A/N: Well...another fic complete! Greyrocks, I hope you enjoy. ^^

I want to take the time here to thank everyone for sharing their thoughts. Especially the readers who commented anonymously, or without signing in. I've saved every review, and plan on getting to them eventually, so the ones who do have an account can expect a reply from me soon, hopefully.

*Again, not affiliated with the song in any way.

Epilogue

The rules, Itachi announced the following morning, were simple. Each of them, himself included, were to follow the posted schedule of chores no matter what studying or work they had to do. Sasuke thought to point out that he was studying too much to do chores, and Naruto was the only one without work, therefore Naruto should be the one to do more chores than anyone else. Besides which, Naruto seemed eager to do them.

To that, Itachi said that Sasuke had lost his ride to the library for a week.

While Sasuke cursed over that, Itachi explained to Naruto that he would be enrolling him in the community college, where they had some remedial classes for him to take. "Not only that," Itachi went on, "Sasuke's had no luck finding job training for you, but I found a construction crew that has a spot available for a trainee. You'd be receiving less than minimum wage, but it's something. If you're interested, I'll speak to the foreman. You can attend the classes at the college in the afternoon or in the evenings."

Naruto listened intently as he learned that the money Sasuke had given his brother to buy the house was mostly gone. There was some set aside for bills, but the rest had to be put towards Sasuke's own schooling. "I won't be tolerating any stealing, either," Itachi said firmly. "We'll all pull our weight, support each other. That shit Sasuke pulled stops now."

"Are we poor?" Naruto asked forthrightly. If they were, it would be a considerable step up from what he'd been at the home.

Sasuke snorted. "No. Itachi's just a complete pussy about money. If you really want to know, my school is taken care of. I have the cost of it covered. The bit I told him to bank for the bills is enough to keep us in comfort for a good year at least. All of us. I'll try and find a job too, if I can. Don't see how, since I'll be in school full-time. You got no need to worry, Naruto. We're fine."

Naruto believed him. But he respected Itachi, so he'd be following the rules to the letter.

It was like being in some fabulous new world, Naruto thought. His life now was so different from what it had been for 18 years that he couldn't recognize it as life on the world he'd lived in before. He had a bed, space, clothes. People his age and older in the Uchiha brothers, who talked to him and were genuinely interested in hearing what he had to say. There were bathrooms for him to use, that had clear running water. No rusty crap that spurted out of the pipes. Books. Outdoor space to run and flip and jump in.

His neighbors were friendly. The neighborhood was quiet and peaceful, no little kids running and shouting. He'd had no idea how much the noise of the home had bugged him. Sometimes it rained, and he would listen to it hitting the skylights, curled up under his thick comforter, and think he was in heaven.

Itachi was amazing. Strict, but always supportive. Understanding. Naruto had lived the first few weeks in the house nervous to the point of anxiety. Scared he'd do something wrong and make Itachi kick him out. It was only gradually that he was able to relax and really feel like he was at home. Itachi treated him the same way he treated Sasuke, which was to say that he put up with a certain amount of laziness, but had his limits. He had expectations of him and Sasuke and expected the expectations to be met.

Such as them attending classes.

Naruto thought college to be the epitome of all that was good on Earth. There were quite a few adults in there who were worse off than he was. And once his proficiency in math was discovered, he was put into a special program. His instructor there gave the class a project. Something to do with the stock market. When, a month into the class, Naruto came home and announced that he'd quadrupled their savings, there'd been long minutes of stunned silence. Sasuke had been the first to jump and shout. Itachi hadn't been far behind, lifting Naruto off his feet and giving him a bear hug.

Even with these high points, though, his new life took some adjusting to. Mostly it was Sasuke. He had a hard time conforming to rules, and an even harder time pulling his nose out of his books long enough to obey them. Dinner was at seven sharp every night, an affair that required everyone be present. Sasuke hated that. Saturdays were designated as family time. Sasuke hated that too. Naruto sometimes had assignments with his construction crew that ran into overtime, if their employer had put in a rush order. He had a hard time getting away from those in time for dinner, or completing all his homework if he did manage to get away.

Because of all this, Sasuke had the bright idea one night a week into December to skip school. Both of them. Just cut class and work, and take a drive into Suna. They could both use the break, he said, and Itachi was working double shifts at the grocery store.

They actually went to the supermarket Itachi worked at to use the spare set of car keys and take the Jeep. Without Itachi's knowledge. They were on the highway thirty minutes later, windows down, and the frigid air blowing their hair around wildly.

-oOo-

Sasuke led them to an infamous gay club Suna was known for, where Naruto experienced his first taste of alcohol. A glittery, mohawk-wearing male clad in a thong bumped and undulated against him as he and Sasuke danced. Sasuke took exception, but other than that Naruto had a blast. The air inside the club was sweltering hot, the bodies packed in close enough to make turning around an exercise in dexterity. The music beat through the entire structure, and through both boys, as they danced with each other.

The kiss Sasuke planted on him as they fell out of the club sobered Naruto quickly.

It wasn't as if they hadn't been kissing since Naruto left the home, but with Itachi in the house, and all the changes their lives were going through with school, they rarely acted on whatever deeper feelings had developed between them during the summer. Sometimes Naruto thought Sasuke had forgotten about those feelings completely. He was so stressed with studying, and he himself was so tired after work and studying, that sometimes all they did was mumble at each other over dinner, then crawl up to bed.

They hadn't kissed like this since the tree house.

Sasuke's hands dove into Naruto's coat to pull him flush against his body. His breath was hot on Naruto's cheek, his lips hard and bruising. That familiar molten roll of desire uncoiled low down in Naruto's belly, and suddenly the biting temperatures meant nothing. He was hot, so hot, and Sasuke was dragging him into the alley behind the club. Holding him against the brick wall and kissing him furiously the whole time.

They broke apart. Went back for more. Came up for air again, and plunged back in. Again and again, until Naruto's erection became too painful to ignore. Sasuke's zipper pressed against it, making him moan. Shockingly, Sasuke pressed harder, humping against him until Naruto pushed him away and stiffened his elbows to hold him back. "Stop…I can't…I can't."

Sasuke nodded, swiping the back of one shaky hand across his mouth.

It wasn't until the silent ride back home that their minds cleared enough to realize it was two o'clock in the morning. On a school night. Thoughts of Itachi were held at bay by each boy's realization that they could play at being brothers as hard as they wanted, but it changed nothing. Maybe living under the same roof with Itachi treating them as brothers had been awkward for awhile, and their schedules had dampened their natural inclination toward each other for some time. Maybe a lot of things had taken some adapting to. Whatever the case, all of that was stripped away now. Naruto watched Sasuke peering through the windshield at the snow coming down, and knew they would never be brothers.

And when Sasuke put a hand on his leg and squeezed, he knew he wasn't the only one aware of it.

The cops were at the house. Once they'd left, Itachi turned to their guilty faces, seemed to have some kind of inner debate with himself, then gave in to the urge and slapped each boy across the face. Hard.

"What the fuck is wrong with you two?" he yelled. "Acting like this! Cutting school, taking the Jeep, disappearing to fuck knows where! You're not boys, but you force me to treat you like you are!"

Sasuke glared. Naruto stood at stiff attention, eyes unblinking. "It's not like we were in Oto," Sasuke muttered. "All we did-"

"Where," Itachi said in voice that was nearly inaudible with rage, "do you get the balls to take my fucking truck without a word? To piss off to some club probably crawling with STDs and junkies? All I ask is that you two respect this family. Respect the fact that each of us has been through hell in some way or another, and that we are trying, as a family, to have a fresh start. Go to class. Study. Be responsible. That's all I ask of you two, but that's too much, huh?"

Sasuke looked away, finally contrite. Naruto grit his teeth to keep his tears at bay.

Itachi took a deep, calming breath. "You've lost the privilege to ride in my truck. Ever. You each can hoof it to work or school or Hell, for all I care. Give me a fucking stroke, worrying me like this. Well, you know what? Iruka has plenty of room. Told me so himself. Pull this shit again, and you can each move the fuck out."

He stormed out of the foyer, but swung back and slapped them again. When he left, Sasuke and Naruto to stared at each other. Sasuke, for his part, immediately launched into a furious tirade on how they would be better off on their own.

Naruto let him rant, cradling his stinging cheek with a cupped palm. He cherished his slaps. Itachi had been mad at him. Had yelled at him like…like a son. It had been like getting scolded by a parent; Itachi had been worried. He'd only have worried for him if he loved him. That Itachi had given Sasuke the same blows only confirmed the fact that Naruto was well and truly a part of this family. Maybe he didn't feel brotherly toward Sasuke, but Itachi valued him as much as if they were brothers. He was loved. Cherished.

"I'm not breaking anymore rules," he said, cutting into Sasuke's list of Itachi's faults. "Your brother doesn't deserve that."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sasuke sighed. "But if he hits us again, you and I are going off on him."

Up in their room, Sasuke hesitated at his bed. Naruto caught the silent question in his eyes, but hesitated as well. Some minutes ticked by, with Sasuke across the room, and Naruto watching him. Naruto finally turned on his side and presented Sasuke with his back. Sasuke understood and found his own bed.

Things settled down into a smooth routine. Itachi, at Naruto's urging, handed over the finances to him. Their savings gradually increased. This allowed Naruto to give up his construction job in order to devote all his time to school. This was good, since the community college offered courses in architecture. He and Sasuke were gone during the day, and home to study at night. Itachi worked his comfortable little job as cashier at the supermarket, took care of the boys, and had no further issues from either of them. The three of them came to terms with their new dynamic, each in his own way, so that they fused into a single unit. One that was able to laugh and talk together, or else have nights of video games, junk food, and bouts of wild laughter. Sasuke grew less resentful of all the family time, and Naruto became less insecure. Sasuke even allowed Itachi to quiz him on his material a few times, after watching the way he tutored Naruto in some of his harder classes.

Seeing them both healing, Itachi breathed an inward sigh of relief. He hadn't been sure the tough love wouldn't push them away.

If he noticed how Naruto and his brother sometimes sat too close, or the furtive looks they gave each other across the dinner table, he made no comment. He expressed neither approval nor disapproval, and neither looked away nor stared whenever he entered a room they were in to find them hastily breaking apart from a kiss. Seemed he accepted whatever they were to each other, since he didn't reject it.

Sasuke just wished Naruto would accept it.

As far as he was concerned, he'd done all he could to earn his trust. He'd stayed in Konoha. Made up with his brother. Kept Naruto from a life on the street. Opted to pursue a career in medicine. And still Naruto rejected him. Oh, he was fine for all the heavy petting in their room, but as always he stopped Sasuke before things could get too far. It was torture.

Several times he wanted to come right out and ask if Naruto loved him. He didn't especially feel the urge to blurt the words himself, though, so he remained silent.

Christmas was a cheerful mess. It had never really been celebrated by any of them. Consequently, the tree was a lopsided, crazily over-decorated monstrosity. By now their neighbors were aware of the house full of bachelors, and religiously sent over food every week. Especially when it became known how hard all three of them were working. The week leading up to Christmas saw all manner of holiday cookies, cakes, and assorted other desserts flooding their doorstep. Naruto raked in the goods hand over fist, and hoarded what he could on his side of the room. Itachi wisely froze some, but despaired over all the rest that couldn't be eaten. Sasuke muttered about their short-sightedness, loaded the jeep with all the leftover peach cobblers, nutmeg bars, and bread puddings, and drove them over to Iruka's club. Problem solved.

-oOo-

The gifts were lavish. Naruto ran and skidded to a halt on his knees before the tree on Christmas morning, and found himself the proud owner of a laptop. There was also a huge plasma screen television for their room, and a cell phone each. Sasuke had gotten Itachi an antique sword, complete with hand-tooled leather sheath, and a matching dagger. Naruto presented Itachi with plans for an attached garage he wanted to build onto the house.

"I got your gift upstairs," Sasuke told Naruto.

Turned out to be a complete set of books on renaissance architecture. "Oh my God," Naruto breathed, handling the tomes carefully. "Sasuke!"

"I know. I'm awesome." His grin was wicked. "Bet you can't top that."

Naruto snorted. "Close your eyes."

Sasuke did. A large box was placed in his hands. When he opened his eyes, he saw that it was wrapped in shiny red paper and tied with a large silver bow. "What's this?" he smiled.

"Open it." Naruto bit his lip, moving back to sit on his heels while he cradled one of his new books against his chest. "I hope you like it. I got them because I believe in you. You're going to pass that cat test and crush it in med school. You'll be the best fucking doctor ever."

Momentarily stunned by this outpouring of praise, Sasuke blinked and set the box down. After some struggle, he got the lid off, peered inside, frowned…then stared.

Four sets of the highest quality scrubs in blue, black, white, and red, his favorite colors. A handmade leather physician's bag. Two scrub caps with his family symbol hand stitched all over both. A personalized lab coat from the same first rate company that produced the scrubs.

He looked up, then looked away, blinking hard. "You didn't have to do this," he said hoarsely. "This…this is too much. I expected you'd finally cash in your V-card with me or something, not this… This is… Naruto, thank you." He reverently replaced the lid on the box. "I'm not going to touch them. Not even going to breathe on them until I've passed med school." He awkwardly hugged the box. "I think I'm in love."

Naruto cackled at the way Sasuke dropped a passionate kiss on the silver bow. "Dude, what's a V-card?"

"Apparently, something I'll never have from you. Come on. Brother dearest said he wanted us to be at Iruka's by two."

January dumped so much snow on Konoha that all three of them were forced to spend time shoveling it off the drive and their section of the street. Itachi fit chains on his tires, while Naruto salted the drive and street both. Sasuke collapsed in a snowdrift barely two hours into the work, leaving his brother and Naruto to finish without him.

-oOo-

Inside, over steaming cups of hot chocolate smothered in marshmallows and whipped cream, Naruto asked when Sasuke's exam was.

"Day after tomorrow. Pass the chocolate sauce."

"You ready?" Naruto handed it over.

"As I'll ever be. I'm not opening another book before the exam. Give my poor brain a break."

They were at the island that sat in the middle of the large kitchen, while Itachi ran to the store for supplies. The snow was already coming down again. Itachi would probably be gone for hours, forced to crawl there and back in such weather.

Naruto propped his chin on a hand, using his other to idly turn his mug around on the countertop. He watched Sasuke gingerly sipping from his mug. Saw how whipped cream stuck to his upper lip, and the way he used one thumb to wipe it off. The thumb was sucked clean, before another sip to the mug was given. Overheated suddenly, Naruto dropped his eyes to his own cup, then looked around the kitchen.

His favorite beef stew was cooking in the crockpot, perfuming the entire house with savory smells. The kitchen itself was warm and cozy. Snow was falling in heavy spirals outside the window. The house was empty and silent, but even so he could feel the security here. And it wasn't just the house. It was his family. If the house burned down, he'd still have a home. He'd never be left out in the cold, or abandoned. He had people who would bleed for him. Fight for him. Who loved and worried about him. He was Uzumaki Naruto, orphan no more. He tried just then, but couldn't find a single thing that he was truly afraid of anymore. Nothing more terrifying than his next test loomed on the horizon. He, and consequently his future, was secure.

I'm safe.

He looked at Sasuke again, really seeing him. He tried to visualize the boy who'd walked into the home one day last June, and couldn't. The blue bangs were gone. The scrappy leanness had been replaced with a healthy physique that was lazy but not weak. Most of the black Sasuke used to wear had been replaced with gray or blue, or sometimes white. The frown that had been etched between those dark eyes more often than not was gone. So were the shifty glances, the constant appraisal of strangers to see if they were potential targets.

Those black eyes glanced up at him, and Naruto felt a sense of unreality wash over him.

"What?" Sasuke said.

"I'm tired from shoveling snow. Need a nap." He went to the sink and washed his mug.

Sasuke just left his in the sink. "Yeah, me too. Think I'll join you."

"You didn't do anything."

"Just standing out in that wind drained me."

"You're a disgrace, you know."

"Aha, but I'm a smart disgrace."

"True."

At the foot of the stairs, they paused, as was their habit, and looked at each other seriously. A moment later, their daily race to see who could make it to the attic first erupted. Naruto took the stairs three at a time, but was dragged back by Sasuke's hand hooked into the waist of his jeans. He went flying backward, flipping ass over teakettle down the stairs. Sasuke only paused long enough to make sure Naruto was conscious and there was no blood, before haring up the stairs himself.

They got stuck in the doorway to the second stairwell, as usual, but this time Naruto threw an elbow at Sasuke's chest and gained the advantage. He burst up through their door with a breathless whoop of triumph. "I won! Again!"

"Yeah, whatever. Next time I'll drug your cocoa."

"Cheater."

"Freak." Sasuke went to his bed and face-planted.

Naruto turned and closed the door, wiped his sweaty palms down his sweater…then shot the deadbolt home. He needed a moment to get his racing heart under control, but when he straightened and turned around he thought he was as steady as he was going to be.

-oOo-

Sasuke had his head turned away, Naruto saw. He closed his eyes, then took a deep breath and tugged his sweater up over his head. The shirt he had on was next, and then his undershirt. When he was topless and had removed his boots, he stood nervously in his bare feet and licked his lips. "Sasuke."

Sasuke's head turned and settled on his forearms again. "What."

Naruto walked forward a few steps.

"What are you doing?"

In answer, Naruto slowly put his hands on the button of his jeans and undid it. The sound of his zipper being lowered was very loud in the room.

Sasuke slowly turned over and sat up. Naruto had just pushed his jeans down and now stood in his boxer briefs. When he straightened up, gorgeous body gleaming dully, Sasuke felt his mouth go dry. "Dude. Are you sure?" He was sitting tensely on the edge of his bed, heart suddenly galloping.

"Yeah."

"Really? I mean, if you're not ready-"

"Sasuke…" Naruto looked down at his hands, picking his nails nervously. "I'm ready. I wasn't for a long time, but… You know, it's weird. At the home, you get so you don't want things. You teach yourself not to want things early on. It's a hard lesson, but once it's learned it's almost impossible to unlearn. And nothing ever sticks. On the rare occasion that something good happens, it never sticks. Never lasts. Everything about the home is temporary. The hand-me-down clothes are temporary. The cookies some old lady donated are temporary. The kids are temporary, if they get placed. Your own life there is temporary, so yeah nothing sticks.

"But then you came along. Walked right in off the street, pointed a finger at me, and chose me. And you've been sticking ever since. Am I sure about this? Yes, I'm sure. Finally sure. I'm scared of wanting you, but…I'm never going to feel like this for anyone else. Even if someone else came along, you know, if something happened and I was with someone else…they'll never be you. You…you gave me everything. Gave me your secrets. Your trust. Your help. Yourself. You gave me a dream. A life. This life. No one's ever going to be able to give me those things because you already did. No one's ever going to be in me the way you are. In my blood. I'm full of you, there's no room for anyone else. So…yeah. I'm ready. You can't keep giving me everything. One of these days I'm going to have to admit to wanting something, and reach for it. And I want you, Sasuke." He peeked at Sasuke's face. Biting his lip, he lifted his hand to point at him. "I want you."

Sasuke seemed to rise off his bed without conscious thought, and float across the room. He stopped when he was directly in front of Naruto. They were eye to eye, evenly matched. "Do you know why I love you?" he asked quietly.

Naruto mutely shook his head, throat working over hearing those words.

"Because you don't break. I'm clumsy. With people, I mean. I say stuff, do stuff. I hurt you." He lifted a hand to touch the place on Naruto's neck that he'd cut a few months ago. "And I'll probably hurt you again at some point. Maybe not like that, but I will. I'm just not great with the whole feelings thing. But you're unbreakable. No matter what I do or say I did, you're there. I can be myself and you won't break from how damaged I am. You really sure about this?"

Touched, Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay."

That was it for a while. Their foreheads met and rested against each other. They stayed that way until Naruto's hands drifted up to the hem of Sasuke's hoodie and began slowly pushing it up. Sasuke let himself be undressed to his own boxer briefs, before they stepped to each other again and put their heads together. It was a comfortable position, one that was intimate without being too much so.

Their noses rubbed alongside each other for a time. Teasing. Lighthearted yet serious. It was Naruto who closed his eyes and slanted his head first, pressing a soft-lipped kiss against Sasuke's mouth. He held there, feeling Sasuke's breath on his cheek, until they pulled back enough to part their lips and take it deeper.

Maybe it was the knowledge that this was it, that things would go a lot farther tonight. Or maybe it was the way Naruto pushed his hands through Sasuke's hair, or the way Sasuke lightly raked his nails down the muscles of Naruto's back to cup his ass. Whatever the reason, the kiss turned hot and humid and demanding. That threshold came hurtling up, the one they'd always stopped at before. And they stopped this time too, stepping back from each other.

Sasuke dropped his briefs. Naruto followed suit.

Naruto only felt a moment of shame. A brief sting of self-consciousness. Sasuke's cock stood like a fist thrust up in defiance. Naruto was suddenly awkward, but Sasuke was there, closing the distance between them.

It never ceased to amaze him how different Sasuke was whenever they touched. The habitual laziness was replaced by a demeanor that was almost stern in its intensity; Sasuke knew what he wanted and took it.

He wasn't overbearing, but his hands didn't hesitate in running over Naruto's shoulders, up the sides of his neck to pull him in for a tight, hard kiss. Their nudity, the warm and silken glide of Sasuke's skin on his left him weak to his advances. Naruto's head went back, cradled in the crook of Sasuke's elbow as hot lips moved down the side of his jaw. He felt teeth graze his neck. A warm tongue touched the lobe of his ear, making him shiver. There were murmurs. His name whispered.

A hot, strong hand sliding over his stomach to cup him firmly.

He froze. The lips at his ear were whispering, soothing him even as that hand shifted and closed around his rock-hard length. It squeezed, and Naruto's hands came up suddenly to land on Sasuke's chest, ready to push him away.

Sasuke helped him. Held him. Kissed him. Only when he was kissing him back did that hand squeeze again, milking him in slow, firm contractions that had his teeth bared.

"Naruto…"

"Huh."

"I've never done it with someone inexperienced." That hand never stopped moving, massaging and twisting.

"I don't really care what happens, Sasuke. Just touch me. Don't stop touching me."

-oOo-

Somehow they made it to the bed. It was a while before the nerves completely left them. Before Sasuke grew confident enough in his limitations to cover Naruto's body with his own and trail kisses down his chest. He touched every part of Naruto, kneading, rubbing, learning, until Naruto grabbed his hand and brought it lower once more. He found him hot and swollen, and then it was Naruto rolling him to his back. Naruto who rubbed his face all over Sasuke, nearly insatiable in his curiosity. His handling of Sasuke's cock was tentative at first. This was new territory for both of them but he let the velvety shaft bob against his face as he nuzzled Sasuke's balls and nosed into the crack of his ass.

Sasuke let him. He lay still while he was made to turn onto his stomach. Naruto kissed a path over his ass cheeks, up his back, along the back of his shoulder until he laid full length on him.

This went on, with them exploring each other, growing comfortable with this level of intimacy, until the caresses became urgent. The nerves became excitement. Panting. Grabbing hands, bitten flesh, throaty moans. Finally, Sasuke was unable to hold back another second. He pushed Naruto's thigh's wide and swallowed him whole.

Naruto yelled lustily.

They went still. Naruto had to clench his teeth, eyes glazed at the unbelievable feel of his cock in the scorching cavern of Sasuke's mouth.

Sasuke released him long enough to reach over the side of his bed and snatch the remote for his CD player off his nightstand. He hadn't listened to any music since the first time he'd kissed Naruto. When he and his brother moved, he'd simply packed the CD player as it was, and unpacked it in the same condition. Consequently, what came roaring out of the speakers was Chumbawumba at full volume.

Naruto managed a weak laugh. Sasuke's head bent to him again, and the laugh became a series of groaning curses and shouts of Sasuke's name that were completely masked by the music.

Oddly enough, the music loosened whatever inhibitions they hadn't yet released. Sasuke, though conscious of the gift he was being given, played with Naruto. Goaded him into voicing what he wanted, how he wanted to be touched, or what felt good. There was laughter. Some screams of mirth as they rolled and horsed around on the bed. Then Sasuke sucked two fingers and slid them into Naruto, pressing them deep, and that silenced the laughter.

Naruto arched, mouth working soundlessly as Sasuke manipulated his fingers in such a way as to have him seeing stars. He grabbed Sasuke's shoulder in one hand, hanging on as his cock began leaking profusely. Almost without his volition, his other hand wrapped around it, stroking as Sasuke worked his fingers, as his body continued to arch off the mattress, as he came in an explosive rush that him yelling all over again.

This time when Sasuke covered him with his body there was a gravity to his features that had Naruto gazing at him seriously in turn. They were ready; Sasuke had put on a condom only moments before, and now braced his weight on his forearms. He looked down at Naruto. The music continued to blast around them.

"Stay with me," Sasuke whispered.

"I am with you," Naruto smiled. He ran the back of one hand over Sasuke's cheek. "I don't want anyone else."

"No…stay with me."

Naruto frowned. "I am…I live here."

"Stay with me."

Oh. Sasuke meant…"Forever?"

"Please."

Their eyes held for a long time. Sasuke looked away first, embarrassed, but Naruto held his face and forced him to look back. "I thought you'd never ask."

Sasuke's smile was blinding. Naruto was still reacting to it, and to the request itself, when the hard, thick penetration of Sasuke's body into to his had him catching his breath. His heart rate had yet to calm down from before; the tight squeeze of Sasuke cock in him had it doubling its speed all over again. Sasuke didn't hold back either, leaning forward until he was sheathed to the hilt and Naruto lay quivering beneath him. Face contorted in a mixture of pleasure and pain, Naruto instinctively lifted his knees, intensifying both sensations immeasurably.

The music rose and fell, pulsing and throbbing in time to the bruising pace Sasuke set. Any thoughts of taking it slow for Naruto's first time were done away with by Naruto himself. He sank his nails into the flexing muscles of Sasuke's ass and refused to let go, yanking him inward, doubling the impact of each thrust as he did. He was hungry for Sasuke and not afraid to show it now. Sasuke couldn't ay he was any better. The validation of Naruto expressing his desire for him at last, both verbally and physically was like the final puzzle piece of his shattered life being fitted into place. He was hungry too. Starving. Ravenous. Mad for Naruto and completely unable to check his trusts, even if Naruto had asked him to.

The grunts and growls, cries and moans, were all drowned in the music. Even when Sasuke flipped Naruto to his stomach, straddled his ass and fucked him that way, Naruto's cursing demands for harder and faster were only a small part of the cacophony of lust and sound around them. Sasuke leaned his hands on Naruto's shoulder blades and hammered him mercilessly, all the months without sex finally catching up to him. He had to work to hold Naruto's strong, bucking body down, but found that he was up to the task. In more ways than one. At the moment of his release, he sank his hand into Naruto's hair, holding him still as he churned out several brutally hard thrusts that shook the entire bed. Naruto rode out the assault with a yell he buried in the pillow, hands twisted in the bed sheets even as he begged Sasuke not to stop.

The song's strains seemed to die away just as Sasuke rolled to his back with a groan of exhaustion. It was a few seconds before the song would play again. During that tiny period of silence he could feel his body coming down from its excitement. Shutting down, preparing to sleep. He was so comfortable. So unutterably spent and comfortable…

"Again."

Naruto landed on him, mouth already latching onto his neck, and Sasuke felt a second wind rousing him from oblivion. Chuckling tiredly, he rolled with Naruto and pulled the blanket over their heads.

The song started up again, thudding through the two young men, who moved to it in their own way.

It was a song that that was heard often in the house after that. Every night, in fact. Once the dinner dishes were cleared, Sasuke would put the CD in and hit replay. Itachi would join him and Naruto, ponytail swinging, as they all danced and whooped as only family could.