexual, but he also desired to be relieved of his duties to pursue his own personal interests?

“I’m impressed. This is the third time I’ve caught you distracted.” A monotone voice broke his line of thought.

Sasuke growled, pushing his chair farther away from his older brother. “Itachi, haven’t you had enough of humiliating me? Go away now.”

Itachi stared for a while, until he responded calmly. “About yesterday, maybe I was too rough on you.” At this, Sasuke scornfully snorted. “I figured that I should apologize for my harsh behavior, so I brought you some salve, I noticed that you have other wounds around your face.”

Sasuke was half-tempted to grab it and throw it at Itachi’s face, until he noticed some details on the lid. “My name is inscribed on it.” The young Uchiha said confused as he picked up the luxurious container.

Itachi smiled back. “Of course. Not only do I have your box, but also our parents’ and mine. I wanted to take along a keepsake of my family members while I was away.”

Sasuke wordlessly tightened his hands around the container, not knowing how to react in response. He examined the small lacquer box, lightly touching the engraved details as he murmured. “I don’t remember having this.”

“You were too young I guess, plus mother used to keep it with her in case you would lose it. Apparently our ancestors used to be a renowned clan of warriors, some rumored that we were indeed the Uchiha clan described in the legend of Uzumaki Naruto. That’s why this salve has a secret recipe and every clan member had this small container and would carry it whenever they were out on a mission. Whenever an Uchiha is born or someone joins our family, it is tradition to craft this box for them, with their names inscribed on it. Each one has a unique design crafted specifically for the clan member it was made for.” Itachi replied, still wearing that serene smile.

Another silence fell between them, as Sasuke continued to stare at the container. “So you’re returning it back to me now?”

With one elegant shrug of his shoulders, Itachi answered. “I suppose. Since I intend to be around from now on.”

Sasuke glanced at the lacquer box once again before placing it on the table. He noticed then, his brother discreetly relaxed his posture, probably relieved that Sasuke hadn’t tossed it back to him. There were many other bitter memories that needed to be addressed so Sasuke spoke up. “If we were so important to you, why didn’t you return any sooner? What took you so long?”

“Ah yes.” Itachi sighed. “I guess my best excuse is that I didn’t notice the passage of time. I know it’s not enough for you to forgive me right away, but it is the truth.”

Itachi paused to see if he was going to be interrupted but received only a raise of an eyebrow coming from his younger brother.

He continued then. “Took me some time to enroll into a Med school, it was also difficult to forge a whole new identity in a way that our parents’ hired detectives wouldn’t find me out. Then I volunteered in ‘Doctors Without Borders’, and have been helping out in several countries in Africa since then. And now that I’m back I’m having a talk with our father about donating funds or organizing widespread campaigns to give food and medicine to those underdeveloped countries. They agreed, as long as I took care of organizing this while I’m responsible with other executive administrative tasks for the Corporation. It’s a fair deal I guess…there’s so much injustice and misery across the globe, it’s frustrating that you can’t do much alone. At least with some financial and political power, I can aid thousands of families instead one life or two.”

“How poetic. I’m sure that all those poor people will be eternally grateful for your benevolent sacrifice and altruism.” Sasuke bit out sarcastically, no longer interested to hear the rest.

Itachi appeared to be surprised at his brother’s acidic words. “Sasuke that was just one of the reasons why I decided to return, but it’s not the main one. I truly returned to make amends with my family.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes, stood up and walked towards the window, in an attempt to tune out his excuses. What he didn’t expect, was hearing what came next:

“I saw the news about the earthquake in Japan.”

Sasuke turned around, widening his eyes.

Itachi balled his fists, his eyebrows furrowed with a trembled sigh. “At first I couldn’t really believe it, seeing all the images of that building shaking and collapsing everywhere. I prayed so hard, begging every god that you were left unharmed but instead, the news reported another wave of earthquakes happening shortly after. It was in that moment that I…I regretted so much in my life, that maybe I had lost my chance to see my family one last time and say some—anything to ask your forgiveness. Maybe one of you were dying and I should have been there helping you out but instead I was miles away, only able to follow the news on TV, utterly powerless.”

Sasuke silently mulled over his older brother’s words, unable to voice any scathing retort. The sincerity in Itachi’s tone, how Itachi stood shaken from recollecting those memories was removing the resentment lodged in his heart. After harboring these negative emotions for so many years, feeling them melting away gave him indescribable relief.

Because you've built up those negative emotions for so long, and you have to let them go, or else they will haunt you for the rest of your life.

“And…once I saw you being rescued from that building and mother and father hugging you…I have never felt so happy in my whole life. Relieved that you were alive and unharmed…it’s when I noticed how much I wanted to be there too, comforting our parents while we waited for you and also hugging my younger brother, sharing this joy… It finally hit home how much I missed my family and how many years had passed since I left. That’s why I returned otouto…because I missed each one of you.” Itachi looked at him with a teary-eyed smile as Sasuke stared back with a knot in his throat, tightening his hands.

The younger Uchiha opened his mouth for a response but Itachi raised his hand to interrupt.

“I know…” Itachi said. “that I should have made smarter decisions in the past, that I shouldn’t have reacted so rashly and should have talked better with our parents to reach a solution before running off. But I guess—there are certain things you finally understand when you’re older. I said before that I didn’t regret my decision but I admit that I should have handled it better. But what’s done is done and now I want to compensate for any damage I have done.”

Sasuke took some time to absorb this information, calming himself so he could think. He murmured slowly. “…I know that you’re being sincere and I can see that you want to make things right again. But you took so long to return…maybe it may also take some time for me to accept you again.”

Itachi slowly nodded in understanding. “I know. That was also the reason that I didn’t contact you all after the earthquake. I feared that maybe I was too late in realizing my mistakes and fix them. But I believe that it’s never too late…” Itachi lifted a small smirk that made Sasuke narrow his eyes. “As long as you’re willing to take the next step. And I’m here, hoping that I’d be some of use as your older brother…I’m also here to apologize to our parents, the fact that at that time I couldn’t see their real concerns about my future—“

Sasuke snorted loudly, interrupting his older brother’s speech.

Itachi blinked. “Have I said something wrong?”

“Nothing…I mean, now you really want me to believe in this lunacy? That our parents were more worried about your future, not the future of this company?” Sasuke crossed his arms, incredulous.

“…yes, they are our parents after all.” Itachi rebutted with conviction.

Sasuke sighed, rolling his eyes. “You probably spent too much time away from them that you forgot some of their most irritating traits. Especially from our father.” He added with a dark tone.

“Is that so?” Itachi paused, then quirked an unreadable smile. “Well then, let me give you some interesting information as a small compensation for my long absence. But first, answer a question: How important is the Uchiha Corporation to our father?”

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. “ Obviously he’s completely dedicated to it, because he’s so blind over his pride of being an Uchiha and—“

“Well, what if I tell you that our father wasn’t originally an Uchiha?” Itachi interrupted and nearly chuckled when he saw Sasuke astonished face. “On top of that, our mother’s maiden surname is Uchiha, our father took her surname.”

“What??” Sasuke slacked his jaw. “That can’t be—where did you get this idea? It doesn’t make a lick of sense. “

“Haven’t you ever wondered how our mother managed to work and become a powerful business woman in such a sexist society like Japan’s? It had gotten better over the years but at that time, the moment a woman would marry, she was expected to resign from her job and become a housewife, unless her husband allowed her to continue to work.”

“O...kay.” Sasuke thinned his lips, while absorbing this bout of information. “Then?”

“Then we come to the part where we have some interesting details about our mother. She’s the sole heiress of the clan, ready to inherit the company. But the Uchiha Corporation was on the verge of bankruptcy, losing out to American companies. She knew that the majority of the board of directors wouldn’t listen to her, even if she was one of the first women enrolled in Toudai in Administration and she possessed a cunning talent in finance. Despite everything, she was ready to face them head on.”

“Hm.” Sasuke silently recollected distant memories about his mother discussing with old members of the clan, her sharp glower despite witnessing their expression of derision. “That does sound like something mother would do.” As his mind was assembling this puzzle, he realized. “But then she met our father.”

Itachi nodded. “At first they were classmates at the university, but they started dating and before she knew it, our father proposed to her. But if she married him in normal circ*mstances, she’ll lose her legal right and her cousin would be chosen as the director. So she proposed that he adopt her surname and become the new head of this company.”

Both sons paused, knowing instinctively that Itachi’s next set of words would change Sasuke’s point of view completely.

“And…we live in a Japanese society, you know the repercussions, how important is to continue your legacy with your descendants inheriting your surname. And you know our father – all the typical Japanese man, full of pride, inflexible and unyielding to anything and anyone… he said yes. For her sake. ” Unbeknownst to himself, Sasuke released a sigh of relief. “Of course, it’s not like they had everything easier afterwards. The Uchiha Clan struggled to accept an outsider becoming the head of the Clan and a woman responsible for their finances. Our father suffered too, since he came from an old noble family. Our grandfather even disowned and banished our father from his family, only to forgive him on his death bed. I found all this from a relative on father’s side…the Uchiha Clan kept this history a secret to avoid any scandal.”

Itachi approached his younger brother, lightly patting his shoulder and was satisfied that Sasuke didn’t recoil from his touch.

“I told you, there are some things that you’d only understand once you’re older. I was so focused with my own ambitions that I failed to see our parents’ point of view. Maybe we shouldn’t just see them as some force pulling us down. Maybe our father has other reasons to be so dedicated to this company…maybe there’s something more than meets the eye.”

“I wasted so many years blaming everyone around me …that I forgot to take into consideration their feelings.” Sasuke thought to himself, guilt lingering heavily on his mind.

“Our parents have fought opponents, faced many hardships throughout their lives…but for them, it was worth it, since they had each other for support. I’m sure that our father is aware of the blame we put on him and he accepted the burden…because he at least had our mother who could understand him and encourage him.” Itachi gave Sasuke’s shoulder another pat, with another enigmatic smile. “What about you Sasuke? Do you have someone like that in your life?”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

The door suddenly burst open, almost making Fugaku spill his green tea when he saw his youngest son enter, breathless. It almost reminded him of those cliché moments in samurai movies he used to watch, when the protagonists invaded the enemies’ headquarters to begin a bloody fight.

He raised one eyebrow as Sasuke panted, trying to recover his breath. With a hand sign to his secretary, she promptly obeyed with a courteous bow and gave a glass of fresh water to his son, which he emptied in a matter of seconds.

“Father, I need to speak to you.” Sasuke said once he rested enough.

“I thought our talk was scheduled for two hours from now, any reason why the urgency?” Fugaku said, while he organized the documents.

Kind of…Sasuke found himself unable to give a reasonable argument since he pretty much ran there on impulse. Itachi’s words had left an impression on him, being able to see a different side of his father and his parents’ past oddly inspired him. Before he could even realize himself, he was inside the elevator and running towards his father’s room. Sasuke said:

“It is a matter of personal urgency, so if I could—“He glanced sideways.

His father contemplated for a while until he cleared his throat, indicating for his staff to leave the room, quietly closing the door behind them. Once silence settled inside, Fugaku threw an inquisitive glance, expecting his son to begin.

Sasuke noticed the quiet questioning, though he was still too nervous to drop the sudden news. After a long inhale and tightening his hands to stave off the gathering of cold sweat, Sasuke started slowly:

“I…I have to go to New York, to find Na—Naruto.”

Fugaku straightened in his chair, furrowing his eyebrow. “To find Uzumaki-kun? Why?”

“He’s been missing ever since that last meeting so I’m worried about his whereabouts.”

Fugaku widened his eyes. “But I thought you had contacted him when I told you to clear up the confusion that occurred.”

“I—I couldn’t. At the time I couldn’t make myself talk with him.” Sasuke gulped dryly. “Nara-san informed me about this situation and now…I intend to find him, and solve this situation between us.”

Fugaku thought for a few moments and asked once again. “So why are you so motivated now to find him?”

This simple sentence threw Sasuke into more turmoil, unwilling to give the answer so quickly. This is it. This was the moment where he would choose a different path and lose the stability in his life he know for now, his head throbbing and running haywire.

He briefly closed his eyes, recalling every reason that would erase the doubt in his mind and raised his head with dignity, ready to fight his own demons.

“Because Naruto is a precious person to me father.” Sasuke declared, his voice never sounding so clear. “I have made a mistake for not recognizing this fact, but now I have every intention to fix this and let him know…how much he means to me.”

Sasuke fixed his eyes on his father, frightened to see any negative response or dismissal but Fugaku kept his expression unreadable. His father readjusted his position on the chair and for a few brief seconds, Sasuke could almost see a flash of a smile, before Fugaku laced his fingers and placed them on the table, his face pensive.

“So in other words, you acknowledge all the evidence I saw in those photos?”

Sasuke bit his lower lip, slowly nodding in response.

“I see. So you and Uzumaki-kun are in a relationship then?”

An image of Naruto staring at his Ramen cup with an almost marveled reverence unexpectedly polluted Sasuke’s mind out of nowhere and the young brunet repressed the urge to snort.

Fugaku watched in confusion towards his son. The latter cleared his throat to cover his mild embarrassment, answering:

“No, I guess we’re not yet. But once everything is cleared up and if the situation winds up in my favor, I hope to start a relationship with him.” With a crazy, nonsensical usuratonkachi and a ramen addict to boot, Sasuke wanted to add. He was now very aware of the trouble he was going to be in. He mentally shook his head in amusem*nt and said. “I’m sorry…that I chose to hide the truth before but I couldn’t—I was afraid of admitting…“ Sasuke lowered his head in shame.

“That you’re hom*osexual?” Fugaku finished with a raised eyebrow. “Your mother and I have known about this fact for quite a while.”

Sasuke slackened jaw flabbergasted. “You don’t—“

“Mind? Of course not.” Fugaku resumed drinking his green tea in calm gulps. “I could see how much you were trying to hide this fact from the press to avoid giving us any trouble, but I just wish you could’ve trusted us to open yourself to. I’m relieved that you changed your mind now.”

Sasuke blinked twice in awed silence. This was way too much information to be absorbed in one day.

“Anyways, I’d have liked to allow you go to New York and find Uzumaki-kun, but unfortunately there are other pressing business matters here that need your immediate attention. You don’t really have to waste your time looking for him when I’m sure our investigators would do a better job.” Fugaku declared stoically, picking up a pen to sign some papers. “You can go talk with him once we find him.”

“I have a vague idea where Naruto was headed, and I wanted to ask Nara-san about it. And also, actually...in the future - although I don’t intend to abandon all of my responsibilities - I’d prefer if I could…be alleviated of some of them.”

Fugaku stopped in mid action, raising his head to glance at his son. “Why?”

Sasuke stared back, mulling over how he should address this situation without sounding too disrespectful to his father. He couldn’t keep his eyes trained towards Fugaku and figured, as he started to bend his legs and prostrate in front of his father; that this should be the least he could do to compensate such disobedience.

“Enough.” Fugaku’s voice easily reverberated inside the spacious room, a sharp reminder for Sasuke about his imposing aura. His father stood up, walking around the table and approached him, saying with a sigh. “I’m tired of seeing my children bowing to me, because it feels like I failed somewhere in your education. Stand up.”

With another furtive glance, Sasuke awkwardly straightened up, staring at the ground.

“Very well then. Now look at me, and explain clearly as the adult that you are now, instead of feeling the need to resort to other tactics.”

Sasuke obeyed, gazing upon the elder’s somber eyes, his emotions boiling and spilling out of control. Random sets of words flashed at the back of his mind, and although Sasuke was trying hard to construct the perfect and persuasive speech that would express his mature and rational desire for freedom, his mouth blurted out. “I’m sorry that I’m such a disappointing son.”

He could see Fugaku frowning immediately but Sasuke couldn’t stop there. It was as if every negative thought he’d accumulated in the past, his fears, frustration, everything that he buried to avoid confrontation with his father, had been suppressed for too long that it had to be let it all out. These latest events had left him emotionally exhausted; his head was throbbing, feeling wave after wave of nervousness and a plethora of other mixed emotions that he was unable to control, not anymore.

“I’ve tried so hard to meet you expectations, but I know that I’ve never succeeded. Being in this company is suffocating…this task was never something I fully enjoyed no matter how hard I tried. I know that you don’t want to hear such things and for a long while I have avoided confessing this to you so that’s why, I know you must be disappointed in me.”

Fugaku exhaled a heavy sigh, turning his head and breaking eye contact, this familiar set of actions generated a small panic attack from Sasuke as he lowered his upper body into a humble bow:

“You placed responsibilities and duties in which I, as your son, wished I could fulfill but I failed to achieve perfection. I have my own ambitions and interests in a different area that unfortunately isn’t related to our family business. I know you’re not going to forgive me for my foolishness but I’m sorry…I can’t do this anymore. Not like this.” He said, exhausting the last of his emotional outburst. Sasuke was already dreading his father’s response; he would probably scream complaining about his immaturity and impudence, or maybe even expel him from the clan. It was too late, and now the young Uchiha waited the impending disaster in a catatonic state.

Fugaku didn’t answer right away, his face distorted in a grimace. Perhaps Sasuke was too anxious, focused to notice his father’s every movement and the imminent backlash…or maybe Fugaku was showing an expression so different from the usual solemn and stern exterior…but beneath his frown showed layers of wrinkles on his temple and eyes in vivid detail, that Sasuke couldn’t sense his father’s unapproachable aura, appearing instead to be just a regular old man.

Fugaku propped his hands on the table, expelling a murmur. “So this is how you view me…?”

Sasuke winced at the pained tone coming from his father, the guilt escalating even higher. His father rubbed his face with his fingers.

“So you think…I would—You fear me?” Fugaku asked bluntly, his guttural voice almost made Sasuke cower in response.

Fugaku waited till his youngest son gulped dryly and avoided looking in his eyes. This reaction further increased Fugaku’s own regret as the oldest Uchiha prepared himself to reveal his own share of confessions.

“Sasuke.” Fugaku called and his son raised his head, staring back. “I don’t want you to blame yourself and it was never my intention to hurt you or make you so miserable. You’re my son .”

“…I know.” Sasuke answered as a few tears prickled the corner of his eyes.

“I don’t know…where you got those ideas and I really wish I had detected this in the past because I would never…” Fugaku raised his voice, thundering inside the spacious room. “I would never think that you’re a disappointment. Understand this.”

The way his father declared this with such conviction soothed his soul, now realizing…that this was probably the first time they had such a candid conversation. Their emotions were scattered everywhere but it seemed that they were starting to reassemble correctly at long last.

Fugaku mumbled, as if he was recalling a far away memory. “Actually…I didn’t want to put you with the burden of becoming the heir of this company in the first place.”

Sasuke froze nevertheless, his deepest fear crawling back from the corner of his mind, that he was just a faux substitute, a replacement.

“It was a set of unfortunate events. We were still a cooperative company with limited shares, the head of the clan having the largest percentage of capital. The Uchiha Corporation was in the process of becoming an unlimited company, but, unlike nowadays, there were many legal complications to overcome in order to change the company‘s legal structure. So we still needed Itachi as the next head to give the stock market some assurance. But the year Itachi decided to run away from our home was when Japan was having an economic crisis, finally collapsing after a decade of built up recession.”

Sasuke listened quietly to his father’s explanation, dreading for the moment Fugaku would admit that he simply needed someone to fill the void Itachi had left.

“Obviously the stock market was already in turmoil from the current crisis, and once the press has gotten hold of Itachi’s disappearance, the stock indexes were dropping rapidly, heading towards a crash. Our company wasn’t international at that time, but we already highly influenced Japan’s economy. Even with your mother’s brilliant strategies devised to keep the breakdown to a minimum, there would be a layoff of a thousand people as a result.”

Fugaku’s eyes were reflecting weariness, recognizing a weight that he carried through the years.

“I am the head of the company; the lives of many depend on my decisions. Thousands of jobs—Thousands of families were at stake. If we didn’t control the problem, it’d further aggravate Japan’s economic crisis, influencing other countries too by default. They were my responsibility; I had to find an answer and avoid ruining their lives. This country’s population needed to receive this solution, as soon as possible. The future of thousands of families…or the future of my son. Every logical reason pointed out the obvious so I chose you as the heir.”

For once, Fugaku was the one who looked guilty over this piece of information, watching his son to see any kind of reaction. Sasuke only stood inanimate, eyes wide in surprise from this revelation. Fugaku continued then.

“Unfortunately, the press and the stock market kept a close surveillance over your life, so I had to make sure that you were an exemplary student and would succeed in becoming the successor of the company. If I was too harsh…or acted wrongly that made you misinterpret my decisions, leading to today’s events…it wasn’t my intention. I wanted to raise you into a respectable adult and to be a source of our family’s pride. I thought…I assumed that this was the best way to educate a child.”

“But you never—you had never approved any of my actions.” Sasuke retorted, his head still muddled between mixtures of newly-found commiseration and remnants of resentment. “No matter what I did, you kept wishing I could do more. Even if I excelled or showed any exemplary work, it wasn’t enough.” He spat out.

“Because I believed that you could surpass yourself. Pushing you to the limit, that’s how I believed it’d work—“

“And how far did I have to go to finally make you satisfied?” Sasuke raised his voice, his patience wearing thin. “Because it doesn’t appear to me that you ever considered me our family’s pride!”

The last sentence echoed long enough to allow a tense silence to hang between them, father and son reaching the snapping point in which nothing would be left uncovered.

“As it appeared, I probably asked for too much and I’m now paying the consequences.” Fugaku said quietly.

Sasuke shook his head, to prevent further lashing out at his father. “I didn’t—I swear I didn’t say this to blame you.” He found himself unable to, not when he finally understood Fugaku’s point of view.

Fugaku nodded in response. “But you have to know Sasuke… for me, you always corresponded to my expectations and were fitting to be the next head of the clan. I thought that you would inherit the passion with economy and administration like your mother and I have, that you were interested in following our footsteps and carrying on our legacy…” Fugaku shook his head. “But it was only after many years that I noticed how unhappy you were with this kind of life. I should have seen through your behavior, but maybe I was too blinded by my selfishness…”

The final piece of the jigsaw puzzle finally melded to reveal the entire picture and Sasuke understood his father at long last, cleansing any remaining dark residue from his heart. All the past displeasures had lost their substance, recognizing that his father was human too, capable of having his own emotions go astray and feel wounded. Being able to grasp this knowledge helped reinforce their connection that used to be tied only through blood.

Fugaku declared shaking his head, putting an end to his speech. “I shouldn’t have made that kind of decision back then. Thousands of families or not…you’re my son. It is my duty as your father to put you as top priority but I failed to do so. If there’s anyone that should apologize, it should be me. For forcing you to do something against your will, for not noticing this any sooner…I failed to be a good father, Sasuke.”

“No…” Sasuke promptly said, relieved that his answer came sincerely from his heart. “I told you, I’d never blame you. We’ve had our rough times, we’ve both made mistakes…but you still raised me with dignity and that’s how you truly molded me in the end. And for that, I’ll always be grateful…father.”

With this last whisper, a heavy weight lifted from his chest and soared away, making him feel lightheaded and exultant. He noticed that his father was feeling the same effects because Fugaku smiled serenely at him, and for the first time in a while, Sasuke saw him not as a distant and commanding figure, but as a man that was constantly concerned over the people he cared for and preferred to keep his emotions hidden. Great, he’s the spitting image of his father.

They really were a perfect pair of fools.

Fugaku cleared his throat, returning to his stoic expression as he resumed the conversation. “So…once I noticed how unhappy you were with those shackles I threw on you, I knew that…even if I relieved you from your duty, you would obey me but you would be unable to move on your own, because I conditioned you to do so. That’s why I had to find you another role model, someone who fought against everyone and every condition that would meddle with his dream, someone who succeeded in building his own life…so I had hopes Uzumaki Naruto would help you in this journey, which was the reason why I introduced you to him.”

Sasuke’s brain stopped, slowly processing yet another bout of information. So the reason his father said that he admired Naruto, also the reason he was more lenient than normal towards the blond man, not to mention at the beginning his father forced him to have meetings with Naruto and rescheduled his day just so he could meet Naruto at the airport and inspect Mitsukoshi and was strangely complacent when Sasuke ditched his work to help Naruto explore Kyoto…that meant…wait a minute—

“You were trying to matchmake me with Naruto?” Sasuke asked with mild incredulity, his eyebrows shot to his hairline.

Fugaku furrowed his eyebrows, looking slightly mortified. “I didn’t know he was gay.”

Sasuke almost wanted chuckle and say that Naruto wasn’t gay, not in the normal sense anyway, but he chose to shake his head amused, contentedly seeing that his father had also softened his expression.

“It appears to me that you’re not complaining about this decision this time…after all, besides the Hyuugas; your childhood friends, I have never heard you calling anyone else by their name.” Fugaku smirked.

Sasuke blushed faintly and snorted. “Hn. I should get going…my secretary already arranged my flight and I should get to the airport soon. I promise we’ll talk in full detail about my future tasks, because I won’t neglect my current responsibilities.”

Fugaku nodded. “I will want to hear about your true interests after that… and see if I can help you in any way.”

“Okay…” Sensing that the discussion was over, Sasuke was almost tempted to hug his father but restrained himself. Maybe later. He settled with the words:

“Thank you.”

He turned around and felt healthy pats on his back, signaling a father sending off his son on a new journey. When Sasuke looked back, Fugaku was already at his table picking up the phone so the young Uchiha closed the door with a soft click.

“Sasuke.” His mother’s voice beckoned him and Sasuke noticed Mikoto approaching him from the corridor. She regarded him for a few seconds until she said. “I can see that you had a very long talk with your father right?”

Sasuke blinked, before nodding in agreement.

She smiled. “Well then. I guess I’ll have to do what I’m sure that my hard-headed husband would never have the wit to do it so.”

Unconcerned with the workers looking at them, Mikoto drew her son into a tight hug, and whispered to Sasuke:

“Always remember: you are our son and we love you, no matter what.”

She released him then, watching his back as Sasuke took his first steps into an uncertain future, beginning an exploration inside an unknown path—but this time for some reason, he had never felt so excited.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Fugaku picked up his cup of tea when someone knocked on the door and approached his desk. He didn’t even bother to look up, his instincts knew the identity of the person as he could feel, after many years of marriage, Mikoto was widening a very smug smile.

“So I’ve heard that Sasuke is off to New York.” Mikoto declared.

Fugaku nodded, sipping his green tea. “He’s heading at this exact moment to find Uzumaki-kun, ready to deliver some heartfelt confession or something like that. Deep inside, I suspect that you Uchihas have a penchant for melodramatic displays of emotions. That’s probably the main reason why you bother so much to bottle your feelings inside only to let it explode spectacularly.”

Mikoto narrowed her eyes. “The pot calling the kettle back.”

“I don’t bottle any feelings, I simply don’t display it so freely, Uchiha- san .” Fugaku replied with a smirk.

“…hn.” Mikoto didn’t bother to contradict his statement this time, settling to continue her smug beam. “See? I was correct. I told you the first time I met Uzumaki-kun, that they didn’t appear to be mere friends, and I bet there must be something more going on between them.”

Fugaku sighed. “But that doesn’t make sense. I received reports showing that Uzumaki-kun usef to have relationships with women only, which made me assume that he was heterosexual and they would have a normal friendship.” He said, but he looked far from being displeased.

Mikoto giggled and answered. “Well, call it a women’s intuition then. But I’m here mainly for one thing.” She smiled once again. “So I won the bet.”

“There must be something fundamentally wrong when a mother would use her son for betting.” Fugaku retorted without any venom in his voice.

“But you accepted, which makes you my partner in crime. Just like good old times.” She said in a conspiratorial tone, approaching her husband’s back and lacing her arms around his neck.

They stayed in that position for a while; contented to simply feel the presence of each other, Fugaku occasionally caressed Mikoto’s arm with his hands. After some time, he turned his head inquiring:

“So? What are going to ask for as your prize, Uchiha-san?”

Mikoto slightly lifted her chin in contemplation, until she beamed back. “It’s been a very long time since we had a date Kujou-kun.”

Fugaku didn’t frown from the almost forgotten nickname, resorting to raise an eyebrow in mild surprise. “I believe that you’re aware of the fact that we’re running a multinational Corporation and if we simply left without any warning, our offices would go on a rampage without us.”

“It’s just for a few hours and we have our cell phones too anyway.” Mikoto answered readily.

Fugaku sighed again. “Disregarding the rules, as expected. No wonder Itachi is so rebellious; he certainly got that trait from you.”

Mikoto only giggled, tightening her arms around him. “We’ll discuss who’s the more rebellious of the two on our date and I know I’ll win.”

Fugaku harrumphed softly, but didn’t bother to disagree with her.

“Fugaku?” Mikoto whispered next to his ear as he rose an eyebrow questioning. She said kissing his temple. “I hope Sasuke will find in Uzumaki-kun what I have found in you…”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

“Shikamaru Nara speaking.” Sasuke heard the characteristic lazy tone and answered:

“Nara.” He spoke through his cell phone while exiting the airport. “I know that I still have to give an explanation about last time but now I have an idea where Naruto has headed. I’m going to your office now if you could hel—“

Sasuke heard a sigh and a retort. “No need to. Naruto just contacted us yesterday.”

For a few moments the world stilled around Sasuke and he choked a short laugh, feeling relief blossom in his chest, as if a strong ray of light cleared up the grey sky and melted his insecurities, his skin prickling from the warmth. Oh God, Naruto was alive. This was the most wondrous news he had ever received in his life, he didn’t know the blonde’s current condition but at least Naruto was alive.

“Is he alright? When is he going to return? Where is he?” Sasuke asked, already getting into his limousine and heading to Sarutobi’s office.

“I’m not sure about the details but Sarutobi just received his letter of resignation.”

Every ebullient feeling crashed and crumbled in an instant, any residue of warmth had left Sasuke’s body, cold sweat sliding down his back. Naruto was…onyx eyes narrowed with determination. No way he was going to allow something like that to happen.

“I’ll be there shortly to clear up this situation. Bye.” Sasuke growled, turning off the cell phone and missed the confused protests from Shikamaru.

He didn’t get stuck in much traffic on the way, as he also barked orders for the driver to increase the speed. Once he reached the door, he hastened his steps to the building, the elevator, and finally the office. The brunet didn’t even acknowledge the confused receptionist, bluntly entering inside. His eyes focused on finding Sarutobi; surveying each room he walked through, when he saw the old man walking towards him in the hallway, busy talking with a group of people.

Sasuke’s mind, body and heart all moved in unison, acting on instinct as he dropped his knees haphazardly to the ground, his voice loud enough to gain everyone’s attention:

“Please don’t fire Naruto!”

Sarutobi widened his eyes, recognizing the prostrating figure:

“Sasuke-kun, wha—“

Sasuke shook his head, eyes furrowed and his head hanging low. “Please, don’t fire him. I swear that the last meeting is entirely my fault and Naruto suffered the consequences. I have already cleared up this situation with my father so Naruto can continue to be the chief architect of this project. I beg you to reconsider his resignation because Naruto is a very competen—“

“I didn’t fire him.” Sarutobi interrupted, confused.

Gray-colored eyes snapped open and Sasuke raised his head, staring in complete shock.

Sarutobi repeated. “I didn’t fire him. Naruto-kun sent me an e-mail giving his resignation in which I refused. I already know about Fugaku-kun’s side of story too.”

Sasuke’s pale face was acquiring a faint pink color, the brunet almost groaned in absolute mortification, wanting nothing but the earth to engulf him.

The old architect appeared to find this situation amusing, as he cleared his throat, sympathetically patting Sasuke’s shoulder. “Well, since I also heard from your father how you’re keen to find Naruto-kun, once you see him, could you please tell him to hurry up and return to work? There are several projects that need his help.” He coughed to get everyone’s attention, his entire group then headed to the exit, leaving the corridor empty.

Sasuke was still taking his time in contemplating suicide after he had made a complete fool of himself for nothing when he heard a snort, noticing Shikamaru next to him.

Sasuke glared daggers at Shikamaru, while the latter observed the Uchiha heir propping himself to stand, his face still red. With a sigh, Shikamaru picked up his cell phone and clicked quickly.

Sasuke’s cell phone immediately rung, and with a puzzled glance, Sasuke saw an address displayed on the screen.

“The only person Naruto has talked with so far was his father. So his father is also the only one who knows Naruto’s whereabouts. If you want to find Naruto, he’s the best source of information.”

Sasuke nodded in response, already calling his driver to pick him up, until he realized. “Wait a minute. If his father knows the whole story and I’m going there to ask about Naruto, he’s probably going to kill me!”

Shikamaru promptly answered with a laidback tone. “I’m actually counting on this possibility.”

Sasuke glared back. He didn’t bother himself to say any courteous words of goodbye as he turned around, walking back to the entrance.

“Uchiha.” Shikamaru called, as Sasuke stopped on his tracks with suspicion. “I guess I owe you an apology. I may have underestimated what you and Naruto had; made quick and shallow analysis, did some wrong decisions…Naruto is one of my closest friends and I honestly don’t know you that well.”

Sasuke huffed. “I understand.”

“I shouldn’t have judged too much. It wasn’t my place to do so.” Shikamaru patted his shoulder. “All I’m saying is…well, good luck. You’re going to need it.”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Sasuke stared at the closed door to a rather big house, located in the suburbs. He probably stood there for over five minutes, still unsure of what he would say to convince Naruto’s father to reveal his current location.

The brunet remembered how much Naruto talked fondly about him, so Sasuke supposed that Naruto’s father was probably a very wise, sensitive person that would listen if he explained the situation thoroughly to him. Steeling his resolve, with a sharp inhale, Sasuke pressed the doorbell.

A grave voice asked him:

“Who’s there?”

Sasuke cleared his throat, answering:

“Uchiha Sasuke.”

Before he could even blink, the door was violently opened; a large hand swiftly grabbed him by his neck, dragging him inside the house while closing the door with a loud rumble.

Report 14: Past, Present and Future

--.--.--

AN: Me thinks that the alternative title should be: “Meet the weird Uchiha family.”

Anyways, I’m looking forward to write Jiraiya and Sasuke’s confrontation. Ah…it’s going to be awesome…*wide and evil smile*

Some info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuj%C5%8D_family

Fugaku’s surname is Kujou (at first I wanted to keep his surname a secret but changed my mind). As described in wiki, it’s a powerful noble family with strong political ties sooooo yep. Fugaku had lot to lose when he decided to take Mikoto’s surname.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toudai

Toudai or rather, the official name; University of Tokyo, the university in which Fugaku and Mikoto studied is THE most important and prestigious university in Japan.

Sorry for taking too long to update the fic, I was...um...lost in the road of life. Something like that ('s kinda tru tho).

Chapter 15: Report 15

Chapter Text

The faint sunlight illuminated through his curtains, the insistent noise of alarm blaring marked the start of another day. His hand slammed on the button and turned it off, scratching his head as he headed to the bathroom.

“Ugh, why did I have to dream…” He rubbed his face with his hands and sighed. He stared at the mirror for long seconds, before he grabbed the toothpaste with another tired huff.

Once done, he picked up his uniform, ready for another working day. His fingers combed haphazardly through his locks as he walked towards the elevator, until he noticed something on the wall. He touched the appointed place and with a grimace, he noticed that it was slightly dampened.

He returned to his room and called someone with several instructions. He waited in the corridor until a blond woman arrived.

“So there’s a leak? Well, I remember that there’s a bathroom behind this wall…” She said, also surveying the appointed area.

He scratched the back of his head. “That’s kinda weird…I designed this hotel so all the plumbing is mostly placed between each floor. If the wall is damp and not the ceiling, that means there’s an infiltration too. I have to check this out.”

“I brought the ladder for you.” The woman stopped at his side and offered it to him.

“Thanks baa-chan!” He chirped.

“Stop calling me that, it’s Tsunade, you brat!” She lightly chastised him, punching his arm.

“Ow…that freaking hurt you old hag!” He cowered when she showed her fist, climbing the ladder and clearing his throat to change the subject. “Can you hold the ladder for me?”

Tsunade glowered for a moment before placing her hands on the base of the ladder. While she was holding it, she saw some teenage girls walking towards them, happily chatting until they noticed them. Or better, they noticed the handsome blond man that was inspecting the wall. When they were passing through them, the girls slowed down their steps, glancing furtively till they giggled once they were close to the elevator.

Tsunade lifted a languid eyebrow unimpressed, also staring at her newly appointed employee. No matter how many years had passed, she would always fondly regard him as the usual nagging and loudmouthed brat. She was still taken by surprise by the fact that her childhood friend Jiraiya had managed to raise this young man by himself, even when they had refused any financial help from her. Tsunade saw the blond rubbing the back of his neck in contemplation and asked. “What’s the matter?”

“Hm? Nothing, the leak doesn’t seem to be very bad, but I still need some tools and materials to partially break apart the ceiling and then fix it up.”

“Can you do it? Do you think it’d be better if I call the plumber then?” Tsunade suggested.

The young man shrugged, shaking his head. “Nah, it’s kinda easy, I can do it. I’m more worried about the infiltration inside the wall though.”

Tsunade made a worried hum, retorting. “How bad is it? I don’t have to destroy this whole wall right? So what caused this leak? I hope it’s not because of that blasted contractor, I swear if he chose bad materials on purpose—“

He rolled his eyes. “Hey, c’mon, I was there, inspecting the whole process. I wouldn’t let such a thing happen.”

Tsunade nodded. “Yes, well. You did help me whenever possible and you smoothed over all the disagreements I had with that contractor.”

“You mean; I stopped you whenever you wanted to throw him out of the window.” He raised one eyebrow incredulous.

“Same difference.” Tsunade smirked unruffled. She heard the ding of the elevator; the same teenage girls brought some extra friends and they walked back to their room with a mischievous beam. Mentally shaking her head, she said. “So if it’s not bad materials then…”

“It’s something natural caused once a building starts to age, that’s all. It’d happen sooner or later.”

“You designed this hotel five years ago—“

“Almost six. Well, this is the first time I’ve seen this kind of issue here and it’s not that bad, so your hotel is still in good condition in my opinion. Usually though in these cases you’d have to destroy the wall and build a new—“

Tsunade automatically frowned.

“—but there’s a new type of glue in a syringe that you insert in the wall to fix this kind of problem.”

“But I remember that this glue is expensive right?”

“I know some contacts that will sell it to me for a cheaper price. I better start fixing the plumbing after today’s work shift.”

“Thanks for the help Naruto.” Tsunade said, noticing the teenage girls passing by them once again, whispering to each other between some playful giggles. They stopped for few seconds to ogle the young man until they hastened their steps towards the elevator, staring and sighing dreamily while they waited for its arrival, leaving at last with a bit of reluctance. Tsunade shook her head. Those girls are one step away from literally grabbing some chairs and sitting nearby, fully appreciating the view.

“No problem.” He answered, climbing down and folding the ladder, oblivious of the girls’ obvious attention.

“I’m so glad that I hired you to temporarily substitute for the receptionist who’s on maternity leave. Bilingual, you help me with heavy chores too, teach skiing and also take care of the maintenance in this hotel. Multi-talented and MBA graduate - a great package at the cost of only one regular salary. A very fair deal if I do say so myself.” Tsunade nodded, widening a satisfied smirk.

“Cheapskate.” He grumbled and then shouted in surprise when she smacked him on the head in playful vengeance.

Tsunade observed him as he placed the ladder back in the maintenance room and said, “I’m glad that you’ll fix the plumbing, but don’t you want to rest a little after work, relax or go skiing or something? Ever since you got here you either helped me out or you inspect this hotel. You could go to a nearby town and have some fun too.”

Every emotion shown in his cerulean eyes slowly closed up as Tsunade observed concerned over this odd behavior, not used to see this young man guarding his feelings. She could still read some remnants that escaped through the cracks, like the way his shoulders slightly tensed and his face almost expressed some sort of longing……? - mixed altogether with forlorn and aching loss.

Whatever reason that caused him to suddenly arrive here out of nowhere was certainly tied with such complicated display of emotions, Tsunade mused with herself. She wished she could understand and help him, after all, the young blond was a dear friend of hers and she knew him ever since he was a kid.

But Naruto only quirked a mollifying smile towards Tsunade, stopping any question from being voiced. He shrugged, scratching the back of his head and said:

“Nah…I’m not interested right now. Maybe later.” Then, he added before Tsunade could further enquire. “Well, I gotta go to the reception desk now, some clients are there. See ya.”

A middle-aged Japanese man was waiting, staring at the empty reception desk with an air of disapproval. Once Naruto arrived, the older man narrowed his eyes and curled his mouth downwards, placing his suitcase on the floor. Naruto opened his mouth, ready to apologize for making the guest wait, though the client spoke first in English:

“Hello.”

Blinking confusedly, Naruto answered with the same language. “Hello and welcome to Green Hazel Hotel! Would you like a room or have you already made a reservation?”

“I already made a reservation.” The man answered curtly, placing the documents on the table.

Naruto thanked him and started typing on the computer, noticing that a woman, probably his wife, appeared next to him.

“Have you finished already?” She smiled to him, speaking in Japanese.

“No…this American is taking too long to do his work as expected. I know that if it was one of our people, he wouldn’t be this inefficient and slow.” Her husband responded in a hushed whisper in Japanese that was still audible enough for Naruto to hear. His whole body was going numb and he closed his blue eyes, sighing.

“Oh Dear…don’t say something like that!” She lightly chastised him.

The old man softly snorted. “Don’t worry about it, it’s not like he can understand us anyways. I’m surprised Tsunade-sama would employ him when she guaranteed that her main staff would be all Japanese. I came here for a vacation specifically to avoid those Westerners and their usual goofiness but I’m still forced to face this gaiji—“

“Sorry for making you wait- your registration is complete now.” Naruto said in perfect Japanese and the couple snapped their necks in his direction, widening their eyes. “Here’s your room key.”

They glanced towards each other awkwardly, before the old man cleared his throat and picked it up. “Well…thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Naruto smoothly responded with a professional smile. “I apologize that I may have taken so long to attend to you and my appearance doesn’t appear professional in your eyes but I assure you that I’m doing my best to make sure all the guests of this hotel have the best experience possible. I hope that my Japanese is passable, nevertheless.”

The couple muttered incomprehensible apologies, picking up their luggage albeit with stiff and clumsy movements.

“Oh, you don’t have to carry your luggage. I’m calling the bellboy right now, there’s no need for you strain yourself carrying those.” Naruto assured, picking up the house phone to make the call. “It’s our job to serve every client with utmost dedication and there’s no way we’ll allow anyone to feel uncomfortable in this hotel.”

They blushed in mortification while they accepted his help, bowing in apology. While the blond watched them walking towards the elevator, he heard a clap of hands and turned around to see Tsunade quirking an amused smirk.

“Well, that was an interesting turn of events. Sorry about that. They’ve been faithful guests ever since I opened this hotel but they can be bunch rude asses over Americans.”

Naruto shrugged, shuffling the papers. “I’m used to it.”

“What I’m surprised about is that you actually confronted them.” Tsunade responded, noticing the young man stiffen at her remark. “Don’t deny it, Jiraiya told me your bad habit of letting people treat you unfairly.”

Naruto sighed. “I didn’t want him to worry about me, but I guess he’d notice after all.”

“He is your father - of course he would notice it.” Tsunade smiled back at him. “I was getting ready to reprimand them when their comments were getting nastier, but I’m glad you fended it all by yourself. It’s certainly a very welcomed change.”

His vibrant blue eyes shifted into a gloomier color as the blond paused to contemplate. He murmured. “I guess.”

Tsunade thinned her lips, recognizing once again the troubled look coming from Naruto. Since it seems that the young man didn’t intend to share whatever was going on with her, she had no choice but to leave him until he felt better. “I still think this is great, no matter what caused you to change. Well, I should get going. I have to organize this month’s bills.” Tsunade said, walking back to her office.

Naruto just answered with a short nod, his eyes still distant and lost in his thoughts, his arms resting on the reception desk. While most guests were outside having fun, Naruto simply stood immobile, barely noticing the time passing by.

He suddenly shook his head, vigorously messing his hair with his hands as he groaned in frustration:

“Aaaaaaaaaargh. I’m thinking about that bastard again .”

Naruto banged his head on the desk a couple of times till he rested his cheek on the marbled surface, exhaling a loud sigh.

But even though he refused to spare an extra thought over Sasuke, he couldn’t help but wonder how Sasuke was coping right now…

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

I’m going to die. Sasuke gasped, unable to breathe properly as he was lifted several feet above the ground. I’m definitely going to die.

“YOU! ” Jiraiya growled, tightening his fingers around Sasuke’s neck. “I don’t care if you’re an Uchiha or whatever, hell, I don’t care if you’re God but for hurting my son—you’re going to pay!”

Sasuke tried to come up with any rebuttal but he only managed to wheeze out some feeble whimpers. He attempted to loosen the fingers around his throat and kicked anywhere possible (his life was at stake here) but without any avail. This fueled Jiraiya’s wrath as he banged Sasuke’s head to the wall repeatedly and snarled:

“And you dare coming here after all you have done to my son, you son of a bitch?! I’ll tear you limb by limb and throw you in a tank of acid!” Jiraiya released the young brunet and growled. “Now say your last wishes before I send you to hell!”

Sasuke coughed non-stop, breathing rapidly to recover the lack of oxygen in his brain. Oh God, he almost died just now. He swore that he almost saw a field of flowers and the river Styx, his soul slowly detaching from his body. This man was Naruto’s father?! Sasuke was still incredulous from this revelation because above all else, this monstrous strength was surely inhuman.

Jiraiya was glowering darkly at the young Uchiha, snapping his knuckles. A cold sweat ran through his spine. Figuring that it’d be best if he started slow, Sasuke said:

“I…want to talk with Naruto.”

One stunned second passed until an enraged roar of “WHAT?!” emitted from Jiraiya as he stalked menacingly towards the Uchiha.

“Wait! I can explain!” Sasuke replied, sprinting away as he attempted to buy more time.

“To hell with explanations! I should have killed you instead of giving you extra time to spout this foolish nonsense! Don’t you dare try to escape from me you little f*cker!”

Sasuke looked around, noticing a long corridor on his left and a door located in the middle of it. Maybe he should run for cover in that room—a large part of his ego was against this decision. He’s an Uchiha after all. Uchihas don’t cower under overprotective parents; Uchihas don’t flee under perilous situations, Uchihas—

Out of nowhere, alarm bells rang loudly in his brain and Sasuke ducked, missing by a hair one punch delivered by Jiraiya. The brunet was incredulous as he saw his fist leaving a gaping hole in the wall.

…right. On the other hand, it might be wise if he made a strategic retreat and wait till the older man calmed down. Sasuke evaded when Jiraiya attempted to grab him by his neck and dashed away as fast as possible.

Unfortunately, Jiraiya noticed Sasuke’s intention, shouting as he followed the young Uchiha:

“Are you going to hide now you coward?! You—“ He aimed another punch on the pale cheek but fortunately Sasuke parried with one hand and with the other pushed the old man a few steps back.

Sasuke said. “Please. I don’t want to fight y—!“ He avoided other jabs in his direction as Jiraiya destroyed the wooden door with one blow.

“Why do you want to talk with Naruto now?!” Jiraiya yelled, throwing random objects towards Sasuke’s direction. “After everything that you have done to him, you have the balls coming here asking for my son?!”

“I have a good reason!” Sasuke shouted back, dodging a vase as it shattered the wall.

“You thought you haven’t tortured Naruto enough you piece of sh*t?!” Jiraiya said, his hand blindly trying to find any other object to throw at the young man. Once he realized that he had nothing nearby, he decided to chase after Sasuke, increasing his speed.

Sasuke immediately realized the impending doom as he jumped behind the couch, one man located at each side running in circles ultimately reaching an impasse.

Sasuke heard Jiraiya muttering under his breath in Japanese. “This damn co*ckroach is taking time to die…”

Well, it appears that Naruto’s father is surely fluent in cursing in Japanese unlike his son.

“Jiraiya-san…”Sasuke started slow though he heard a scornful snort in return. “I do not want to harm your son, I want to set things right with him.”

“Don’t give me that crap you brat.” Jiraiya glared darkly, snarling. “You hurt him! Physically and emotionally, I have never seen in my entire life my son looking so affected, troubled, lost.” He said, recalling the day when he saw Naruto with charred clothes. “And then, what you said to him…”

Jiraiya closed his eyelids in a frown until he reopened them, his eyes narrowed to slits. He pointed at Sasuke, voice reverberating resentful hatred. “I don’t want you anywhere near my son from now on. For all the damage you have done already, it’s obvious that you’ll only damage him if you see him once again.”

Sasuke stared back at the older man, unable to come up with any words of rebuttal as his mind went blank. His fingers slowly enclosed into a fist, blurting out. “Why can’t you give me another chance?”

Jiraiya suddenly expelled a loud sardonic chortle, grabbing his side of the couch and shoving forward, unbalancing Sasuke who was positioned on the other side. “Why do you keep insisting on this moronic idea?!” He said as he climbed over the furniture and almost managed to yank Sasuke’s shirt.

“All I’m asking is for one more chance! I can clear things up with Naruto—“

“I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN GIVE ANY CHANCE TO AN IMMATURE AND SPOILED BRAT LIKE YOU!” Jiraiya roared, trying to approach close to the brunet. “You’re nothing but a coward son of a bitch that couldn’t admit anything with my son because you’re so goddamn selfish with your insecurities! And Naruto had to pay for that!”

Sasuke gulped dryly, memories of their last encounter still stinging fresh in his mind, replaying the moment when he saw Naruto’s pained blue eyes. He muttered. “I am well aware of all the damage I have done to him. That’s why I want to talk to him, at least apo—“

“DON’T WASTE YOUR BREATH FREAKIN’ ASS! You better leave Naruto alone if you really want to apologize him, you worthless piece of sh*t!” Jiraiya threw a small pot of plant that Sasuke dodged.

Jiraiya wheezed heavily from exhaustion, finally taking a second to rest. He gritted out. “And you know what really angers me the most?! My stupid son actually bothered himself to defend you!”

That caught Sasuke’s attention, hearing about Naruto’s latest news as he asked, breathless. “R—really?”

“Yes!” Jiraiya begrudgingly agreed, scratching his head. “Last time he called and confided in me I said that he should let everything that happened with you out in the open so everyone will know and you know what he replied to me?!” Jiraiya inhaled slowly and expelled a frustrated groan. “That I have to understand that you have a lot of complicated problems and he shouldn’t bother you over this.” Jiraiya snorted. “Have to understand…I’d rather swallow burning coals than to try and understand a spoiled brat like you. I don’t know what the hell he saw in you.”

As Sasuke absorbed this new information, his eyes narrowed in response, gathering strength from every nerve in his system as he admitted. “I also don’t know what Naruto saw in me but I can guarantee…I do return his feelings with the same intensity.”

Jiraiya gritted his teeth, taking broad steps towards the young Uchiha. “I am not going to hear this bullsh*t.”

“It’s true! I vow to you, Naruto is my most important person!” Sasuke declared without hesitation, an unwavering voice that left no doubts of his sincerity.

Such words actually left Jiraiya shocked, unable to move while he fully comprehended the concept. He slowly balled his hands, murmuring.

“If he’s that important to you…” Jiraiya howled, punching the wall and shaking the whole house. “Then why did you do something like that to him?!” His fist left a large crack behind it, peeling off the paint and all nearby objects having fallen to the ground.

“Because…”Sasuke opened his mouth, stumbling to come up with a reasonable answer but he ended up confessing, his head lowered in shame. “Because I didn’t realize how important he was to me until I lost him.”

Jiraiya sighed heavily and for the first time in this conversation, there was a tinge of sympathy in his voice. “But it’s already too late brat, admit it.”

“It’s not too late, I have changed.” Sasuke continued, obstinate. “It’s true that I can’t undo my mistakes, but at least let me try fixing it—“

“Then you have a lot to do to fix those massive mistakes young man!” Jiraiya snarled, his rage returning in full bloom. “Not only did you leave my son heartbroken, you humiliated him and forced him to resign what was literally the job of his dreams! God, I don’t even know how I’m going to convince Sarutobi-sensei—“

“Sarutobi-sama is not going to fire Naruto, he said so himself.” Sasuke remembered something and snorted in self-deprecation. “After I bowed and begged to him needlessly.”

All of a sudden, Jiraiya grabbed Sasuke’s neck with one hand and violently shoved him to the wall, growling. “You really think I’m going to buy this idiotic excuse and pity you?”

Sasuke coughed and scowled. “I’m not lying.”

“Give me a break. You’re just a rich boy who can’t think of anyone besides yourself. You’d never do something like that.” Jiraiya scoffed, tightening his hand around Sasuke’s neck.

“You might be right that I am selfish. I didn’t even understand why I was doing that but…it felt like my body was moving on its own.” Sasuke confessed and widened his eyes as an epiphany finally dawned on him.

His entire life, even though he followed his parents’ decisions or attempted to impress them, deep inside, he wanted their recognition to satisfy himself. It was the first time that he acted on his own whim, he wasn’t expecting Naruto’s gratitude afterwards, he didn’t want to relieve his own guilt - his heart simply dictated his body to move. He was willing to throw his ego, pride and everything—

“I bowed and begged because I only wanted Naruto to be safe . I know it’s a small fraction of all the mending that I have to do but…at that moment, nothing was more important than Naruto and if I could do anything to help him…Then…then… it’d be completely worth it.” Sasuke wheezed between tired breaths, his head still dizzy from this revelation.

Slowly…Jiraiya detached his fingers around the pale neck, silently observing the young man coughing for air. Jiraiya sighed with a loud huff, turning his back as he started mulling to himself, still undecided which course of action he should take.

“Jiraiya-san, I just need to talk with Naruto one more time, that’s all.” Sasuke said. “If Naruto rejects me even after this explanation, I swear I will leave him alone.”

Jiraiya grumbled some nonsensical noises, settling to turn around with another huff and his eyes zeroed onto Sasuke’s graphite ones. “Fine. But after everything that you have done, I can’t just…give his location, just like that.”

Sasuke inhaled deeply and murmured. “Then…”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

"You talked with Jiraiya yesterday, right?" Tsunade asked, sitting on the edge of the truck while Naruto placed all the vegetables inside a box.

"Yeah yeah, I did, satisfied? You were really annoying nagging me every five seconds 'bout it." Naruto grumbled, rolling his sleeves.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tsunade noticed the growing number of female onlookers subtly looking at them. It wasn’t her fault that she ‘only’ found one set of overalls that were actually a few sizes smaller than normal and with very minimal movement it showed every hard line of Naruto’s fit body. And she couldn't help that with all the physical exertion, the blond would have no choice but to unzip the upper part of the cloth and roll up the sleeves, showing his tan muscles. And it was definitely a coincidence that the ski booth was placed near them, and while everyone was looking at them, they would have no choice but to pay for the classes and equipment too.

Ah...good for profit.

“You were so stubborn, even when your father was so concerned over you. You only listened to me when I threatened to kill you, stupid brat." Tsunade retorted back. She contemplated then. "Though I admit that I’m curious about why you decided to visit me out of the blue and accepted working here, in a place that is so far from your home, above all."

Huffing, Naruto ignored her with a roll of eyes, picking up the boxes and walking towards the kitchen door.

A light bulb suddenly went off and with a snort, Tsunade examined her fingernails in fake interest, watching the young man pass her by. She said nonchalantly. "Someone dumped you huh."

Naruto nearly tripped.

Tsunade scoffed raising her chin and flung her ponytails. "Aaaaah…I thought so. Ah, youngsters...I remember the time when I had to—"

"I don't want to hear your century-old fairytales, old hag." Naruto deadpanned.

He hastened his steps to duck the snow balls furiously aimed at him.

Once done, Naruto returned to the hall ready for another day of work, noticing the Japanese couple he dealt with yesterday and to his surprise, they bowed courteously albeit a little bit stiff. Naruto bowed back at them, not suppressing a small smile as he watched their backs.

He had spent most of the time answering the phones and taking care of the guests (for some odd reason female guests just kept arriving with some really basic questions that puzzled Naruto. Who wouldn’t know how to use wifi in this day and age?). Even though he generally spoke with the guests in English, the hotel also received a reasonable number of Japanese people too. No wonder Tsunade literally grabbed him the moment he said that he was free; she also looked really busy running everything by herself. But really, he was still struggling to get everything done right; attending to everyone, filing all the information and responding to their complaints…Naruto sighed as he typed on the computer; he seriously wasn’t made for this.

However, realizing how much he didn’t fit in this environment also made him remember about his previous job. Naruto mused distraught, he should probably give up his architect career, after all, even if Sasuke didn’t hold a grudge against the punch, Naruto couldn’t hold out much hope that Fugaku would do the same. Plus, what kind of architectural firm would hire someone who punched the president’s son of the most prestigious company in the world?

Maybe he should open his own firm then, start slow and build a reputation in small towns. Naruto groaned; his future was looking bleak. He shouldn’t dwell too much on those possibilities and negativities. First thing he should do, would be to apologize to Sarutobi-jiichan and Shikamaru for all the trouble he caused once he returns then check his bank account and depending on the situation, maybe he should move to another state. Or another country. Another planet would be even better.

Naruto massaged the bridge between his eyebrows as he finished typing all the information. This was the…twentieth time in a row that Japanese guests had arrived. Since yesterday there was a sudden increase of Japanese people here, for some odd reason. Was there some kind of convention being held over the next few days or something?

Naruto rummaged through the hotel’s schedule, still having some trouble comprehending the system. He raised an eyebrow at what was scheduled over the next few days:

50 th annual festival on Japanese culture

It did sound kind of interesting in some way…if only they could add some people cosplaying as samurais and ninjas. Naruto wrinkled his nose, now noticing that most of the people strolling in the hall were middle-aged Japanese groups. Such a serious convention, only someone who takes jokes too seriously, is a moody and stoic bastard would like to participate that.

Sasuke would probably be pleased to see such an event being held here…

Naruto groaned loudly, banging his head on the table:

“Oh God! I’m thinking about that bastard again! Seriously, what the hell is my problem?!”

“You’re thinking about who, usuratonkachi?”

Naruto immediately whipped his head upwards, incredulous at hearing that familiar baritone voice. But lo and behold, Sasuke was staring back at him with mildly amused eyes. Naruto blinked twice, jaw agape. This was impossible; he must be seeing and hearing mirages.

Sasuke spoke again, smirking. “Well, dumbass. What bastard were you thinking about?”

What? Wut? Huuh? This mirage looked really realistic…

Sasuke cleared his throat to somber the mood and said. “Naruto, I’m here to tal—“

Naruto jumped over the receptionist desk and dashed off.

It was Sasuke’s turn to halt a few seconds in bewilderment until he got ahold of himself and without wasting much time chased after him.

“What the hell?! Why are you here?!” Naruto shouted as he continued running. “And why the f*ck are you following me?!”

“Why are you running away then!? Naruto! We have to talk!” Sasuke growled, trying to catch up.

“What?! No! Go away, go away!” Naruto yelled back, stumbling into some people as all the onlookers watched the chase confused.

“I’m not going to! Get back here you dumbass!”

Naruto found the janitor room and scrambled to reach the doorknob, opening and entering inside as he rushed to close the door—

Sasuke finally reached the other side and grabbed the doorknob, starting a tug of war.

“What the—release the door you bastard!” Naruto snarled, trying to pull it closed on his side.

“Only after we talk usuratonkachi!”

“What the f*ck! Since when are you one who likes talking you asshole! Go away dammit!”

“You know that I’m not going to do that now stop being so stubborn!”

“Stu—who’s stubborn?! I’m not stubborn! You’re being stubborn!!” Naruto roared.

“And you’re also being a dumbass! Open the door Naruto!” Sasuke roared, pulling the doorknob.

“No I won’t you asshole!”

“Yes you will dumbass!”

“What the f*ck, are you f*cking deaf?! I told you to go away!”

“Only. After. We. Talk!” Sasuke punctuated each word through snarls.

“No!”

A loud cough caught their attention and they momentarily stopped their skirmish to glance at Tsunade while she was observing the situation with an amused smirk.

“I’m just here to inform Uchiha-kun that your room is ready, the bellboys have already carried up your luggage and here’s your cardkey.”

Sasuke frowned at the interruption, both hands holding the doorknob securely as he stared at the offered card. He raised one of his hands to grab the card and as he did so Naruto quickly took advantage of the opportunity and closed the door, locking it.

“Wha—“Sasuke banged loudly on the door yelling, “You’re not getting away from this usuratonkachi!”

“f*ck off bastard!” was the muffled reply from behind the doors.

Sasuke almost emitted an inhuman growl until he noticed several people looking at the present situation, some were even pointing at them. He pulled out the nastiest Uchiha Glare ® in his arsenal which was enough to make them scurry away while Tsunade, who was still watching in amusem*nt, folded her arms to her chest.

Sasuke bowed courteously and said. “Thank you, Senju-sama. Now if you’ll excuse me…”

The brunet turned around, breathed slowly a couple of times to calm down, raised his hand to knock on the door and muttered.

“Naruto, come out. We need to talk, just for a few minutes, I swear. I just need you to hear me out and let me explain.”

Sasuke waited for any kind of reaction but he only heard the sound of Naruto shuffling to sit down. Naruto curled into himself, placing his elbows on his kneecaps, his head softly touching the door as he let escape a heavy sigh. Heartbeats were throbbing loudly on his ears, tempting him to open the door and listen to Sasuke. He couldn’t, not when there were still flesh wounds refusing to heal, the bitterness pulling him to the ground. He bit his lip when he heard Sasuke knocking again.

“…Naruto, please.”

Sasuke was growing restless when he only met an uneasy silence in return. He moved to knock on the door but Tsunade intervened with a hand wrapped firmly around his wrist.

“Well Uchiha-kun, maybe it’s time for you to get settled and relax in your room - maybe admire the view, right.” She said, piercing golden eyes leaving no room for discussion.

Sasuke frowned from the unnecessary intrusion. He was so close to seeing Naruto after being deprived of his presence for so long that his entire soul ached for him, thinning his very limited patience even further. He wanted so much to clear things up with Naruto and to be basked in his warmth, but Naruto was refusing to see him and to add fuel to his growing frustration, outsiders were also hindering their reunion.

The young Uchiha detached his wrist from Tsunade’s grip with a little bit more force than necessary and growled. “Thank you. Maybe I’ll do that later Senju-sama.”

Tsunade glowered, snapping her knuckles with her hands as a threat. “How about now , Uchiha-kun?”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in response, knowing full well about Tsunade’s combat abilities since she came from a traditional clan that encouraged each member to learn at least one type of martial art. Sasuke grumbled inwardly, in this short period of a few months he had been in more brawls than he had before in his entire life. He could avoid this particular battle since it was rather unnecessary, plus he had the whole day to find Naruto and talk with him. However, he just couldn’t step aside so easily, when Naruto was so close to his grasp.

“You know that the room has a back door which Naruto most probably used and exited through by now?” Tsunade said, terminating any sort of plans running through his mind. Sasuke glared but she only smirked back. “Don’t get me wrong Uchiha-kun, I don’t like meddling in someone else’s business unless it’s necessary. Now, do you need me to show you where the elevator is?”

Sasuke frowned and responded. “I can locate it myself, thank you Senju-sama.”

Tsunade waved her hand with a sweet beam, watching the young Uchiha walking away. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the door slightly ajar so she wrench it open, Naruto falling to the ground with an “oof”.

“He’s already gone brat.” Tsunade said as the blond man scrambled to see any sign of duck-butt hair nearby.

“Oh.” Naruto sighed relieved, standing up. “Thanks for the help baa-chan.”

“You’re welcome, but knowing he’s an Uchiha, he will check the whole building in every minute detail for any future possibility.” Tsunade replied. “So, what horrid thing did he do to you, did he cheat on you or something like that?”

Naruto stared back at her, grumbled some nonsensical noises and walked back to the reception desk.

Tsunade followed, musing out loud. “Turbulent relationship that ended in disaster? Hm, maybe then—?”

“Do you always have a habit of sniffing for some gossip, wrinkled old hag?”

The murderous aura was thick in the air. Tsunade howled, snapping her knuckles. “SAY WHAT YOU LITTLE BR—“

“Oh, look at all the people waiting in the reception area! Gotta go help ‘em, bye!” Naruto sprinted far away to avoid any possible retaliation.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

It’s a wonder that the guests didn’t mention about the blond receptionist’s odd behavior; Naruto was constantly glancing around, blue eyes narrowed and suspicious. He jumped every time he heard the sharp sound coming from the elevator, sometimes crouching behind the desk while the guests looked bewildered.

This neurosis had paid off because it didn’t take very long to see a grouchy Uchiha Sasuke bursting out of the elevator, his eyes sharp like a Hawk hunting his prey. Naruto instantly ducked behind the reception desk, groaning exasperated.

Sasuke strode towards the reception area, already noticing the lack of a certain dumb blond. Disregarding all the onlookers around him, he jumped past the reception desk only to meet empty space. He opened the back door then, searching for any hair or hide of Naruto but the service area was also empty. There was another door leading back to the main hall, as Sasuke’s patience had practically evaporated, he pried it open with a glare, only to meet Tsunade blinking surprised.

“Uchiha-kun? What are you doing here? This is place is for authorized personnel only, you know that right?”

“Where’s Naruto?” Sasuke asked, not in the mood to waste a second with needless hindrances and unwanted distractions. He saw Tsunade raising an eyebrow in response from his blunt approach, but nevertheless, she answered.

“There’s one guest that complained about some issues in the bathroom, he went there to check it.”

“Since when is Naruto employed as not only a receptionist but also as a plumber too?” Sasuke grumbled.

“Well, he’s multi-tasking!” Tsunade snorted. “Now Uchiha-kun, if you don’t mind stepping aside, I need to work.”

Not fully convinced, the brunet obeyed Tsunade, a deep frown showing on his face while he began exploring the whole hotel, not leaving one place undiscovered. Tsunade watched from the reception desk, as the young Uchiha stalked everywhere with a permanent dark cloud looming over his head, glaring hard enough to break diamonds. She idly shook her head; Uchihas and their usual bitchy uptightness.

Spiky golden hair peeked out from behind the desk; slit cerulean eyes peered across the entire area, searching for one arrogant bastard.

“He’s still here, you know.” Tsunade said, placing her chin on her palm as Naruto crouched at once.

Naruto scratched his hair with a troubled look, musing for a while. “Hey baa-chan…” He said. “Would you mind if we change shifts, you take the afternoon while I’ll take at night and morning?”

Tsunade paused, as if she was silently questioning his decision. “Hm. Well…let’s see. Naruto, do you know our neighboring city Brunswick?”

“Brunswick, that far away city that it’s a 2 hours drive? What about it?” Naruto narrowed his eyes suspicious.

“You see, Brunswick is particularly famous for their beer, which is still a home brewed production. I certainly wouldn’t mind switching shifts if you could buy two barrels as a gift for my trouble.”

Naruto took a while to process the idea until he muttered, eyebrows furrowed. “Wait. Is that extortion? Are you asking me to bribe you?”

“If you want this in laymen terms…” Tsunade smirked. “I guess.”

“Two barrels ?!”

“Aren’t you glad that I didn’t ask for three?”

Naruto scowled. “You’re one corrupt old—“

Tsunade raised her voice a tiny bit. “Oh, Uchiha—“

“—Nicest lady I have ever met. And the old part? Slip of the tongue, I swear you look in your twenties ba—Tsunade nee-san.” Naruto said with gritted teeth.

“Now that’s way better. Have a nice trip Naruto-kun.”

Naruto sulked. “This is unfair. You’re practically ordering me to do this, don’t deny it.”

“Hmm.”

“You’re a ruthless dictator.”

“Of course.” Tsunade nodded laidback.

“This is…like fascism. No, Despotism.” The blond continued grumbling like a petulant child.

“Uh huh. You know Naruto…” Tsunade whispered when she saw Sasuke surveying the area nearby. “You’re free to refuse my offer if you prefer.”

Blond eyebrows knitted together as Naruto shifted towards the back door. “I’ll do it.”

Tsunade thinned her lips, unable to refute the fact that she was mildly disappointed with his decision. She crossed her arms when the young blond opened the door gradually, his back facing her.

“You shouldn’t ignore the fact that Uchiha Sasuke came all the way here just to meet and talk with you.” She said, making Naruto freeze in his tracks. “Can’t you give him a few seconds to hear him out?”

Naruto continued to tiptoe inside the service area, apparently unruffled by her enquiry. “No.” Naruto said, one word ringing unrelenting and emotionless, though she could almost detect a tremble in his voice.

How is it possible that this usuratonkachi always managed to get on his nerves? Sasuke kept wondering while he rechecked the reception area for the umpteenth time, only to see Tsunade attending the guests. He didn’t have time or the mood to play Naruto’s stupid game of chase. Fine if the blond dumbass managed to avoid him till now, it’s not like he didn’t have some extra cards on his sleeves either.

One of the many quirks Sasuke learned from Naruto was that his stomach functioned like clockwork. That meant that no matter what place or moment, at 11:00 pm Naruto wanted to have his so-called “Ramen time”. It was like some kind of frightening addiction, Sasuke had never seen anyone go so far over some mere junk food. There were many times he wanted to warn the usuratonkachi about the dangers of constant consumption of saturated fat and unhealthy additives (but he could imagine the shocked rebuttal of ‘Ramen also has vegetables, so stop complaining bastard’).

This time he was going to use this knowledge to his advantage, laying his trap carefully. Both the kitchen doors were closed at night, though Sasuke assumed that since Naruto was part of the Hotel’s staff, he probably had the spare key. The brunet arrived half an hour earlier, noticing the lights in the room and Naruto cooking his nightly snack, while grumbling something like ‘Instant noodles aren’t exactly like cup noodles, that old hag—‘

“Hello usuratonkachi.”

Naruto literally jumped a few feet and swiveled around to see Sasuke crossing his arms with a victorious smirk. f*ck! He wasn’t expecting that Sasuke to remember this habit. He should have cooked it earlier and then eaten in his room but it was already too late.

“At last, you have nowhere to run for our talk.”

Sasuke expected Naruto to whine or complain about this, but the blond squared his shoulders instead and muttered calmly. “You know Sasuke, why can’t you give it a rest? I’ve had enough. Step aside right now.”

Sasuke felt unsettled that Naruto had said it with such threatening conviction, though he responded coolly. “I see no reason to obey your request.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “Why are you so damn persistent? You just can’t handle when someone refuses you so you keep insisting like some sort of grumpy brat.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, unbelieving about what he had just heard. “Brat? You were the one that kept avoiding me instead of solving the problem, dumbass.”

“I wasn’t avoiding you. I just don’t want to hear you anymore. Maybe you should have gotten the clue and left me alone.”

“Why won’t you just listen to me?” Sasuke said confusedly. “Can’t you see that there’s a reason why I’m here?”

“Huh…so what?” Naruto straightened, muttering back. “Do I look anywhere near interested to know why you’re here?”

This sudden attitude threw Sasuke off guard, though he still rebutted, lowering his tone. “Because if I’m here, after all that has happened between us, obviously now I have a good reason in wanting to find you.”

“And I already said that you shouldn’t do this, you’re only wasting your time.” Naruto stared straight towards Sasuke, his blue eyes acquiring a sharpened edge. “What makes you think I’m going to believe whatever you’re going to say Sasuke?”

Sasuke felt a cold sweat rolling down his back, not expecting such blatant hostility. Inhaling sharply, he steeled his nerves. “We still have much to talk about, considering that we still have unresolved—“

Naruto interrupted with a loud chortle, hollow and devoid of any genuine amusem*nt coming from his lips. “Really? What unresolved issue are you talking about? Sasuke, I’m pretty sure you’ve already established the end of whatever thing we had started the moment you called me a poor insignificant idiot.”

Sasuke concentrated his every nerve not to recoil from this accusation but he still felt a shiver spreading through his skin. He murmured, weighing his words. “What I said back then, was nothing relevant—“

“What?! No…I think it’s quite relevant.” Naruto said in mild incredulity. “Those words…you didn’t say that out of nowhere. You knew exactly what those words meant to me, you knew how much I hated it, so you knew how I would react once I heard it to get the reaction you wanted. But you know what angers me the most? You know all about it because I told everything…to you!”

Naruto’s voice rumbled inside the empty kitchen, loud echoes expelled every emotion that the blond had bottled up inside himself up till now. It was enough to make Sasuke speechless for few seconds, as he responded, albeit hesitant:

“Naruto, I didn’t mean to say them in the first place…”

“That doesn’t matter, that’s not the point!” Naruto growled. “You knew how much it would hurt me hearing those words and yet you still said them. Why should I even bother myself listening to you when I won’t be able to trust you after all this? If I’ll be unable to talk with you, fearing that whatever I’ll say you’ll throw it back to me somehow?”

Blazing blue eyes focused in a cold fury that was entirely aimed at Sasuke, and somehow he was incapable to avert his gaze, receiving every bitter emotion that Naruto was lashing out.

Sasuke said. “It was my mistake that I said those things, but I won’t do it again, tru—“

“Trust you? Why?” Naruto interrupted, walking towards Sasuke. “I may not look it, but I’m actually not someone who can talk about my private issues to just anyone Sasuke. Some things that I said to you I have never mentioned to anyone else before…and this was the result in the end.”

With one hand clutched to his chest, Naruto approached even closer to Sasuke, golden eyebrows furrowed as teeth grinded out another growl:

“I have confessed parts of my past… parts of myself that I have never told to anyone before…and you used it against me in the end.”

The Uchiha only felt a swift breeze against his face, as a tanned hand reached towards the door behind him, icy eyes trapping his attention and robbing his breath. Naruto snarled, just before he finally opened the door and exited the kitchen:

“Now tell me again Sasuke—why the hell do I have to listen to you?”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Sasuke groaned loudly inside his room, both hands rubbing his face, trying to filter the sun’s rays against his eyes. He couldn’t sleep through most of the night, that disaster playing and replaying inside his mind until his body had finally succumbed to his tiredness and he dozed off for a few hours.

He still wondered to himself why he couldn’t come up with a significant response to Naruto’s angered words, cursing that his eloquence and quick thinking had abandoned him in such time of duress. He just stood petrified, witnessing all the rage shown in that pair of blue eyes and unable to utter anything back. He had been criticized by various people throughout his life, enough to develop a resistance, and to deliver sharp counterpoints if necessary. However this time, he simply listened helpless shaken to the core, letting Naruto once again cut through layers of his mask; being spot on his flaws and faults.

For some reason he harbored some vain hope that…after all the trials and tribulations just to get here; his confrontation with his brother and his father, bowing down to Sarutobi and meeting Naruto’s father, at least here…Naruto would give him a break. Sasuke snorted humorlessly, guess life didn’t exactly work like that.

Above all, Sasuke couldn’t fully absorb the idea of why Naruto refused to listen to him. In this entire journey of rebuilding himself and facing his fears; it was mainly driven for personal reasons, but also fueled by the fact that…the reason Naruto helped him by lying to his father back then, was because Naruto still returned his feelings even after all that. He was able to break through walls because he had Naruto as his finishing line and expected that once they had cleared up the misunderstandings they could have the beginning of a fresh relationship.

It didn’t appear to be this case though. Naruto was right. Who the hell in their right mind would trust him after Sasuke had publicly humiliated him? Sasuke gave in a loud sigh. Perhaps Naruto covered him not for the reasons of what he assumed at first, but out of loyalty, something that he had completely lacked in that meeting.

Sasuke still had to clear things up with Naruto, as he had promised to Jiraiya. However, there was the possibility that even after explaining everything, Naruto would reject him. And Sasuke would leave him alone, let Naruto escape from his grasp and lead a life without him.

This mere thought was enough to heighten the desire to bury himself under the bed covers, forever denying the cruel passage of time.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Naruto groaned loudly in the reception area, softly banging his head on the table as he rested against it with a heavy sigh. God, last night completely exhausted his energy. He didn’t expect to let all his rage burst out so easily like that, even though he got angry and annoyed on certain occasions, he had always assumed that such negative emotion was counter-productive. Trust the bastard to always make Naruto create an exception for him. Bah.

Perhaps the worst part of it all was the devastating effect Sasuke still had on him. His close proximity was enough to make his body react automatically, as if a magnetic force was pulling him in, a fire being supplied through his veins till it almost made him dizzy. The loud heartbeats that were nearly ripping out of his ribcage kept begging to simply forget whatever had transpired between them, to accept whatever excuse Sasuke would come up with, but…he couldn’t…

“You know, you should talk with him.” A feminine voice cut into his line of thought.

Naruto groaned and rubbed his face on the cool marble. “Not now baa-chan. Why is everyone so f*cking insistent…” He mumbled.

“Naruto, it wouldn’t hurt if you could give him a few seconds to listen to whatever Uchiha-kun wants to explain to you.” Tsunade replied, crossing her arms. “I’m not saying that you should just accept whatever explanation, I’m just saying that at least hearing him out will be good for you.”

Naruto raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Good for me? Have you gone senile old hag?”

With an angry tick in her left eye, Tsunade let the insult pass by as she continued talking. “I’m just saying that even though I have no idea what’s happened between you two, at least once Uchiha-kun arrived he was able to extract some kind of reaction from you.”

“Yeah, I’m getting angry just thinking about him let alone listening, how the hell is this helping me?” Naruto grumbled back.

“Because he’s the only one who can make you get rid of all the negative feelings you keep holding to yourself, brat.” Tsunade answered.

The young man furrowed his eyebrows confused, responding. “Huh?”

“Naruto, ever since you arrived here five days ago, I didn’t see one moment when you were smiling for real. And you have been keeping your distance with everyone—don’t deny it—“Tsunade raised her hand to interrupt whatever protest was coming from Naruto. “And for some reason you kept hiding your emotions…I know you well enough brat, I can see it.”

Naruto sighed once again, his cheek no longer feeling the cold surface of the marble. “Fine, then why do you think that if I listened to Sasuke it would be any better?”

“Because at least you’ll no longer be burying those feelings inside you then? I know the Uchiha clan well; they wouldn’t do anything unless it was really worth their time and attention, so I believe that Uchiha-kun has a good reason wanting to talk with you. I’m not asking for you to just comply with his wishes but at least…by listening to him you could put whatever unresolved issues to an end. Think about it.” Tsunade replied, observing Naruto’s expression acquiring a contemplative gaze.

However, his blue eyes kept showing conflicting emotions, as if he was considering her words but still feared whatever repercussions lying ahead. Silently walking back to her office, Tsunade left the young man to his own musings.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

Graphite eyes skimmed through some weather report showing on the TV screen, sighing softly. After dragging himself off his bed, he went to the bathroom and dressed with reluctance, his energy had completely evaporated. He had nothing to look forward to for today, so where was the need to make any kind of effort then? Sasuke was now starting to wonder where the hell his confidence had gone and admonished himself for such weak thoughts.

Looking at the clock, Sasuke realized that it was already afternoon, he wasted too much time contemplating; his mind basically wasn’t focused on the present. He rubbed his eyelids, inhaling a long intake of air and expelling with a loud sigh, turning off the TV. Sasuke stood up, his gaze gradually gathering strength and his posture recomposing to his usual proud and refined self, now resembling the Uchiha that would deal head-on with his problems without much fear, ready to face all consequences. He had every intent to accept whatever was coming to him, because after all, he was the one who made the devastating mistakes. Sasuke balled his fists, exiting his room and went to the hallway, unable to ignore the fact that his legs were a little bit numb.

From behind the reception area, the brunet heard a female guest chatting with Naruto while she threw some furtive glances towards the blond, though from his position he couldn’t see Naruto’s reaction to her. Sasuke felt a flare of rightful indignation as he quickened his steps. This rage quickly dimmed when he realized that it wasn’t his place to intervene, and even if he did, it’d only aggravate the situation since he had no claim whatsoever over Naruto.

Still, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to indirectly hinder her pursuit, as the Uchiha readied his glare and he heard Naruto saying:

“Oh, sorry, I’m also new here. I don’t think I know any bar in the neighboring town.”

Sasuke rolled his eyes; this was the most cliché excuse to flirt with someone. Thank God Naruto was also too thick to fall for that. The woman instantly corrected herself as she replied:

“Really, you’re a new employee? Well, maybe we could explore the town together then! Some of my friends actually mentioned a bar but I didn’t want to go by myself…how about you go with me…” She caressed Naruto’s hands with her fingers and slightly tilted her head. “And then we could get to know each other better and everything…”

Sasuke growled unbeknownst to himself, almost close enough to throw silent death threats towards the female guest until he heard:

“…ah.” There was something in Naruto’s tone that showed that the innuendo had clicked in his brain at last. Sasuke froze in his tracks, a cold dread running through his veins. What if…

However, Naruto detached his hand from hers and settled to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Sorry. I don’t think I can…I mean, I already L—…“ Naruto sighed. “…Let’s just say that I’m already committed…sorry.”

Sasuke widened his eyes, warmth rushing through his veins. Whatever pessimistic thoughts weighing on his mind had all but evaporated to blossom a sudden hope in his chest, feeling buoyant and light. So Naruto…this changed everything. Sasuke definitely had a window open for him and he had the very intent to fully utilize it.

The woman left the reception area with a fake smile, which instantly vanished as she approached her friend. They walked past him as Sasuke heard her friend say:

“Ah…that’s too bad. See, I told you that all the hot guys are either taken or gay.”

“How about both?” Sasuke thought narrowing his eyes towards them, before he glanced at Naruto’s back.

Sasuke smirked. Since it appeared that the tide was turning to his favor, maybe it was time for him to commence another plan he had cooked up to entrap the usuratonkachi.

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

“Senju-sama.”

Tsunade turned around with a raised eyebrow, replying. “You know, it’s been a long time since anyone has called me by my maiden name, and coming from an Uchiha no less. Well…is there a problem that might concern you Uchiha-kun?”

“Hn.” Sasuke responded, pausing to mull things over. “It’s about Naruto. I would like you to help me with something.”

This time Tsunade lifted both of her eyebrows. “You’re asking me for a favor? Wow, your ancestors must be turning over in their graves.”

Sasuke shrugged. “Whatever disagreements my clan used to have with your clan are all part of the past plus it doesn’t really concern me.”

Tsunade smiled, albeit a bit evilly. “You’re going to receive an ear-splitting lecture from your mother if she get hold of these news young man.”

This time Sasuke stiffened a little, but shrugged it off once again. “I have more important issues at hand. I wanted to have some time alone with Naruto and I need your help.”

Sasuke wasn’t in the mood to fully explain to Tsunade, but he would do whatever necessary that would turn her to his side.

However Tsunade just folded her arms and answered. “Ok fine, tell me what to do.”

The Uchiha blinked confused. “You’re…not going to ask why?”

“I received a phone call from Jiraiya and he explained the overall situation.”

Oh great. Oh…great. Sasuke rubbed his temples as Tsunade said:

“He then suggested for me to murder you and then throw your corpse to the wolves. I disagreed of course. Wolves would make such a mess, not a good way to get rid of incriminating evidence.”

“If you’re on Jiraiya-san’s side, why do you want to help me out?”

“I’m not helping you Uchiha-kun, I’m helping Naruto.” Tsunade replied, a menacing glint shown in her eyes. “Talking to you is perhaps the best option of all. Now tell me what I should do, as long as you’re not asking for something too outrageous, of course.”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

It was late afternoon; all the guests were out either to explore the neighboring towns or having fun skiing, so Naruto was alone in the hall. He suddenly felt his skin prickle, like some sort of natural compass inside him. Even though he couldn’t pinpoint the exact location, he could feel the general distance of how close the bastard was, so it didn’t surprise him when there a shadow appeared looming over his documents, while he was busy writing it on.

“What do you want Sasuke?” Naruto grumbled, moving the paper to a lighter spot.

“Why are you treating me this way?” Sasuke asked.

“What?” Naruto lifted his head with a quirked eyebrow.

Sasuke crossed his arms with a victorious smirk. “You still have feelings for me, don’t you?”

However, instead of questioning or rejecting this statement, Naruto just kept staring at Sasuke until he answered. “Yeah. Unlike you, I’m not going to bother myself denying this fact anyways. So? What?”

This time it was Sasuke’s turn to furrow his eyebrows as he responded. “If you still have feelings for me, why are you acting with such hostility towards me?”

“Because those are separate issues Sasuke.” Naruto finished checking the documents and placed one hand on the table, blue eyes trained steadily towards Sasuke’s gray ones, leaving no room for any hesitation. “I’m definitely not going to let my feelings blind me and just because you’re here now, doesn’t mean that I’m going to accept you back when the problem is still there and it’ll return sooner or later. Plus, just because I still have feelings for you, doesn’t mean that I will just allow you to talk down to me, however intentional or not. I still have my pride, and I can’t allow myself to feel inferior to you.”

This explanation appeared to satisfy Sasuke enough, as he just nodded, grunting. “Hn.”

“Now that you’re happy receiving this piece of information, shoo. I gotta type some thingies too, ‘m busy.” The blond waved his hand in dismissal.

“Hn.” Sasuke simply stood on the same spot, unmovable.

“You’re not going away are you?” Naruto glowered at the amused expression shown on Sasuke’s face.

“I’m not quite…done yet. Unfortunately for you.”

“Ugh, what do I have to do to get rid of you bastard, I swear…What do you want Sasuke?” Naruto leaned his weight on one hand planted on the table.

The brunet slowly widened a very wicked smirk that made the back of Naruto’s hair stand up. It was that type of smile similar to a predator getting ready to pounce on his victim but not before indulging himself with his sad*st urges by playing with his prey, while also simultaneously showing his superiority of ‘you’re a dumbass and I’m the genius Uchiha’. Naruto was heavily tempted to smash his fist through that smug face then run away as fast as possible and live on the remotest planet in the Solar System.

Before the blond could enact his desperate thoughts, Sasuke placed both hands on the reception table and leaned his face closely to Naruto’s till he could feel his steady breath and Sasuke said.

“I want to take skiing lessons.”

And suddenly nothing made a lick of sense.

“What?” Naruto asked numbly.

“Skiing lessons. This hotel offers those right? I would like to have a lesson.” Sasuke responded, still wearing that smug smirk.

The blond slackened his jaw, silently mouthing like a fish out of water. He then settled with the standard answer, snarling through gritted teeth. “Well, bastard , there’s a ski booth outside so if you want to have one, just ask around and they even rent equipment if you need it. Unfortunately I’m sorry to say that they probably don’t sell the proper size hat to fit your gigantic head and ego.”

Hn, cheeky dumbass. Sasuke ignored the insult for the moment to concentrate on more important issues. “I have already gone there. The booth is completely empty and there’s a banner explaining that if the booth is vacant, the receptionist is also available to teach ski lessons.”

Naruto’s suspicions hammering at his head were confirmed now. “What?! You’re lying through your f*cking teeth asshole, there’s no way the ski booth would be empty at this time of day.”

Sasuke stepped aside and said. “Go ahead and check it out if you’d like.”

Naruto narrowed his eyes towards the brunet, and then redirected his gaze towards the ski booth visible outside the doors. It was really empty, which was odd considering that even though Tsunade didn’t hire a lot of instructors, he had never seen the booth empty before.

“What the hell, did you bribe them or scare them off by threatening their lives? There’s no way this would have happened and I’m not going to fall for whatever you’re scheming bastard.” Naruto grumbled.

“What are you talking about, idiot? I’m simply looking for some ski lessons and conveniently you’re the one left to teach me. So…” Sasuke grabbed his wallet and said. “Do you accept credit cards or do I have to pay in cash?”

“No. No way. I’m not going with you bastard. You’re definitely planning something evil, I can feel it in my veins, asshole. I’m not going.” Naruto pointed accusingly and then snorted. “And besides, even if none of the other instructors are around, I can’t leave the reception area. Someone has to be here in case a guest needs some help.”

“I can take care of that Naruto.” Tsunade suddenly appeared behind Naruto and the blond man jumped in surprise. “I think it’s a good opportunity for you to relax after all.”

Naruto swiveled around with his jaw agape and he rebutted. “What?! There’s no way I’ll be able to relax with this bastard next to me dammit.”

Sasuke smirked. “What? Are you scared usuratonkachi?”

This comment generated a sharp glare coming from Naruto. “I’m not afraid of you b—“

“Good, then get out before I have a headache you two.” Tsunade waved her hand flippantly. “Especially you, brat. I was almost rendered deaf from your loud yell.”

Naruto grumbled. “Wait. I’m still not going. I’m not looking for an early dea—“

“So you’re going to refuse a request from a guest? You promised you would teach skiing if necessary, I can’t believe that the brat I know; Uzumaki Naruto, is breaking a promise.” Tsunade said.

“The circ*mstances are different; it’s obvious that this bastard is laying some kind of trap.”

“Well, I don’t care!”

“What! You’re just throwing me in the lion’s den without any regret, what kind of evil old hag are you?!”

“I’m running a business and the client always knows best!”

“Senju-sama is correct, and as an employee you should listen to your superior usuratonkachi.”

Naruto glowered at Sasuke, peeved from the fact that he had to defend against two people at the same time. “Go f*ck yourself asshole!”

“Watch your language brat! And Uchiha-kun is right - you said you would help me out running this hotel. You’re not going to disappoint me are you?”

This time Naruto looked a little bit embarrassed at Tsunade’s solemn eyes so he said. “Well…uh…”

“It’s just for a few hours, ok. Don’t worry about it.”

“But…”

“Besides, you wouldn’t act so unprofessional would you?” Sasuke said.

“Of course you wouldn’t, because I would have your head for it.” Tsunade continued.

“It is your duty after all.”

“You have a responsibility to uphold.”

“You’re not going to back down from your own word right dumbass?”

“Just go you stubborn brat.”

Naruto just glanced back and forth from their rapid exchange of words, unable to come up with any rebuttal. He finally threw his hands up in the air exclaiming:

“You two are ganging up on me!”

~~~...~~~...~~~...~~~

He…he couldn’t believe he really obeyed them. Naruto sulked while he stared at the ski equipment he was currently wearing, also glaring at the stupid conceited asshole that was also placing the ski boots on his foot.

“So, where should we go usuratonkachi?” Sasuke said once he finished putting the goggles over his eyes.

Naruto grumbled, picking up the hat and shoved it over the duck-butt hair. Despite the initial forceful action, the blond still checked to see if Sasuke’s boots and bindings were fitted correctly, paying meticulous attention to avoid having any kind of possible accident. They used the cable car to reach the top of the mountain (Naruto was still sulking all the way up) and once they arrived there, the blond pointed to a less populated area where an ambling easy sloping green trail was located to be taken back down the mountain.

“Let’s go over there. Walk but pay attention to keep both skis parallel, bend your knees a little bit and use the poles to help move forward.” Naruto turned his neck to see if Sasuke was following him but the latter kept staring at the sky. “Hey, are you listening to me bastard?”

Obsidian eyes slowly blinked and the brunet muttered. “Of course I am dumbass. Let’s go.” He however walked in an unhurried pace. With a roll of eyes, Naruto also reduced his speed, to keep pace with Sasuke.

But even though Naruto tried to walk as slow as possible, they still managed to have a reasonable distance between them so every couple of minutes or so the blond would have to wait for Sasuke.

“Hey, you’re pushing off on the wrong side; you should push off to the right.”

“I am pushing off to the right dumbass.” Sasuke glared, tilting to the left.

“No, you’re not—point your ski more to the right, spread your legs and bend your knees, using your right leg to guide in the direction that you want.” Naruto demonstrated by doing the same.

“Hn.” Sasuke obeyed, though he kept moving to the left.

“You’re doing it wrong. Be careful or we’ll wind up in the forest.” Naruto grumbled.

“What are you talking about; I’m doing as you requested, usuratonkachi.” Sasuke obstinately rebutted, moving to the left.

“Ok, you know what. Wait a second; I’m heading over to you. You’re going to be the death of me, I swear.” Naruto walked towards Sasuke while the latter raised an eyebrow.

Snowflakes began falling around them, Sasuke pointed out. “It’s starting to snow. Is this ok for us to continue skiing here?”

“Yeah, I don’t think it’ll be a problem… we’re not expecting a storm or anything” Naruto said, when a sudden gush of wind interrupted them and the snow started thickening. “On the other hand, it might be better if we return now to be on the safe side.” Naruto noticed that they were too far from the cable car so he said. “Can you slide forward?”

Sasuke snorted and used his poles to move his skis, only sliding forward a few inches at a time. With the wind and snow strengthening to become a small blizzard, Naruto had a sinking feeling that they might be entering in a dangerous situation. The blond swiftly sauntered next to Sasuke and instructed:

“Lean a little bit forward, but put most of your weight on your heels. Open your legs as if there’s a basketball between them. Then point your skis together but be careful so they won’t touch each other. Can you do it?”

“The snow is kind of obscuring my vision, is that ok?” Sasuke responded with a frown.

“Um, open your legs wider so you’ll go slower. The hotel is just straight ahead of—“A loud gust of wind whirled up around them, making it more difficult to see. A familiar sensation of his blood turning cold, Naruto slowly had a horrible déjà vu…this situation looked similar…extremely similar.

No way…no f*cking…wayyyy…

Sasuke looked around, assessing the area. “We better hurry up before it’s too late.”

Naruto nodded, and slid a few feet forward. He heard a pained grunt and panicked a little, shouting.

“Sasuke, is everything alright?”

There was a silence and then. “…yes.”

Naruto instantly rolled his eyes, knowing that the bastard was too stubborn for his own good. He walked back; ignoring the glare he was receiving in response, and said patiently:

“Don’t think too much, relax. We’ll be back at the hotel soon enough, just move like I’m doing.” Naruto prepared his position though Sasuke said:

“I can’t see much ahead.”

Naruto agreed begrudgingly, but since he was an experienced skier, he could keep a calm mind even under such duress. Sasuke was a beginner though so he was prone to get alarmed under the circ*mstances.

If Sasuke was unable to keep a cool head, it’d be better to stop to avoid any possible accident, and there was no way that Naruto would leave him alone. They should find a shelter and…wait…

Spending an overnight with Sasuke. This really sounded too f*cking similar. Naruto stared incredulous as the brunet raised an eyebrow.

“We should hurry up, shouldn’t we? Maybe we’ll be able to see the lights from the hotel.” Sasuke said, trying to move forward. Naruto placed an arm in front of him to halt him.

“No, at this point, we better find a shelter. Can you see any nearby? A wooden cabin or anything like that?”

Sasuke settled to search on his right, but he shook his head.

Naruto scanned the area to the left, until he found a reasonably big cabin. He sighed relieved, poking Sasuke as they moved towards it. The closer they walked to the destination, the bigger was the sensation that fate was playing a very cruel trick on them.

It must be the bastard’s fault, definitely .

f*ck. No f*cking way. This is…gaaaaaaaaaaaaaah…fuuuuuuuuck…

“You!” Naruto pointed accusingly, once they finally reached the wooden cabin and removed the ski boots.

The bastard even had the gall to place a hand to his chest, smirking while looking ‘innocently’ confused at the blonde’s sudden outburst.

“God! Whenever I’m with you disasters just keep cropping up! I swear the first thing I’ll do once this is over is to go to every church and temple existent in this world to exorcise you from my life!” Naruto growled, messing his hair with his hands in frustration.

“Idiot, this isn’t anything of the sort.” Sasuke snorted.

“What?!” Naruto shouted.

Sasuke crossed his arms and calmly said. “I said; it’s not a disaster. If the snow storm was dangerous enough for skiing, the weather report would warn about it and Senju-sama would have cancelled the activities for today. But I knew from looking at the sky that there would be a small blizzard, not much to impair skiing but enough to obstruct the vision.”

Blue eyes narrowed and then slowly widened in comprehension, blood draining from of his face. There was something in the dangerous glint showing in Sasuke’s gray eyes that made the blond want to scream for help and flee from this place. Unfortunately the brunet stood in front of the front door, hindering any chance of escaping. Right, so where’s the closest window…?

The infuriating smirk was back full force as Sasuke declared. “You really should have checked about the previous owners before starting any architectural project dumbass. This area used to be part of the Uchiha clan’s Manor before we sold them to Senju Tsunade. This cabin actually used to be ours, and I know this entire land like the back of my hand.”

Naruto’s jaw dropped stunned before he shouted. “You tricked me?!”

“Technically…no, I didn’t. I did insist on returning to the hotel, you’re the one who found this place.” Sasuke answered. Then, he paused in contemplation and added. “I might have exaggerated my lack of skiing ability though.”

Sasuke’s smirk widened even further as he stepped closer to the blond. To Naruto, the Uchiha looked like one of those cliché types of villains that would cackle evilly while inflicting pain to the poor protagonist. And they were also currently in a cliché situation, the snow outside, all alone far away from civilization while he prepared to commit a crime on the victim that was still oblivious about his looming disaster—

“Oh my God, are you going to murder me now?!” Naruto pointed at the brunet, with a horrified expression stamped all over his face.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, stopping in his tracks. He deadpanned. “Usuratonkachi. Why would I do something like that?”

“I know! There’s a reason why you recreated this situation so similar to the earthquake accident. You’re going to try topping me!” Taking from the amused reaction shown on Sasuke’s face, Naruto concluded. “I bet you’re still sore that I called dibs first, that’s why you planned this as revenge!”

Sasuke simply smirked and declared. “As I was saying…”

“I didn’t hear you denying this part!”

The brunet rolled his eyes. “You know why I want us to have some time alone Naruto.” Sasuke said solemnly, dropping all the amusem*nt at last.

Naruto also lost all the comical expressions as he muttered. “Oh. Oh that. Not interested. I’m gonna look for some rations in the house now.”

“How much longer are you going to waste your time running away from me Naruto?” Sasuke said as Naruto turned away.

Naruto immediately snapped back to throw an angry glower to Sasuke as he said. “How in the hell does this looks like I’m running away from you huh? I just don’t understand why the f*ck I have to listen to you when not only you did nothing to undo your mistakes but you also used those dirty tricks just now.”

Sasuke sighed wincing a little, he hadn’t thought about this detail. “I admit, it is my fault.” He quickly amended; Naruto widened his eyes in response. “But I had to do something to get you to give me the time of day, or at least react with something other than your usual hostility. It’s time for us to seriously talk Naruto, I’m just asking for one last chance.”

Sasuke moved away from the door and leaned his back against the wall, saying:

“But I’m not going to force you to hear me out unwillingly; I’m hoping that you’ll do this through your own volition.”

Naruto couldn’t move from his spot, his face contorted with doubt. He was torn apart, and it was noticeable with his crossed arms placed in front of his chest, as if his heart was commanding him to stay, though his legs were still restless, contradicting the rest. He shut his blue eyes in contemplation, dragging out a long sigh.

“I trust you.”

Naruto opened widely his eyes, whipping his neck to stare at Sasuke. “What?” He asked.

“I trust you.” Sasuke repeated, leveling his gaze onto Naruto’s. “This is the reason why…you should listen to me.”

The blond knitted his eyebrows together, growling. “If this is supposed to be another scheme of yours, let me tell you—“

“When you said that you’re not someone who could confess about yourself to anyone…I understood because I’m also the same. You should know that there are also many sides of myself that I have never shown to anyone before…” Sasuke lowered his eyes in remembrance and continued. “After my older brother had fled from home, after I was thrown into being his substitute heir, I suddenly had many people paying attention to me, wanting to befriend me for dubious intentions, wanting to take advantage of my position and name. I had too many prying eyes observing my every move; I couldn’t falter for my own image and pride, for my parents’ pride, for my clan’s pride… I realized that there was no reason for me to trust anyone under those circ*mstances…” Sasuke raised his eyes once again and murmured. “Until you arrived in my life.”

Naruto hitched a breath unbeknownst to himself, his shoulders slowly dropping as he released some tension from his body. “And…?” He skittered his eyes to one side, not wanting to see Sasuke’s unwavering gaze. “So how is this related somehow?”

Sasuke expelled a long sigh, reflecting out loud. “For a long time I had always thought that there was no merit placing my trust in someone…I couldn’t see any advantage to doing that, not to mention it was risky and the person could reveal my secrets to anyone. I kept guarding myself, because depending on others is something for the weaklings, I didn’t need this, I could be strong on my own…until you gave me reasons to trust you, to confide in you and share my past with you.”

A long silence lingered between them, idly listening to the howls of the wind rattling the glass windows. They were communicating wordlessly through their eyes, connecting at last after excruciating days with severed bonds.

“At first I believed that there was nothing more shameful than showing my flaws to you, trusting you made me weak, but—I realized in the end that it’s quite the opposite feeling.” Sasuke quirked a small smile and said. “Having you help to share my burdens gave me more strength to conquer my insecurities, and trusting you is actually comforting and safe. Trust…might be a dangerous choice but it’s still worthwhile to risk it. And that’s why you should listen to me. Even if you don’t end up trusting me in the end, I’m hoping that after I explain everything, you’ll be able to regain trust in people—”

Sasuke inhaled slowly, staring at his trembling hand, so he covered it with the other. No matter how many wounds would heal with the passage of time, there would be always some remaining scars.

“…Because I also know how it feels to be betrayed by the person you trusted, how devastating it can be and for that…I am deeply sorry. For making you suffer like this.”

Naruto paused in reflection, looking back and forth towards Sasuke and the ground. He could almost feel the talons that had been continuously wrenching his heart, gradually dissolve and melt away. This was probably the reason that scared him, that even after what Sasuke had said to him, he really couldn’t keep any long-term bitterness towards him, he would forgive Sasuke anyways. He supposed that this was the expected outcome…Naruto exhaled a tired breath, having settled his mind at last.

The blond approached and stood next to a couch and leaned at the back of it, observing that Sasuke had finally relaxed his entire demeanor in response. A grin played on his lips and Naruto also felt his limbs loosening up, so he laced his fingers and rested his hands on his lap.

“Before…you start -answer me one thing.” Naruto murmured and glanced at Sasuke in apparent curiosity. “How did you know I was here?”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, not exactly expecting this enquiry out of nowhere, though he supposed that Naruto asked to lighten up the mood. The brunet answered. “First clue was when I noticed that you’re a person who dislikes staying in places for too long unless you have something that would make you feel comfortable, which is being surrounded by your friends and colleagues. And even back in Tokyo and Kyoto, there were some specific hours that you couldn’t attend to meetings because you mentioned that you used those to talk with your father and your friends.”

Sasuke roamed his eyes around the wooden room, in which Naruto blinked confusedly, before imitating the same action. Sasuke continued:

“Nara-san had already mentioned that he called all of your friends and you weren’t in their houses, so that option was out. Therefore, I took in the second thing that you prize the most; architecture. Your work, commitment and responsibility. I couldn’t just shoot in the dark when you had designed many buildings, so whichever you chose, you also had to have an emotional attachment to live in that place for an extended period of time.” Sasuke paused with a slight grimace, fresher wounds reopening. He murmured in a low tone. “Then…I considered the earthquake we suffered back in Tokyo because of how much it impacted the both of us. You experienced first-hand the importance of the difference between a well-structured building and others that were not and had crumbled all around you and have used this first-hand knowledge to improve on designs that will be able to save many lives. And since Mitsukoshi is one of the first buildings Sarutobi-sama had created at the beginning of his career…you would probably want to check it out, to see if the condition of the first building you designed had any issue that needed fixing.”

Tsunade’s hotel was actually the 5th building in the list of his accomplishments according to the report he was given. When Sasuke had questioned Naruto’s whereabouts in the first buildings the blonde had designed, he only received negative responses. However, Tsunade’s hotel was the only personal request in the list, while the rest were accomplishments under the name of architectural firms Naruto was working for. He concluded then the hotel was actually the first building Naruto had designed but the 5th to be finished, and since Tsunade was Naruto’s father acquaintance, this was the reason why Naruto had accepted, and also the first kick start of his career, so it’d make sense if Naruto was currently living there. He later asked Jiraiya to confirm this theory, in which the latter had agreed about it, albeit a little bit begrudgingly.

Naruto sighed, placing his hands on the top of the couch as he admitted. “Yeah, you’re right. At the beginning of your career to most architects, you’re mostly designing a building to win a prize and to develop a unique style. Most of the time you don’t want to pay much attention to all the ergonomics and regulations because it’s more the job of a structural engineer. But after a while there’s the need to learn things outside of your area and evolve in some others…after all, there are people living in the buildings we have created, that’s why I need to keep an extra eye on them.”

“But this is not exactly what you really wanted to ask me right?” Sasuke said, quirking a small smirk.

Naruto lifted his blond eyebrows, shifting as he languidly crossed his arms. “I guess not. So…Sasuke.” He nibbled his lower lip contemplating and declared. “Why are you here?”

It was Sasuke’s turn to fall silent and willing his heart to calm down, blood pumping in his veins and heightening his senses till he could feel goose bumps all over his skin. His stomach kept squirming out of nervousness; strange, there was no reason to be fretting, he knew the extent of Naruto’s feelings towards him, he knew his own feelings back to the blond – but he had never had this sense of insecurity and vulnerability, ready to discard his last mask in front of Naruto.

Sasuke said slowly:

“I’m here because I wan—hope to regain something that I lost. Because I want to be with someone that I missed too much. I’m here for you…Naruto.”

He observed beneath his eyelashes Naruto’s reaction. His cerulean eyes showed a mixture of elation and regret, a sad smile gracing his lips, generating a growing rush of dread in Sasuke’s heart.

“Sasuke, I…I, you know. As much as I forgive you for this, I don’t think I can bear witnessing your father questioning about us again in the future and risk having you would throw out whatever words to cover the situation. I just…”

The brunet immediately sighed relieved, most of his panic leaving his system. “I told the truth to my father. He knows.”

Naruto widened his eyes and muttered. “You…”

“Yes, I cleared up all the misunderstandings.” Sasuke hastened to add. “He approves, by the way.” Sasuke felt it’d be wiser if he didn’t add the details that Fugaku was actually trying to bring him closer to Naruto.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling a little. “Wow, I guess…I guess that’s better…I certainly wasn’t expecting this…”

“Also, Sarutobi-sama had denied your letter of resignation. He expects you to return to work as soon as possible, there are several projects that need your attention. This was the message he wanted me to tell you.”

Naruto dropped his shoulders in complete surprise, his eyes wide in awe. “You…you really…” He said, blushing shy and embarrassed. “Um… f—for…”

“For you.” Sasuke declared detaching himself from the wall and taking a few steps closer to the blond. “Wait…I admit that I also did it for myself too. I couldn’t bear myself for hurting you and losing you after all those horrible decisions I made. What I did was wrong and if I could do it all over I would have chosen the correct path but…at that time, I was unable to.”

“…And you preferred denying everything that had happened with us Sasuke.” Naruto shook his head. “So…”

“Because I couldn’t work out all the emotions I had for you Naruto. I told you…” Sasuke softly said. “I couldn’t see the reason for trusting anyone up till now. And you, you also broke down all my invulnerability and you made me feel human. You…” He chortled a short breath. “You are infuriatingly able to make me drop from the pedestal I’ve been placed on by others and stay on the same level as yours, and you’re able to see me for who I am.”

Naruto quirked one side of his lips upwards and said, “And you can see through all the flaws I’m usually able to hide so well, but instead of feeling cautious about it, I just want to know more about you. There must be something illogical about it…but that’s the truth about what happened whenever I was around you.”

They still had a considerable distance between each other, both undecided to make any move. However all the remaining barriers were disintegrating until all that was left was a transparent vision of one to the other. Instinctively, they knew that this was the beginning of something extraordinary, though they wanted to relish the current moment for now.

“I felt the same…Naruto.” Sasuke confessed. “But at that moment everything around you just overwhelmed me…all the emotions you were able to extract from me were too much, I couldn’t keep control of any of it and this…frankly, concerned me. All I know is that you brought out many unknown feelings in me and I couldn’t understand any of it…since I couldn’t understand it, I felt it’d be better if I—“

“Rejected it. That’s why you rejected me.” Naruto cut through, his tone ringing slightly colder than he intended. Naruto sighed running his hand through his hair and muttered, “That…explains a lot of things. So that’s why you said those…words, at that time. Not only because of your reputation.”

Sasuke shook his head guiltily. “You have to understand…I had never felt this way in my entire life before. I couldn’t grasp this concept, I couldn’t classify it so I could restrain it—I denied all that then, I preferred burying all those new feelings instead. But once I realized what all I had done, I felt even more miserable.” As if he had been stripped of all the colors in his world, leaving only an unbearable sadness. “I thought that once I denied everything I would regain control but actually losing you just worsened everything. I missed you…” Sasuke admitted, stepping even closer to Naruto. “And you also had the hare-brained idea of disappearing off the map, making me go crazy worrying about you.” Sasuke smirked.

“Hey~~~” Naruto protested with a snort. “You can’t complain when you’re the culprit. I’m going to properly savor the fact that I made your icy ass feel guilty about me.”

“Hn.” Sasuke narrowed his eyes in playful annoyance. “I made mistakes and took too long to finally realize it and to amend them…but I hope it’s not too late. You changed me and you made me want to change my fate, so…”

Sasuke stared longingly at Naruto, preparing himself to say the crucial words. He had the intention to let his feelings be fully known to Naruto, because after all this, Naruto deserved all—

“Naruto…” Sasuke inhaled again and said. “I…” He cleared his throat and repeated. “I…”

Unfortunately, he could blame his ineptitude to fully express his emotions or whatever else that was impeding his confession, but he choked in the middle. Even as he made an effort to declare his feelings out loud, his nervousness clashed back full force and stopped those words from coming out of his mouth. Sasuke cursed himself over and over.

Naruto appeared to notice his internal crisis nevertheless, so he just raised a hand in mock commiseration and said:

“You know what. You can tell me that on the day when my urge to kill you is smaller in comparison to my urge to f*ck you.”

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow in response, before surrendering himself with a short chuckle. Naruto grinned back. “You still want to kill me? After all I have done tonight for your sake usuratonkachi?” Sasuke teased.

“After all you have done to me, any normal person would do the sane thing and cut every tie from you. I guess you’re lucky I’m just this patient.” The blond crossed his arms haughtily.

“I thought you have forgiven me already.” Sasuke said, now only a few inches away from Naruto.

“Yeah well…I may or may not have…that depends.” Naruto responded, shrugging.

“So what should I do for you to grant me your forgiveness, dumbass?” Sasuke murmured, leaning on Naruto, feeling the warmth irradiating from the tanned body as his hands settled on Naruto’s hips.

Naruto inclined slightly backwards even though he didn’t reject Sasuke’s touch, his own hands gripped Sasuke’s arms, his eyes at half-mast. “I don’t really know…what do you want to do then?”

Sasuke snorted, tilting his head and eliminating the remaining gap between their faces. Their lips hadn’t fully touched yet, with Sasuke feeling Naruto’s breath tingling against his lips.

He retreated to glance at Naruto; his graphite eyes observing his blue ones. He moved in a few inches closer, with his mouth now lightly brushing against Naruto’s, though he didn’t move any further forward. It was Naruto’s turn to shift backwards with a questioning raised eyebrow, before rolling his eyes, grabbing Sasuke’s front jacket and yanking him closer with a mischievous beam:

“Stupid bastard.” And just like that, he sealed his lips onto his.

This kiss was gloriously different from the previous ones they had shared. There was no outside interference, no sense of urgency; setting their emotions soaring free. They took their time to explore each other’s mouths thoroughly, to map every contour of their bodies and inhale their intoxicating scents. Their sense of time and direction simply disappeared as they entered their own private world.

There was only an unhurried pace in between each kisses, tongues twisting and probing with soft smacks of lips clashing and joining. They knew letting the fiery passion bursting out of control was a promise in the near future, so for now they settled reaffirming the existence of their shared feelings. There was a sense of fulfillment lingering with each caress and happy sigh, touches had tints of affection with their heartbeats warmly moving in synch.

Naruto barely noticed that at some point he was sitting on the floor, moaning while their lips were still locked and his fingers were buried in Sasuke’s black locks. The brunet gradually enveloped his fingers around his wrists, leaning above the blond while he licked Naruto’s lower lip.

Sasuke pinned Naruto to the ground all of a sudden. Naruto blinked.

Sasuke widened a very wicked smirk. “Good. Now this is the part where I’m going to say that I’m still sore from the fact that you topped me that night and it’s time for me to reenact my revenge.”

Naruto narrowed his eyes, wrenching his wrists away from the pale hands. “Like hell you will!”

Report 15: An End, their beginning.