Touching the untouchable

Chapter 26

Naruto stood at the doorway nervously. Itachi's home was simple but elegant, the place decorated to perfection and not a single mess in sight. It wasn't as big as he had pictured it but it sure was more beautiful than he could ever imagine. "Come in." Itachi said, knowing it was the words needed to reassure the blond that it was okay. Naruto took off his shoes and tucked them onto the shoe rack. Itachi gestured for him to follow where they head to the guest room.

"Your room." Itachi said, pointing at the room which contained more than Naruto's whole stinking apartment. Naruto hesitated at the door. Itachi looked at the blond, confused. "Do you not like it?" Itachi asked, worried that it was because of how he had decorated it.

"What? It's beautiful! I love it," Naruto said, grinning at Itachi, "it has more things than my whole apartment and so much bigger." Naruto muttered to himself as he looked around from his spot at the door but Itachi heard it clearly. 'How is that possible?' The room had a queen sized bed pushed against the wall with a bedside table next to the electrical outlet, and it was across the tv that was mounted onto the wall. A small study table situated under the window, near the bed. The wardrobe was a small one that was built into the wall, but it was big enough for Itachi to walk into and hide inside. The room was so big to Naruto that he was surprised to see that it had an ensuite.

"You can stay for as long as you want." Itachi said softly, pressing a spare key into Naruto's hand after the blond came out from the shower.
"I can't do that." Naruto said, holding the key out towards Itachi who shook his head.
"You can, I am allowing you to do so." Itachi said, gently pushing the key back towards Naruto. "Your happiness matters to me. Since you are not happy with your current place, you shall stay at mine until you decide you don't like mine either."
"I will never dislike your place, Itachi, you know that." Naruto said, smiling. Itachi made a face and shrug as if to say 'who knows?' Naruto shook his head, holding the key to his chest. "I feel like I would be free loafing." Naruto muttered. Itachi blinked at him, shocked.

"Of course you would not be free loafing. You are my boyfriend, are you not?" Itachi said, wondering why Naruto would consider it free loafing.
"Yes but-"
"Move in with me, Naruto. I want to stay with you." Itachi interrupted bluntly, seeing as asking the blond to move in was a better way of reassuring the blond. Itachi waited, not saying or doing anything as he didn't want to force the blond into making a decision he doesn't want. Naruto looked at the key before he looked back up at Itachi.

"Are you sure you are willing to tolerate me?" Naruto asked, even though they had been together so long and Itachi had seen almost every single side of him. Itachi nodded without much hesitation. Itachi let out the breath he was holding when Naruto lunged forward to hug him, muttering 'thank you' over and over.

Naruto sighed at the computer, he didn't know how to tell the landlord that he wasn't going to live there anymore. It has been almost 2 months since Naruto moved in with Itachi and yet the blond was still paying for the old place because he didn't want to go to the landlord. That day when he had gone to pack whatever little belongings he had, the landlord was waiting for him in his crappy apartment. Naruto had barely made it out alive, having to patch up at the hospital before heading home to Itachi for the night. He was going to try again some other day but for now, he was too afraid to go back. It was hard hiding all the injuries from Itachi when the man was constantly touching him - hugging him, running his hands on his arms etc.
Naruto welcomed the touches from Itachi only. He was grateful the Uchiha was not repulsed by him even after finding out that the orphanage he was in had sold him out to a sex syndicate. 'Should I ask Itachi to help me with the issue about the landlord or nah?'

Naruto smoothed his hands over his suit. It had been months since news of their relationship splashed across the front pages of every gossip magazine and newspaper. Sasuke had been so angry when he found out via the papers, accusing Itachi of taking Naruto for himself because Sasuke wanted Naruto as well, saying that Itachi was just jealous of his little brother. That earned him a slap from Naruto who glared at him, setting the record straight that it was Sasuke who kept pestering him after Naruto told him time and time again that he wasn't interested. Itachi's parents disapproved of the relationship, stating it that it was improper for the Uchiha heir to be dating a male as that meant that there would be no future grandkids from the oldest child. They don't dislike Naruto as a person but they just didn't agree that the two should be together. Itachi had been angry at his parents about it, almost getting into an argument with them over the phone. Naruto had to interfere with an emergency meeting to break up the quarrelling.
Naruto took a deep breath, he had been thinking about it for a while now... it was probably time.