Light our Shadows

Ch 24: Whatever You Want

Sasuke had teleported them the moment they were over the wall and out of sight. The shadow kage refused to walk down his clan compounds streets at night. He wasn't opening himself up to unnecessary triggers. Why should he?

Naruto didn't blame his husband. Sasuke still had his nightmares about the massacre. The memories too. If they needed to walk somewhere else for Sasuke to feel comfortable and be able to catch a few Z's later tonight then so be it. Sasuke hadn't needed to ask. Naruto could handle a little unprompted teleporting.

They ended up in the village center where it was nice and bright and filled with night life. A stark contrast to Sasuke's memory of darkened street lamps and dead bodies littering the compound.

"Hey," Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm shaking the Uchiha from his dark thoughts. A glimpse of the dark street had been enough to draw him into his memories. The single touch from his husband was enough to draw him back. The blonde nodded over to some kind of dive bar. It's neon green sign flickering in the window. "We forgot our sake on the porch. Let's go grab a drink."

"We get anything from there it'll taste like piss." Sasuke eyed the bar in disdain. There was a reason he never remembered such a place being there. It looked like it was days away from being shut down.

"It'll pair with your attitude then." Naruto slung an arm around his husbands shoulders. He stood on to his tip toes and pressed a kiss to his temple. "Cmon Sas." Naruto pressed his forehead against the side of Sasuke's head. His other arm came up around Sasuke's front to hug him from the side. His fingers locked together as they rested on Sasuke's shoulder. Naruto rocked back on his heels to pull Sasuke and have him lean his shoulder more into his chest."Just one. I promise we're not going in there to get stupid. Shitty drink to go with our shitty day. What do you say?"

"Oh, what the hell." Sasuke sighed. His eyebrows pinched together."But we're not sitting at the bar. I'm not in the mood to deal with flirtatious fools or drunken assholes. It's bad enough I've had to deal with my father so much today. We sit alone in a dark corner. I just want me and you at a booth in the back with the stiffest shit they have on tap. That's it."

"That's fine." Naruto nodded, releasing Sasuke from the hug, taking to hold his husbands left arm instead. "We can sit wherever you want 'Suke. We don't have to be social with strangers. I know that's not your cup of tea. Tell you what, we go in...I'll get us some of the good stuff-you know the crappy bottom shelf kind that makes your throat feel like you spewed a zillion too many fireballs cause it burns so bad and you can find us some prime dive bar seating with poor lighting. That sound good?"

"Yeah." Sasuke agreed, taking Naruto's hand lacing their fingers together. "Sounds like a plan."

They strode into the place and went their separate ways. Naruto to the bar and Sasuke to find them a table as discussed. Like always, they were a perfect team even in something as menial as a task like that. The two kage sitting beside each other in a darklit booth near the back of the place with drinks in hand in record time.

"I was wrong." Sasuke grimaced as he tasted the drink Naruto gave him. His tongue curling as he silently pressed his lips together in misery. The thing was putrid. "It's worse than piss."

"Yeah these are," Naruto was even having trouble swallowing his down. His tongue hung out as if the air would taste better. "Really bad." He hung his head. "Why'd we do this to ourselves?"

"I don't know..." Sasuke's eyebrow twitched as he stared at the glass.

They should've just gone back for the sake.

"I wonder if it'll make our pee burn later."

"What?" Sasuke's face twisted towards his husband. Of all the absurd things to come out of Naruto's mouth. He hadn't expected that.

"Don't look at me like that. It burns like hell going down." Naruto gestured to the cup. "What if it's the same way coming out next time I take a whizz?"

"Then our dicks are in for it." He shoved Naruto's shoulder with his own. He couldn't help his smile. "You're such an idiot."

Naruto smiled softly in reply. His blue eyes taking in every detail of that amused smile on his husbands face. There was such fondness in the action. He'd be an idiot for the rest of his days if it meant bringing that smile out of Sasuke. Especially on days like the one they had today.

Sasuke took another sip of his drink, and the smile left his face as he was once again greeted with that disgusting taste. It wasn't even the burn he found to be so disagreeable-that was to be expected with alcohol-it was the actual flavor of thing. Like the bartender mixed a rotting apple with squirrel shit and said here you go. He glared at the drink like it committed the greatest offense for not bettering itself for him.

"Hey, 'Suke?"

"What?" Sasuke asked, voice clipped as he glared into his cup. How was there still so much left?

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke sighed. "It's not your fault. You didn't know these were going to be hell to drink."

"No-no, I'm not talking about the alcohol. Though I'm sorry about that too. Never wanted to torture our taste buds when they were just in heaven with your cooking. I meant I'm sorry about dinner going the way it did. I know you were looking forward to it."

"Yeah, well..." Sasuke shrugged a shoulder taking a large gulp of his rancid drink."...my family's always had a tendency to crush my hopes." Somehow his words left an even worse taste in his mouth. "It's nothing new, Naruto. I'm over it. You should try to get over it yourself."

"Can't do that." Naruto denied. "I love you too much to let it go. They're supposed to be your family and they just..."

"I know." Sasuke slid his hand over Naruto's arm. "But they can't change overnight, Naruto, and it's unfair to expect them to even make an attempt when they're so set in their ways."

"What's that mean?" Naruto's eyebrows furrowed. He didn't think he was worth them even trying? "What? They get a free pass cause they've been doing it for so long? Sasuke..."

"You heard my father." Sasuke continued, doing his best to ignore the horror in his husbands eyes. "At the present moment, I don't matter. This present moment is all my family has left. As much as I hate to say it neither of me has the kind of time left to spend with them that would truly remedy our relationship. It's already been a day for us and the massacre's close as hell. It's too late for me and it's even too late for my young self too. We don't have the time."

Sasuke stood up.

"These aren't worth finishing." He gestured to the drinks. "Tonight's bad enough. I don't want to sit here and wallow. Nothing good will come of it. I'm sure of that much. Let's head back."

"Yeah." Naruto regarded Sasuke pensively. He took his offered hand. "Whatever you want, Sasuke. This was a dumb idea anyways."

"You meant well." Sasuke denied. "I'm just not in the mood."

"That's okay." Naruto nodded as they set out on the town streets once more.

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Hello all! Sorry for the wait. Here's the next chapter. Not much happened I know but oh well. Contents content you know? Next chapter'll be out soon! Stay tuned!

Oh and no questions from me this time, but if you have any for me I'd be happy to answer them!