Just This Once

Chapter 8

It was nearly impossible for Sasuke to sit still after Shikamaru and Temari left him alone. Of course, not before Temari threatened to castrate him if he dared, even so much as to think about barging upstairs in search of Naruto. Sasuke knew that he shouldn't take her threats lightly. If he was being honest, as much as he wanted to go barging up there and drag Naruto out of Gaara's room, it was like there was an invisible force —scruffing his alpha into submission— preventing him from doing it, and it wasn't Temari's threats. Whatever was at play may be causing him to remain in place, but it didn't prevent his alpha from showing its displeasure subconsciously while simultaneously making demands to go get their mate.

Those golden eyes hung frozen in his memory, like the invisible lead weighing him down. They were like nothing he'd seen before; they were otherworldly. "Not now," still ringing through his mind, like some sort of compelling mantra keeping him rooted. It took Shikamaru longer to coax them to sit down due to his inability to move. If he didn't know any better, he'd think he was glued to the floor. Each step he made felt like he was somehow betraying Naruto, which didn't make any fucking sense because why would Naruto care if he walked to another room?

When Shikamaru had finally coaxed them all to sit down and talk, his body eased up only a fraction; his eyes remained shifting in the direction Naruto had walked off with another alpha. Speaking about the altercation was like pulling teeth, but not because he didn't want to —which was weird for him— but because he couldn't focus. The only thing that was enough to gain his focus was when Naruto and Gaara's names were uttered.

It didn't feel right to speak of these things without Naruto around, but there was no getting around it. Sasuke had made up his mind, and he would do whatever was necessary to get what was rightfully his. If speaking to Temari and Shikamaru first was a requirement to be allowed to stay and speak with Naruto, then he would do it. Though he knew that had his friend been ruthless enough to actually kick him out, he in no way would have actually left. He is not ashamed to admit that he would stoop so low as to linger like a rejected, love sick teenage boy who can't take no for an answer.

Surprisingly, it was easier to talk than it had been to move. However, the longer he continued speaking, the looser his body became —if even only a fraction. With every articulation of every explanation he gave to his friends, he could feel his rigid muscles slightly relax, even with Temari's incredulous, if not dumbstruck reaction. Temari didn't know Sasuke was capable of such feelings, let alone possessed the ability to talk about them.

Never had he seen Temari as speechless, or Shikamaru stunned into a picture of wakefulness. The reactions would have had Sasuke snorting amusingly had the situation been any different. Their reaction pretty much went against their own ornate beings.

When Sasuke finally admitted that he believed Naruto –or Ru— to be his destined mate. Temari cackled at him. Who could blame her? Sasuke just finished telling them about this nameless omega, now he suddenly brought Ru into this? It was only when she looked towards Shikamaru's stunned expression that she realized Sasuke wasn't joking. This of course brought about another eerie silence.

When Temari was finally able to get a hold of herself, the only thing she could utter was, "but—how is that—when?"

She was clearly struggling to figure out how this all connected.

This was when Sasuke finally filled in the missing pieces. The nameless omega he'd been speaking about —where he fucked up by laying those asinine rules down— had been Naruto. It was far from his proudest moment.

"You what?!" Temari screeched, narrowing her eyes at him dangerously.

"I didn't know," Sasuke wasn't trying to defend himself, simply retelling things through his experience. He was more than willing to take the brunt of Temari's wrath if it meant he could speak with Naruto.