Can I Call You Mine

Chapter 5

Naruto look at himself in the bathroom mirror. He and Neji had made it to Konohagakure around midnight and by four they had made it to their new home. It felt strange coming back home after so many years of being away. "Sorry I didn't know you were..." His voice trailed off as he watched Naruto try to cover something around his neck. Saying nothing, he walked over to the blonde and gently pried his hands away from the shirt’s collar. Naruto tried protesting but Neji ignored him gasping when he saw the bruise around the younger man's neck. "Why didn't you say something." It wasn't a question and Naruto knew it. "It's nothing Neji,” proclaiming in an attempt to end the argument before it even got started. Deep lavender eyes gave him a look of disbelief, staring at him as if he'd lost his mind. "It's nothing?” Neji raised an eyebrow and mumbled under his breath in irritation, "Naruto he hurt you. You should of said something-"

“I said it’s nothing Neji!” Naruto snapped at the older man who took a step back surprised by the blonde’s outburst.  Naruto wasn’t someone who typically lose his temper so the taller man looked away unsure if he should attempt to continue the conversation seeing that it was clearly stressing the latter out.

Naruto bit his lower lip to keep his tears at bay. "He was drunk,” he swallowed feeling those words edging out of his throat . "Yet, he’s never hurt me before. Drunk or sobber...not once." The realization of his fiancé’s actions clouding his mind. He looked away from Neji while rubbing the ring in between his fingers.  “I knew he was possessive and controlling, but...Sai has always been a jealous man...that's just how he is."  He knew he was trying to convince himself, making excuses for the raven he had fallen in love with years ago.  Naruto swiped at the tears brimming his eyes, unable to believe that he had intentionally tried to hurt him, blaming it on the alcohol.

“Naruto, this could have been used as evidence." Neji reasoned despite being upset that Sai had laid a hand on him in such a forceful manner. "Sure it wouldn't have been enough to hold a bastard like him behind bars for long. People like him always managed to slip away. Nevertheless, it could afford us enough time to gather evidence to keep him behind bars for good." Huge blues looked up at Neji for a moment before throwing himself into the older man's arms and buried his face into the man's chest.

Neji ignored the wet feeling on his shirt, instead tried to calm his friend down. "I don't know what to believe Neji,” he sobbed.  Neji pulled him closer into the embrace, rubbing soothing circles into his back. "I love him,” he managed to say sniffling between sobbing. "I love him so much.  It kills me to know...to know that this whole time...I’ve been in love with someone who does horrible things.” The younger man wailed weeping into the brunette’s arms. "I don't know what to believe anymore.”  Neji didn’t respond but held him tightly until Naruto quickly pulled away launching himself to his knees in front of the toilet bowl to throw up.

The brunette bent down and gently rubbed his back. Once Naruto finished vomiting, he helped him up and over to the sink.  Naruto rinsed out his mouth with water before brushing his teeth to rid the foul taste.

“You’re clearly stressed and still probably suffering from jet lag.” Neji sighed, then helped him to his bed where Naruto sunk his head into the pillows and began to cry.  “Why don’t we go see your Dads?"  He eventually asked after some time had passed and the blonde calmed down a little. Naruto shook his head. He couldn't face his adopted parents, Iruka and Kakashi right now. At least not like this.

....

Sasuke watched in amusement as Lilly ran to him. Her face flushed from the heat. Her little lungs greedily taking in air from all the running and the jumping she's been doing on the swing set in the park. He had no problem watching after the little girl, while Deidara went to his doctor's appointment.  Itachi was hovering like a hawk and wouldn’t let him go anywhere by himself.  "Uncle Sasuke did you see? Did you see?!" She asked gleefully, high on the thrill of beating the two boys she’d been playing with.  Sasuke chuckled at her  and ruffled her hair, causing her to pout and grumbled under her breath about how annoying her uncle was who always like to mess up her hair. Sasuke spotted the two little boys Lilly was playing with laughing as they chased each other.