Title: Grow Old With You
Chapter: 14
AN: Hey, sorry for the uber-late update! I was swamped with schoolwork and I've been disconnected from civilization this Christmas so... ermm, here's the uber-late update! Enjoy and happy holidays! Love you guys!
" " denotes spoken words
italicized means thoughts
My first waff fic. Be kind.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I don't own the song Grow Old With You. This is fanfiction, got it?
Put you to bed when you've had too much to drink
Sasuke rushed through the dark streets of Konoha in search of his missing boyfriend of an idiot. Where the fuck could he be? Sasuke fumed as he left Ichiraku. The store-owner happily waved at him from under the teflon flaps before he went back to closing his shop. According to the old cook, Naruto had been there around noon with Ino and Sakura. Noon. NOON!?! Naruto hadn't eaten dinner at their house so how come he hadn't been to the Ichiraku for dinner?
No need to panic yet. No need to panic. It wouldn't do to ask for help from the Hyuugas yet, Naruto may have just forgotten the time, or something equally stupid as that .
"Chikusho." Sasuke cursed under his breath as he came to a stop in front of Ino and Shikamaru.
"Sasuke-kun!" A surprised Ino greeted him. Shikamaru drawled, "Yo."
Sasuke blinked and glanced at Shikamaru's slouched figure. He could easily see who would be taking Kakashi-sensei's place as the laziest nin in the future. The resemblance was just too obvious. He bit back the urge to give his condolences to Ino.
Shikamaru and Ino were worriedly watching him. "Sasuke-san? What is it? Is something wrong?" Ino gently asked. Uchiha Sasuke was so powerful it was sometimes scary. Better to tread cautiously where he was concerned. Especially if this had something to do with Naruto-kun... well, only things that concerned Naruto-kun made Sasuke-kun...break.
Sasuke carefully watched Ino's reaction. "Do you know where Naruto is? He hasn't been home since he left the house this morning. The owner of Ichiraku told me you and Sakura-san had lunch with him there."
Okay, I think that's the most number of words Sasuke has ever said to me. I knew this has something to do with Naruto. "Sorry, Sasuke-kun. I haven't seen him since then. He left with Sakura-chan. They told me they were going to the Hokage's Tower."
Sasuke turned to Shikamaru. "Shikamaru-san?"
The lazy Konoha strategist shrugged. "Nope, I was out on a mission the whole day. Need help?"
"No, I'll find him. If by chance you do see him, bring him to me." Sasuke was about to leave when he turned around suddenly. "By the way, Ino-san, what did you talk about during your lunch with Naruto?"
Ino grinned. "We were just catching up on each other's life, Sasuke-kun. Gossip and other non-sense stuff like that."
"Right." Sasuke turned around and left.
Sasuke and Shikamaru would never, even under the threat of death, admit to any living soul that Ino was really, really scary when she smiled like that.
Lee Residence
Sasuke knocked thrice on the ornately carved wooden door.
It took some time before someone answered. It was Rock Lee in his paisley pajammas. "Sasuke-kun, what can I do for you?"
"Can I talk to Sakura-san for a moment? I'm trying to find Naruto."
Rock Lee, ever the gracious host let him in and had him sit on the sofa. He very well understood Sasuke's concern and the urgency of finding Naruto.
"Sasuke-kun?" a soft female voice called out to him.
Sasuke's manners kicked in; he stood up to greet his former teammate properly. "Sakura-san. I'm here to ask you a few questions about Naruto. He hasn't been home since this morning."
Sakura laid a hand on her still flat belly. Sasuke's irises flicked down for a second. Sakura smiled at him. " He's probably just somewhere, he was given a c-class mission by the Hokage this afternoon. We had lunch at Ichiraku's with Ino-chan around 1 pm then Naruto-kun and I went to the Hokage Tower for the mission orders. Well, Naruto-kun got his mission orders while I got my leave of absence papers signed." Sakura paused to smile at Rock Lee, who had placed a tray of refreshments on the coffee table and sat down beside her.
Sasuke somewhat relaxed against the cream sofa.
"A team of ninjais visiting for diplomatic purposes. Naruto-kun has been given the task of touring them around, taking care of their needs, and making sure that they don't bring harm to the villagers or go snooping around." Sakura took a sip of iced tea and motioned for Sasuke to do the same.
Sasuke stared dubiously at his glass of iced tea and the grinning Rock Lee. He shuddered to think of why his fellow nin was grinning. "Which village and which team is it?" Sasuke drank the cool iced tea.
"The Sand. Temari-san, Kankuro-san, and Sabaku no Gaara."
Sasuke choked on the iced tea he was drinking.
On the streets of Konoha
I do not want to ask this. But I have to. This is for Naruto's safety and Sasuke's and my sanity... How bothersome. "Eh, Ino"
Ino smiled at him. "What is it Shikamaru?"
Shikamaru sweatdropped. "What exactly did you gossip about with Naruto-kun?"
An evil glint appeared in Ino's eyes. "I just wanted to know when his and Sasuke-kun's wedding will be held." Hah! And once he's wed to Sasuke-kun, he won't be able to compete with me for Shikamaru's affections. (AN: yes, sorry she's still carrying a grudge against Naruto regarding Shika's I-like-blondes comment. ;P)
Shikamaru sighed. "Ino, Naruto doesn't know. You're making things difficult for Sasuke-kun. He's supposed to tell Naruto once he decides to tell him about it."
Ino flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder. "So? Now he has no choice but to make his move. Besides Kakashi-sensei probably forgot to talk to Sasuke-kun!"
Shikamaru shook his head. "So troublesome."
At the Hyuuga mansion
Sasuke bowed stiffly. "Hinata-san."
Hyuuga Hinata nodded daintily at him. "Sasuke-kun, why are you here? Is everything all right?"
No, everything is not all right. Naruto is alone somewhere with three Sand nins, one of whom is also a demon carrier who has always acted differently around Naruto and who just might be trouble for me. For US.
"Naruto is missing. I need to find him quick."
"Have you che--?" Sasuke cut her off.
"Yes. Please." He hissed through gritted teeth.
Hinata sighed. "Alright then." She focused her chakra on her eyes, increasing the intensity and scope of her Byakugan, and made a quick 360 degree turn. She squinted as she faced Northeast. "Naruto-kun is in a bar near the marketplace, on a North Eastern direction. With him are Temari-san, Kankuro-san, Gaara-san and Konohamaru-kun." Hinata blinked. "Is Konohamaru-kun of legal age? 'Cause I swear it looks like he's been drinking, so with the others."
Sasuke mumbled a quiet, "Thank you, Hinata-san." And disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
Hinata smiled as she gazed fondly at the sky. "Anything for Naruto-kun's and your happiness and peace."
At the said bar
A nervous bartender watched the ecclectic mix of ninjas sitting at his bar. He had heard of former nins who had gone berserk and killed villages before. Makes one wonder if any one of these guys and girl would. Anytime soon. On his beautiful and expensive polished cherrywood bar. Hopefully not.
He surveyed the party of drunk young adults. The group had been in his bar since four in the afternoon, but initially only the blond boy and Konohamaru-sama, Hokage's grandson, had been drinking. Later on, the babbling blond boy had gotten his companions to drink through endless, painful to hear whimpering, begging, threatening and what-nots.
The blonde boy--anbu, by the looks of his clothes-- is still babbling, drunkenly this time, and crying interspersed with hiccups. Konohamaru-sama had fallen asleep again sometime two hours ago and wass now muttering in his sleep against his precious bar. The lone girl in the group had been giggling non-stop for thirty minutes now, trying to be coy and hiding--trying to hide-- her giggles behind that big, ugly metal fan. Lying on the floor beside his bar is the boy with --"...warpaint?" he mutters quietly to himself-- on his cheeks, fast asleep and snuggling to a big, very ugly doll. The red-haired boy is probably drunk too, but all he did was stare at the blond boy. Why, he doesn't even blink!
The noisy blond clutched at his bottle of Jose Cuervo Gold like it was his lifeline and cried. Bottles crowded around him like a glass fortress; all the labels bore the names of famous hard-liquor. "Sasu-rin doesn't want me anymore!!! The bastard!" He drank from his bottle, a few drops dribble down his chin and slide down his throat. "I can't live without him. He means so much to me..." He trailed off, staring at the wood's grains.
The red-head continued to watch the blond; eyes darkening, watching the drop as it trailed downwards. The sand that littered the rough hewn stone floor stirred at the blond boy's last comment.
"...Sasu-rin.. Sasu-rin.. Sasu-rin...", mumbled the blonde repeatedly, quietly.
Sand pooled at his feet and slithered up his legs. He mumbled on. The red-head watched him.
Please don't destroy my precious bar!
"...Sasu-rin.. Sasu-rin.. Sasu-rin..."
The girl tripped as she stood up and is knocked out cold by the oncoming floor.
The sand covered the top of the blond's thighs.
"...Sasu-rin, aishiteru."
The sand dropped lifelessly to the floor.
The old bartender sighed in relief. Hopefully not.
The blond boy threw back his head to scream. And fell asleep immediately. Red-head still watched him, didn't even flinch at the sudden action.
The red haired boy's violent eyes were suddenly on him. There was heat in that gaze, an anger so palpable it was painful to see. "Leave", he said.
The old man climbed the stairs leading to his bedroom in a dash.
Sand clasped at Naruto's arms and legs, gentle, in what was more like a lover's caress. Sand brought Naruto's chair closer to Gaara. Minutes passed, but Gaara did nothing more than stare at the sleeping boy-man.
He stood up in between Naruto's parted knees. A steady but hesitant hand traveled from Naruto's knee upwards; fingers ghosting over the heat between his legs; up the cold metal plate that protected his chest; over the haunting beat of his heart--so loud; like him--; along the slim neck that the drops had traversed, so, so, easy to snap; over the cherry lips, the sun-tanned whiskered cheeks, the long, soft eyelashes; and through the soft, bright-blonde hair.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing."
Angry jade eyes met dead red ones. But no answer was forthcoming.
"I said what the fuck were you doing to my boyfriend?!?"Uchiha Sasuke shouted at the motionless nin. Three dots whirled with rapid speed against its blood red backdrop. The situation was not good. Naruto was unconscious and trapped by Gaara's sand, and Gaara had him within reach. The chance that Naruto would be hurt if he launched an attack against Gaara was too high. Think Sasuke! Damnit, think!
The two ninjas watch each other closely, assesing, hostile, guessing at each other's intentions and plans of attack. Minutes pass, sweat beads on Sasuke's forehead.
Gaara's sand moved Naruto's body.
Sasuke attacked Gaara.
The sand formed a shield that defended Gaara from Sasuke's Chidori and wrapped around his feet. Where Sasuke formerly stood was a bar stool. He was nowhere in the room.
Gaara's eyes did not waver, nor did he bother to search for Sasuke. "I was giving him to you."
Sasuke who had suddenly appeared behind Gaara held his kunai tightly against Gaara's neck. "What?" he hissed threateningly.
A jade eye watched him from the side of Gaara's eye. "Its no use Sasuke-kun. I am no weakling." Sand had wrapped around Sasuke's body the moment his feet landed on the floor.
Gaara faced forward, away from Sasuke. "You hurt him. I want him with me. But he wants you." Gaara looked at Naruto. "So I was giving him to you."
"Leave him be you eyebrowless freak. If I see you near him, by the gods, I will k--"
"You can't order me to do anything. I am not and will never be afraid of you. And the last is Naruto-kun's choice." Blood dripped down Gaara's neck as his skin scraped the sharp edge of the kunai.
Sasuke let out a scream of frustration and threw his kunai at the wall. Gaara's sand released his feet. He stood face to face with Gaara. "I don't care what he decides! I can't live without him. He means so much to me." Tears slid down Sasuke's cheeks.
Gaara stepped away from him, his sand lifting Kankuro and Temari off the floor. "I don't care about you. I don't care about what you feel." Once more green eyes clashed with red. "I will always be here for Naruto." He stepped out of the bar and into the night.
AN:
yay! just one chapter left!
Umm... sorry if that was weird or vague. Just leaveany question in a review and I'll answer them, as long as it's related to this story or chapter! Hey, I'll write a fic involving any pairing for the first one to guess what will happen next! Swear!
Oh, and has anyone else noticed that it's really difficult to wrote a fight scene involving Gaara, cause all he seems to need for defense is his sand? It doesn't leave much for hand to hand fighting ne? And I'm just really bad at fight scenes, I'm sorry.
Hope you guys liked this! Happy Holidays!
Review!