I wanted to finish this chapter SO badly before I left on my trip, but alas, it wasn't to be. I will be gone to Vegas and California for a couple of weeks and will get back on July 10th (and may hopefully get a chance to write while I'm out there) but in the meantime, I hope this suffices.
Chapter 25
It was a rest that didn’t leave Naruto satisfied, and one that woke him abruptly in the middle of the night. Wind whispered from beyond the house’s walls; an obvious storm taking root outside, and Naruto’s couldn’t help but listen calmly to the pitter-patter of raindrops that batted against the window. It was rhythmic and soothing, but not enough to lull him back to sleep.
Sasuke’s lips were close enough to his skin that Naruto could feel his breath, hot and saturated, against him. A pale arm was curled across Naruto’s torso, and throughout the course of the night the blond had kicked the covers to his feet, feeling flushed and contemplative. Now he was wide awake, staring at the boring beige ceiling of his bedroom, feeling his chest rise and fall awkwardly as he tried is best to think nothing at all.
Lightning illuminated the room, but only for a second. If Naruto had blinked, he would have missed the way it highlighted Sasuke’s face, giving definition to his ample features. He watched as Sasuke’s lips parted slightly for every inhalation, and how his eyes seemed alive, even while closed. Sasuke was dreaming, and Naruto wished that he was as well.
Turning onto his side, Naruto shivered as Sasuke’s hand simply glided over his skin, unconsciously adjusting to the new position. It was warm, Naruto noticed, only to realize that he had suddenly become cold. The house was too quiet and the thrashing noises of the harsh wind outside were too loud, and Naruto stared at the red numbers on a digital alarm clock next to him, each minute passing much longer than the last.
He rolled out from under Sasuke’s arm and whipped his legs over the side of the bed. His face felt itchy, so he rubbed it, and when his eyes opened everything was a blur. His muscles felt stiff—they needed more rest—and his head felt sick with worry and anxiety, neither of which he could will away.
“Where are you going?”
Sasuke’s voice surprised Naruto, but he didn’t jump. Instead he answered, “Nowhere. I just can’t sleep.”
Naruto heard Sasuke moving around behind him. “Why not?”
Sasuke came up beside him and sat, even though he looked a bit unwilling to do so. His hair was tousled recklessly around his face and his eyes were barely open enough to be considered awake. Naruto stared at him for a second before cracking a smile. “Sasuke, go to sleep.”
Sasuke frowned but the action brought about a yawn, and Naruto playfully pushed him back, towards his side of the bed. “Fine. Do whatever you want,” he glowered, and Naruto felt the blankets tug beneath him as Sasuke struggled to get readjusted. Naruto was quiet for a very short period of time.
“Hey, you trust me, don’t you?” he asked, and his only answer was a breathless, “Mm-hmm” from behind him. He turned his head to see if Sasuke was asleep, and sure enough, his pale face was buried comfortably in a down pillow. Naruto watched him, a little disappointed that he hadn’t gotten a real answer.
“Sasuke, are you asleep?”
“Mm-hmm…” Sasuke murmured.
Naruto smirked. “Are you so incredibly and desperately in love with me that you’ll forgive me for leaving you one more time?”
“Mmm…”
Naruto sighed. “I suppose that’s good enough,” he said to no one in particular. He brushed a piece of hair from Sasuke’s eyes and watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest, feeling a sense of resolution.
“You know, when you’re not awake and glaring at people you don’t really look that tough,” he said. Sasuke didn’t answer, only continued to sleep. Naruto went on. “And it’s not like I’m going because I want to, either. I have to. For you, for me—for everyone. This whole mess started because of me and now I’m the only one that can finish it.”
Only the wind howled in response.
“But I’ll be back. I’ll always come back for you. And when I do, we won’t have to worry about the fact I’m a traveler, or even about Danzo. We can start over, just like I promised.”
Naruto felt awkward, but not because he was talking mostly to himself. He felt a new sense of conviction brewing inside of him. “Just promise me you won’t hate me.”
Sasuke turned in his sleep and Naruto’s heart-rate accelerated. The sleeping man licked his lips and mumbled, “Naruto…too noisy…”
Naruto laughed to himself. “Alright. Sorry.”
He stood up and grabbed some clothes from a chair near the entryway of the room and took one last glance back at Sasuke who was still sleeping soundly. “I love you,” he said quietly, and he left, closing the door softly behind him.
He walked a little ways to the kitchen and pulled on the clean clothes in his hands, and ran his head under some cool water to get the kinks out of his hair. Not surprisingly enough there was a so und behind him, and when he turned, it was Gaara who was facing him.
“Hey, what are you doing up?” Naruto asked innocently enough. Gaara’s arms were crossed over his chest and his expression was stern.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he said coolly.
Naruto raised an eyebrow. “The wind’s so loud that I couldn’t sleep.”
Gaara continued to stare, his expression sour. “So you decided to get dressed and take a bath in the kitchen sink?”
There was a small margin of time where Naruto pursed his lips and stared at his assassin friend, wondering what on earth had brought this confrontation on. Gaara looked stubbornly serious, and Naruto knew not to play games with him. Gaara was a dangerous man.
“Are you here to try and stop me?” Naruto asked, wiping his hands idly on a dry towel. It only made sense—Gaara had somehow figured out that Naruto and the others were leaving. He was stealthy and sly, and it didn’t surprise Naruto as much as he thought it should have, but it was unnerving nonetheless.
Gaara almost growled out his retort. “You are a fool, Uzumaki.”
Naruto stared at him. “Okay,” he responded, accepting the insult. “That’s not going to change the fact this is something I have to do.”
“You’re too self-righteous. This is a problem no longer in your hands.” Gaara said, his temper cooling only slightly. Naruto snorted and set down his towel.
“Danzo’s wronged you, too. Or is that what this is about? You just want to be the one to take care of him?”
Something stirred in Gaara’s eyes and he moved forward, faster than Naruto could ever have imagined. In seconds a cool hand as around Naruto’s throat and Naruto was against a row of cabinets, the spine of the lower counter digging into his back.
“Don’t ever say things like that. I’m worried for you,” Gaara said. His voice was barely above a whisper, but the agitation and anger was as clear and concise as if he had been yelling. Naruto tugged at the hand at his throat until it loosened a little and he coughed a bit. Gaara didn’t let him go, only kept him pinned there, eying him almost painfully.
Naruto felt a little angry. “Could you show some of that worry by not choking me?” he volunteered. His voice a raspy. His comment seemed to catch Gaara off guard because in seconds he was released.
“You can’t go up against him alone,” Gaara said, and Naruto rubbed his throat.
“I won’t be alone. I’ve got my whole station behind me,” Naruto said, and Gaara snorted.
“I’m going with you.”
Feeling a bit like he had broken the rules of secrecy Naruto held up his hands. “No one else is supposed to know about this and—“
“If you don’t allow me to come with you, I will go wake up Sasuke and tell him everything.”
It as scary how well Gaara knew Naruto. Naruto’s breath caught in his throat and he nodded, slowly.
“Fine.” His comment came out clipped because of his slight anger, but as his mind mulled over the benefits of having an assassin at his side he felt less tense. The sounds of morning birds beginning their morning songs made him glance out of the kitchen window, and he frowned.
“We have to get going,” Naruto said mutely, hoping dawn wouldn’t come fast enough to stop him. Gaara nodded and turned to the side, as if to invite Naruto down the hallway he was standing in. “They’re both ready to go.”
Naruto narrowed his eyes a bit. So Haku and Kotetsu had told Gaara? He shook his head. “Right. Let’s go.”
He walked past Gaara swiftly, took one last look at the room that bore Sasuke, and left the safe house.
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
bouncy
dorky
determined
sleepy
indescribable
busy
energetic
nostalgic
scared
ecstatic
exhausted
chipper
cheerful
crazy
anxious