Cali SunShine

Chapter 12: New

The sun was rising slowly over the horizon. Early bird's song breaking the spell cast on him. Bright rays of light catching his eyes between the breaks of tree branches. Was it already morning? Where could the night have gone?

Naruto watched the ocean from afar. Sat on a cold bench of the boardwalk, mind lost. Had he really stayed out all night long? That wasn't his intentions. He could vaguely remember walking the streets during the night. Strolling through front yards and parks before stopping at the shop he used to live above with Jiraiya. He probably stood outside just staring at the old building for two hours before his feet brought him back to the sand. The cell in his pocket vibrated many times once the sun had set but he never touched it. Never checked to see who was calling or texting. He was sure the phone had died sometime hours ago. When the constant ringing finally stopped for good.

War cries from the seagulls informed Naruto of the first shop owner opening on the boardwalk. Like an alarm clock warning, Naruto knew it was time to get up and go. To where? He didn't want to return to the apartment. Surely the girls were waiting for him all night and with everyone's somber demeanor Minato had probably caught on to something being wrong. A rather large clue being him missing in action.

Slowly he lifted from his seat and in the same manor of last night just walked off to where ever he would eventually end up. Zigzagging through life. Cars sounding off the early morning commute as the world became alive once again. His stomach playing its own song. Even if Naruto couldn't feel his hunger he still found himself with a fast food egg sandwich in hand as he turned down another unknown street. Catching site of a swing set at the end of a large home neighborhood. He sat on the swing as he ate. Crumbs falling carelessly to the chucks on wood beneath his feet. The salty taste of stray tears in his mouth disturbed the taste of his eggs. Eyes red and swollen made it difficult to focus on the details of the child's park he found. Mouth dry and ears ringing.

Is this how his mother felt? Did she feel this destroyed when she ran away from Minato? How could she have lived so greatly with Naruto if her heart always stung when she breathed? He wonders how long until the pain fades. Would he ever be strong enough to go back to real life?

He glared at the ground under his shoes. Of course he would. Kushina would smack him if she heard this. Tsunade would put his ass in the hospital if she saw him acting this lifeless over a boy. Naruto's free hand gripped the crystal necklace that hung from his shoulders. Breaking up with Kiba was his idea and he can't cry himself to death for his own actions. He reminds himself the same thing he told Kiba. "I'm gonna get better."

With new found determination it was time to go home. Only issue, he didn't actually know where he was. Stumbling through the town in a drunken somber Naruto never paid any attention the where he was traveling and with his phone still dead in his pocket he was on his own. Irritated with his past self Naruto abandon the half eaten sandwich in the grass for the squirrels and bugs that eyed him.

"Damn it Uzumaki." He mumbled to the air. "Just had to get all dramatic and shit." Kicking at the mulch he stumbled out of the park and back to the main street of the neighborhood he found himself in. Eyes and head both stinging from lack of sleep. Endurance running low Naruto knew he needed to find his way back before he passed out asleep.

Several cars speed down the road Naruto decided looked half what, kind of, if he thought really hard about it, like the direction he had come from this morning when the sun wasn't so high in the sky. Not much to use as a land mark. Both sides of the pavement held larger then life homes, all repeating in color and builds. The ocean front nowhere in sight. This was going to be a long walk.

He walked for maybe 20 minutes, and few blocks before arriving to some kind of shopping district that he wasn't familiar with. Damn. He must have gone in the opposite way then what he thought was right. He was just so tired and wanted to just sleep. He walked towards a bus stop edging the parking lot. Deciding to sit and rest his tired eyes for just a moment.

A car horn honking repeatedly was the first thing to get Naruto's attention. The next was the rather rude yells of Neji and the tender voice of Hinata. "I've been looking for you for over an hour." Neji seethed from the open window as he stopped his sedan abruptly next to Naruto. "Get the hell in here."

With the biggest smile on his face in days he swung the door open. Finally some relief for his poor blistering toes. "I'm so relieved you're safe." Hinata said to him through the review mirror. A phone in her hand that she continued to typed on.

"Thanks," He mumbles back softly. His eyes falling more and more. "I'm glad you found me..." And finally Naruto let the soft null of the car bring him to the sleep he desperately needed.

When he opened his eyes it was evening. He was laying on the plush couch of the living room. A thin blanket carefully tucked round his shoulders. The room was dark but a faint glow came from the kitchen along with a softest of sounds. Naruto's stomach growled. Now that he rewarded his body with sleep, food was the next request.

He tiptoes his way to the kitchen. Gently pushing the swinging doors open. All talking stopped and the group at the table looked up at him. Minato was the first one up, his arms offering Naruto a warm embrace that he gingerly accepted. "Everything is gonna be okay." Minato assures him softly. Without even realizing it Naruto was returning the hug. His head rested under the older man's chin. "You're alright." Minato whispered once more before slowly releasing the boy. "Come have dinner."

True to Naruto's wishes no one mentioned the video again. The mix match crew acted as if it was erased from their memories all together. Days have passed and slowly a new routine is starting. Naruto still makes breakfast, but its less extravagant then it was, still miles above the toast and eggs the family would have settled for, but defiantly missing some passion. Before work Naruto will stay in his room and afterwards he'll sometimes join Sasuke's friends before dinner. Ino decides she wants to learn to cook, so she's around for dinner to 'help' Naruto cut vegetables or stir pasta and the like. For about half a week the usual dinner guest have been just Sai, Sakura, and Ino.

Sai and Naruto have gone on pretending nothing ever happened that day. Continuing their usual Japanese conversations and a little more playful flirting from Sai but its always treated as a game. A game Naruto has started playing in. Tiny pokes to the chest at meal times. One or two dance moves in the living room. Hair ruffle greetings. Harmless but increasing in frequency.

Tsunade increased her calls, sometimes up to five in one day. Word of the breakup had traveled her way. Words spreading from Ino to Minato and from Minato to her. As much as she expressed sympathy to the boy she also reminded Naruto that he was young. For most of the world the first love doesn't correlate to only. She'll be ever appreciated to Kiba for being there when Naruto needed him most, but she knew that Naruto had grown and was proud to see him be strong on his own now.

The only real problem was Naruto's inability to sleep. Years of cuddling up into another persons arms as you drift to sleep gives one a sense of comfort. So the days go by and Naruto sleeps less and less. He hides it from the family as best as he can, but Sasuke's room is too close to not hear the sounds of 2am pacing and late night TV. The lightest of bags can sometimes be seen under Naruto's eyes when he opens his door in the morning. By the time Sasuke reaches the table for breakfast the under eye darkness is gone.

In return, Sasuke also sleeps less. He's never been a light sleeper, as often as Sai slept over he's gotten rather good at blocking out annoyances. Rather then the noises Naruto makes in the early hours, its Sasuke's mind that defies him. When the sun retires for the day Sasuke drinks more coffee trying to force away sleep. For many reasons, all reasons being Naruto. Sasuke isn't able to explain it but he's changed. In the worst possible way. Once everything becomes dark, imagines manifest behind his eyelids. Imagination free with no control. Pictures and moments that have no right to be his mind's eyes.

He is the worst.

Another day passes and Sasuke's doesn't even question Ino as she jumps into his room without warning. Scissors and sewing needle in her hand. Excitement gleams in her eyes as she hands them to Sai. His skills are being put to the test by the younger girl. Confidently he makes his first cut.

"I'm gonna look bomb." Ino laughs as she looks through the shirts Sai plans to crop for her. "You modify a lot of your clothes?"

Sai hums at the question. "I guess you can say that."

The answer ticks Sasuke's nerves more then he would like to admit. Sai has a knack for cutting and tying and stretching out clothing. But more then half of the time the garments originally belonged to Sasuke. Sai would roll his lazy ass off the couch, change into Sasuke's shirts, and by the time he returned from class they would be destroyed.

A light bulb goes off in her head. "Can you cut jeans into shorts?" Ino questions. Sai nods and Ino is throwing open Sasuke's door yet again. Sasuke was already at his wits end. Naruto was working and Sakura had visit from family and quickly Ino was out of her own friends to spend the day with. So of course she would pick Sai and of course Sai acts like he lives in Sasuke's room for some reason. Sasuke simply wanted to finish his school work but how was he gonna focus like this. "I found it!" Ino loudly cheers as she rushes in again.

"Oh hell yes." Sai smirk can be heard in his tone, slightly catching Sasuke's interest. That was the voice of someone up to no good. Hesitantly Sasuke looks over his shoulder. "How short are we talking here? Booty?" Held in the artist's hands was the ever so familiar orange skinny jeans. Jeans famously worn by Naruto. Jeans Ino had gifted Naruto to makes his, well, Sasuke didn't want to think about it.

"You wish." Ino teasingly glares Sai down. "I's thinking bermuda length, with the fare ends." She drags her fingers right above the knee showing Sai the length of pants she wanted.

Sasuke loudly clears his throat to get her attention. "Wouldn't Naruto be mad that you're cutting those?" He asked. This all feels slightly awkward, editing someone's clothing without their knowledge.

"You haven't noticed? That's boys for ya." Ino sighs to herself, waving her hand at him to brush him off. "Naruto hasn't worn these since they broke up." She says with a 'duh' expression. Sasuke feels another tick on his nerves. "So obviously these are Kiba jeans. As a supportive friend, this is like, my duty to transform them. Fresh start."

Her reasoning was dumb enough to loss Sasuke's involvement and he returned to his work. Clothes didn't hold any special meaning to him personally. Most days he couldn't even remember what he wore unless it was an occasion that called for his one nice suit. Sometimes he doesn't even know if Sai has on his clothes or not. Maybe he was too simple of a man, basic and dark colors were most of his closet and he honestly can't remember what he paid for and what Minato had just added in. Maybe this was a guy thing? Maybe he was just too low maintenance? Maybe he just never had a reason to care.

The next morning Sasuke defiantly notices Naruto wearing his new cut shorts as he makes pancakes for breakfast.

Lee is trying his best to get along with everyone of Sasuke's friends. Neji is kind of a dick to him but not as bad as he could be which is promising. Shikamaru mostly sleeps through their interactions but doesn't complain about how talkative the boy is. And Hinata is just very Hinata like, accepting of Lee right off the bat.

Gaara is a different story. He keeps to himself and when he does speak its usually rude or dismissive.

Regardless its another two people Naruto has added to their household. Sasuke thanks his lucky stars that Minato was well off financially. The amount of people to constantly be in this condo is getting ridiculous. All the young teens are gathered in the living room, ignoring the movie playing to tell stories of childhood and the stunts that Naruto would pull with Gaara as a kid. The broken pinkie finger Naruto had gotten when Lee crashed his bike into a tree or when Naruto had tried to fight Gaara's older brother for taking the last chocolate milk. Every story engraved into Sasuke's brain.

For most of his childhood Sasuke didn't really have friends. Not like Naruto had as a young one. For the first few years of his life his only friends were a stuff toy and Itachi. After that, well most kids don't hang around the quit guy that has a dark past. It wasn't until Minato moved them out here did Sasuke stand a fighting chance of meeting people.

Lately Sasuke wonders what it would have been like to have a childhood like Naruto's. Surrounded by people and laughter. He always felt grateful to Minato for raising him, the man had done the best he could single handling raising a kid that wasn't even his. But what if he had had his family all this time? What if he had his brother with him throughout middle and high school? How different would his life have been? What if Minato and Kushina had never split? What if he could have grown up with Naruto?

"Don't tell them that?" Naruto shrieks from the open patio door. Losings his cigarette in shock and stomping back into the room. Sai grabs at Naruto's waist restraining him.

"No keep going." Sai pressures on. "What he do after?"

"Not much else to say." Gaara shrugs. "He hung up after that so I don't know."

"Aw, Naru how could you do this to me?" Sai whines in his fake hurt voice. "Denying me phone sex but you called your little friends when you had a stiffy."

"Shut up creep." Naruto collapses on the floor next to Sai. Still being embraced by his midriff, giving up on escaping Sai tight hug. "I was like twelve. It was terrifying." Naruto smacks his hand at Sai's.

And conversations continued as normal. Some people mindlessly watching the TV between subjects. Naruto's old friends reminiscing. At some point Hinata broke out a deck of cards which everyone but Sasuke and Neji joined in playing random games.

As the hours passed Sasuke grew more and more concerned by one thing in particular. Sai never let go of Naruto. Naruto never got up. The two slowly moved closer as they played until eventually Sai's head laid on Naruto's lap. They stayed like that until everyone went home for the night.

Sai's spending the night. That alone is not unusual. Sai sleeps here most nights. In fact Sai might as well live with them. He had it great, free room and food. He had a goddamn key for heavens sake. So Sai sleeping over was not unusual.

Staying in Naruto's room, that was unusual. Sasuke didn't like this. The two have grown too close in such a small window of time. Was this a rebound? Was Sai using the breakup to wiggle his way in? All week Sasuke has noticed the touching. It was becoming too much to ignore. Just the other day he walked into the living room to find Naruto sitting on Sai's lap. Well, not quit sitting on his lap but close enough. Legs thrown over Sai's leg as the two watched television. In a few days the kinship would probably escalate again.

None of this is right. Sasuke could finally relax. Naruto was in school. Naruto had left the man that annoyed Sasuke to hell. Naruto was fighting with him less. But Sai just has to make things worrisome. Sai had acted like he completely forgot about the video they had seen. Like he hadn't verbally attacked Naruto in the kitchen.

He had to be up to something no good. Sasuke known Sai for years now, never once has Sai been so invested in being near one person. The Sai he knows doesn't date. The Sai he knows just speaks about the boys he see in the wild but never fully peruses a person. The Sai that Sasuke knows wouldn't focus so much on one person. Not a person as troublesome as Naruto. Sure when Naruto was just eye candy that sometimes passed Sai on the beach it made sense. But this was the Naruto that lived with Sasuke. The Naruto that was related to Minato. The Naruto that would be apart of this household and if something were to go wrong...Sasuke doesn't have enough friends to be losing, oh how it hurt to admit this, his best friend.

Isn't there some kind of rule about not dating your friends' sibling. If he remembered correctly Itachi joked about it with his peers.

Issue arises from the fact that Naruto is not actually Sasuke's little brother. As much as Sasuke yearns to protect and care for Naruto like a brother should, Naruto denies him the chance. Slowly friends, yes. But family...

They are more like roommates. Itachi's bro code never mentioned not being able to date your friend's roommates.

"We should get some waves." Sakura suggested at breakfast. Its the weekend and Naruto actually has the whole day off; having been taking extra shifts at work to try and keep busy during the day. He hadn't been on his board in a few weeks, since before the breakup. Ino has the most excited smile on her face. "It's off season." Sakura reminds him.

That was enough to convince Naruto.

Which was enough for Sai to tag along.

Which was enough for Sasuke to follow.

And here they were, on the beach midday with the bright sun and slightest breeze. Sasuke sat on his towel under an umbrella for shade watching as the surfers cashed the ocean's heights. Sai sat beside him penciling out a scene of Sakura sitting on her board that effortlessly floated about. Ino was dragging her's back to the sand after tipping over again. Top a crashing wave Naruto shone in the sun. His tan skin glittered with droplets of water. A smile on his face. A smile Sasuke had never seen on Naruto before.

The only thing Sasuke could focus on was Naruto. It was his first time seeing Naruto without a shirt. It was his first time seeing it. That tattoo that circled the others navel. A simple pattern of a swirl but with more intricate details growing from it. The ink very nearly dripping under the waist of Naruto's bathing suit. Hypnotizing.

Kiba had called said tattoo hot. Damn Sasuke for agreeing with him.

"Wipe!" Ino yelled out laughing as Naruto tumbled into the water. Naruto resurfaced with a huff and splashed the girls causing Sakura to screech. Free in their natural environment it appeared like the teens were having the time of their lives. Weeks had gone by since they had some good old fashion fun and goofed around. Naruto's cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling. "Attack!" Ino commanded and Sakura was ready to wrestle Naruto back under the shallow water.

"You're staring." Sai sung softly with his overly peppy voice. His sketchbook abandoned in the sand. Sasuke was not in the mood. Sometimes having Sai as a 'best friend' was testing.

"Not staring." He shot back quietly. "Just watching."

Sai smiled back with a troublesome glint in his eyes. "Ah my special boy. Is this denial or stupidity?" He asked to the wind. With a triumph nod Sai hopped up and jogged to the other teens leaving Sasuke alone on the beach towel. Hoisting a yelling Naruto into his arms Sai ran father into the ocean before submerging. Naruto flailing about in an attempt to escape.

Skin as warm as fire. Eyes as dangerous as a sea. A smile sending his mind wayward.

Slowly, oh so slowly, moving across his form. Lightly, oh so lightly, brushing against the tips of his hands. So gentle that his palms felt nothing but air. Powerlessly. The whites of his teeth. The whites of his eyes. The muted pink of dry lips matching the hue of blush upon his cheeks. The highlights that ever so slightly fell over his vision.

Was it a madness? Was it a blessing?

With a touch as weak as a newborn his fingers splay out. Smooth as velvet. A sensation he had never experienced before. Hot touches. Cold touches. An experience he requested would never end. Hot air. Cold breaths. Life. Death. An experience that he craved forever.

Gradually the hand traveled. Wondered over dips and callous. Between the smallest of hairs.

The map of coil leading his hand ever so eagerly. A pearl at the end of the road he is driven to discover. Purring. Leaning in closer. Shivers and sweat. Panting against his collarbone.

Angles voices sung in his ears. Life was grand. Life was worthwhile. If life was forever this he would fight the reaper with his own fist. Never before. Never before had he felt such-

"McHoly shit tits!"

Sasuke was awake. Lost in his own bed as the world suddenly rushed back. Sai was there, right beside Sasuke's bed with the worst look of joy on his face. Its early morning. Too early to be awake, alarms hours from going off. The sun still hours from raising.

"I'm proud of you." Sai whisper so creepily as he slowly sits on his knees on the floor still next to Sasuke's bedside. "It's like my baby boy grew up. Ha! Get it? Grew!" His finger pokes at Sasuke's cheek. Annoyed, Sasuke smacked his hand away.

"The fuck." He hisses taking in the time. "It's like 3am Sai. Fuck off its too early."

Rolling his eyes Sai tiptoes back the the bedroom couch. "And it's too late for you to finally go camping." He says loudly just to keep Sasuke awake. "But you don't hear me bitching do you?"

Sasuke stares into the dark confused. Sai was a strange character but this was odder then usual. "Whatever." He mumbled back. He grabbed his duvet and pulled it back over his shoulders to sleep.

His breath hitched in his throat.

He examined under his covers hoping he wasn't correct. His hopes were instantly shattered tho as he noticed his...little Sasuke. Up and ready. For the first time in a long while. "Dammit." He muttered under his breath. Guilt washed over him as he recalled the awful dream the insistently repeated every night. He couldn't let this continue any longer. Tho he knew no way to stop it.

In the darkness of the room he hears Sai gently hum a tune. A lullaby that taunted Sasuke for minutes until Sai finally drifted back to sleep. "Dense or denial or dense of denial or dense."

One does not always posses the will to be strong. Be it jealousy, concern, or fear, Sasuke could not determine but regardless Sai's head in Naruto's lap was doing something to Sasuke's subconscious. Between questionable dreams and regrettable thoughts Sasuke was slowly losing his dignity.

He was supposed to be focusing on the movie. Supposed to be having a good time with his friends. After years of dealing with Sai he was supposed to be indifferent to his clinging actions. Apparently, years of half heart flirting and less then serious touching had not prepared Sasuke at all. Naruto is again wearing the recently cut shorts. Sai's hair probably ruffling on the little bit of skin above Naruto's knees, hair just lightly being petted by tan fingertips like it was null thoughts. Sai chuckles to something on the TV screen before softly conversing in his special language with the younger boy.

The smile on Naruto's face...It killed Sasuke in a way. Pushing his heart back down his throat and into his chest were it belonged, trying to rid this self pity that didn't truly belong here. Naruto had been through a lot with the recent break up. Be this a rebound or the beginning of some kind of relationship Sasuke should be happy for him. Sai might not be the best guy but Sasuke can a least admit he likes Sai more than Kiba. And Sai has been expressing his interest in Naruto weeks before any of this odd family cohabitation thing had begun. What right did Sasuke really have in Naruto's dating life?

No, forget that thought! No way in hell could he approve of a relationship with Sai on the other end. Sai might not be the worst person he knows but he not really great either. He sells ink blobs that look like genitalia on the side of the road. With his less then impressive art major he'll probably be doing that for years. How could he properly support Naruto in this relationship? Would he expect Naruto to work to support him? Sai basically lived here for free and had no real responsibility at all. Sai might be his friend but at the end of the day, he wasn't actually any more deserving of being Naruto's boyfriend than Kiba probably was. He wasn't good enough.

"Work time." Naruto said dully bring Sasuke out of his rut. The movie was over and the credits were scrolling. Sasuke had paid such little attention he never even caught the main character's name.

Sai whines beside him as he's forced to sit up. Naruto ignores him, only giving Sai a slight shoulder slap and with a choirs of byes he gone. Shikamaru already starting a new movie and Ino taking Naruto's old spot on the couch. With Naruto no longer there, with Sai no longer clinging to the boy, Sasuke's mental bearing was slowly returning. Though he didn't make much conversation or really care to watch whatever the friend group had started, he was at least calming down on his own.

Then it happened. The straw that broke the camel's back that was Sasuke's control.

"You know," Sai started as he slung his arm over Sasuke's shoulder. "His thighs are surprisingly taunt. He must exercise a-" Cut off by Sasuke's closed fist Sai held his throbbing shoulder tightly. The room had gone silent and Shikamaru was on his feet faster the Sasuke's even seen him move before, as if waiting for something more to happen. The air in the room was thick with growing tension. "Damn man it wasn't that serious." Sai grumbled with his much too happy smile pointed at Sasuke.

He'd had enough for one day.

"Library." Was all Sasuke said as he stormed for the door. Sai creepily, cheerfully, following close behind.

"Bye bye babe." Sai sung smugly to Sasuke. The front door slammed in Sai's face as Sasuke left the apartment. The rude behavior only filled Sai with more glee. Sasuke was easier to read then the boy would like to think, and this was slowly becoming Sai's favorite book.

Shikamaru choked on the air he should have been breathing. Sai just stared back at him as if this was mundane information. Today has already been more trouble than he cared for but now, well. "I'm out." He announced and left for the patio for a smoke. They have finally entered the 'nope, not dealing with this' level of his acknowledgment.

The girls on the other hand.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!." Ino chanted excitingly. She was on her feet and doing little hops around the room just completely unable to control herself. Sakura sat still stun by the news.

"I thought Sasuke was..." Sakura trailed off with a knowing look to Sai. Sai just smiled back widely with a nod. "So that means?..." Again Sai's smile grew larger. "And that's why?..." Sai was playing the ever so famous Cheshire Cat.

"Oh my fuckin' god!" Ino screamed loud enough to be heard in the next apartment.

How much pride Sai held in his heart for his dear old friend. Sasuke was practically family to him. "There's a quote from something-or-other. Something like 'you're only jealous of someone when you think something should be yours'." Family should help family after all. With the support of others he did hope that he could help Sasuke understand just a little bit better.

Cali SunShine