Title: Through with You

Warnings: Angst. Yaoi. Pointless.

Author's Note: My first attempt at writing an angsty slash pointless fic. (I emphasize the word pointless. You'll find out soon enough.) I finally decided I have to pay homage to my ultimate favorite song in the whole wide world, Through with You by Maroon5. UtC chappie 7 isn't quite done at the moment, and I thought I'd be sharing this with you for the meantime. Heehee. Read and review at your own risk guys, you have been warned.

-0-

Can you see me?

Floating around your head

As you lay in bed

He smirked arrogantly across the room, hands crossed at his bare chest. He was wearing nothing but his boxers, and the nip in the evening air made him shiver, but he didn't mind. The room was dark and smelled musky, a hint of burned passion in the air. Pieces of clothing were strewn haphazardly everywhere, but later on, they will be picked up one by one. For now, they were tucked safely, hidden among the prying eyes of the people of Konoha. They were in the deepest recesses of the forest, and he was sure no one had ever been here before, just them. Across him, his companion merely shrugged and smiled sheepishly, reaching out a strong hand.

"C'mon Sasuke, please, just stay the night with me?" his companion asked, pouting, a valiant attempt at appearing absolutely irresistible.

"No."

"Please? Just this once? I've asked you over and over for three long years, and you haven't said yes once."

Sasuke now smiled gently, a feat he once considered taboo. But that was before he came. He now reserved it for him, and only for him. In a few unhurried strides, he closed the distance between the two of them. He placed a soft hand in his companion's face, as though memorizing each angle; each mark. He felt the stubble on the chin, coarse and sparse, and yet you can't see it with the naked eye. He longed to say the three- letter word, but somehow he can't.

Sasuke just can't say yes.

He didn't know whether it is fear or shame that stopped him, but whatever it is, yes can't just be a word. It's more than just a response.

Yes is a commitment.

And Sasuke has no room for commitment. Life is always packed with missions, and full-time dedication. His companion always asked why he can't afford to stay, but then again, how could one answer such a thing when even he doesn't know the answer? But one thing is for sure, Sasuke knows that commitment is what he can't bring himself to just because… well, just because. And so, for the umpteenth time it seems, he says the exact opposite of what he really wants to say.

"No, Naruto."

Thinking about everything

That you did not do

Cos saying I love you had

Nothing to do with meaning it

Naruto felt lucky. He didn't exactly know why, but in a way, he just does. He wasn't able to fulfill his dream just yet, after all, he was a mere jounin, and he has a lot more to go before he became Hokage.

But then again, he had Sasuke.

Well, not in the literal sense. The truth is, Naruto isn't really sure if he ever had Sasuke. But beggars can't be choosers, and Naruto is well aware of that. And when he thinks about it, he has every right to feel lucky just because this is the Sasuke we are talking about, and to be with him in a way no one ever was before is valid enough a reason for that.

Naruto can't exactly tell how everything started; all he remembers was a sparring contest between the two of them three years ago. The sparring took long, almost two hours, and neither he nor Sasuke refused to give up.

"Just give up, you bastard!" Naruto screamed.

"Shut up dobe, and just defeat me if you can!" Sasuke screamed back, panting heavily.

"Teme Sasuke! I don't know why you're being such a pig- head, but let's just stop this! I know you're tired, not to mention that this is all pointless!" Naruto said vehemently, tapping his foot in time with his words.

But Sasuke paid no heed. He continued aiming a punch at Naruto, hoping for a nice blow right at his gut. And as soon as Naruto spouted off his tirade, Sasuke saw his chance. He balled his fist, threw back his arm, and aimed. But just as his fist made contact with Naruto's stomach, the latter veered greatly to the other direction, and all of a sudden, he trips and landed right on top of Naruto.

Their breathing was fast, shallow. Legs tangled together, and faces inches away from each other, the two have no other choice but to look at each other's faces. Naruto noticed the intense eyes. Sasuke marveled at the whisker-like scratches.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, feeling the added weight on top of him greatly decrease his oxygen supply. He wanted to overthrow the bastard, but he was too tired to move.

"Sasuke- teme! Get off me!"

But Sasuke doesn't budge a bit. Instead he leaned down, and in one swoop captures his lips with his.

Naruto forgot about breathing.

Sasuke's lips were very soft, and very eager. Naruto cannot help but be swept away with the onslaught of the new emotions he was feeling. He opened his mouth a little, and immediately, Sasuke plunges his sweet tongue in, and Naruto can't help but whimper. Little by little, Naruto got the hang of it, and decided to kiss back…

After the kiss, there wasn't an explanation. Naruto, at the time, didn't need it. Just an unspoken proposition; a silent agreement. Over time, those kisses turned into butterfly touches, and butterfly touches turned into a passionate love-making.

Yes, Naruto always thought of it as love- making, and never just sex. After three years of being together like this, he's allowed to let himself feel love.

And Sasuke knows this.

As they lay in bed now, one of their hands intertwined, and the other running through each other's mane, Naruto leans in to kiss Sasuke on the forehead, and gently whispers, as he always does.

"I love you…"

But Sasuke is Sasuke, and he only smiles, not knowing that that each smile is a slash towards Naruto's little heart.

And I don't trust you

Cos every time you're here

Your intentions are unclear

A deserted cabin in the deepest recesses of the forest is highly convenient, especially for Sasuke and Naruto, but that and the fact that the cabin has its own bed and a soft mattress just upped the ante to highly suggestive. Naruto wondered about this as he lay in the said futon, his eyes scanning the ceiling unseeingly.

Sighing soundlessly, he became aware of the soft tick- tock of his watch. Sasuke had always been the one to tack up a date and time, but for the past few weeks, he'd always been late.

Today was no different. Five minutes became ten, and soon the minutes became hours. He'd lost track of time long ago, and he just wished he was somewhere, practicing his jutsus. He was getting increasingly bored and wondered aimlessly if his friend, Shikamaru, ever felt this way. He was thankful he wasn't brought up to stare at clouds and play Go all day because sure as hell he'd die and wither faster than you can say 'shinobi!'. And just when he was about to leave, he hears footsteps outside.

It was almost a whisper of swishing foot floating in the air.

Sasuke comes in, looking highly ruffled and sweaty. He offers no excuse, nor an apology as to being late. Instead, he removes his blue top, and throws it down the floor.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, to ask where the hell Sasuke was, but the words died on his mouth as the dark- haired boy slowly crawled to the futon and nuzzled his neck. He closed his eyes, knowing full well that this was Sasuke's way of saying sorry for making him wait. He closes his eyes, savoring the feeling of the dark- haired boy's warm body on his, yet at the same time a nagging voice at the back of his head can't stop shouting that something was incredibly wrong about all of this.

I spend every hour waiting for a phone call

That I know will never come

I used to think you were the one

Now I'm sick of thinking anything at all

Naruto twisted a ring in his fourth finger, anxiety and panic apparent in his youthful, handsome face.

There was nothing wrong in seeing Sasuke in public, but the latter had always been keen not to be seen outside with him. This had hurt Naruto very deeply at first, but later on he figured that even before he and Sasuke had sexual relations, he was very much adamant about maintaining his aloof side.

Naruto checked the clock on the wall again. It was already an hour past their meeting time. Naruto had asked Sasuke to meet him at the local ice cream parlor but he didn't think that he would actually refuse to be here with him.

Then his lips curved into a bitter smile. Of course, Sasuke is too Sasuke, and no one else's feelings could ever be important for him.

Not even he, Naruto, with whom he was sharing his bed.

Cut that out, Naruto. You're just making this hard for yourself, Naruto thought to himself. He began twisting his ring again, and this reminded him of an incident not long ago…

-0-

"Oi, dobe. What the heck is that thing you're wearing?" his lover said, pointing at his hand.

Naruto chuckled nervously. "I- It's a ring."

"What are you wearing a ring for?" Sasuke asked dryly, eyeing the object lying in the kitsune's ring finger. He rather thought that the blond was looking hopeful about something.

"Whatever. So… do you think it's nice?" Naruto asked tentatively, watching the other boy's face closely. Sasuke went silent for a moment, scrutinizing the said ring as though it was an insect under a microscope. His face was carefully blank.

"Honestly dobe, do you think I give a fuck about a ring?" Sasuke said finally, flicking his wrist dismissively.

Naruto deflated, the hopeful look in his eyes gone. "I guess not…"

-0-

The blond didn't say anything about it since then, but now he was going to talk. He put it off long enough, and it was high time he had to face this, and be done with it. He felt his pockets and produced a blue velvet box. He opened it and stared at the ring embedded inside. It looked exactly like the one he was wearing. He stared at it long enough until he was lost in his own thoughts.

A sudden tap in his shoulder brought him back to life. It was Ino, looking quite pretty with her blonde hair loose and flowing to her shoulders.

"Naruto, really, you shouldn't be staring around like a zombie. You're scaring people." She berated the dazed Naruto. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Nothing." He lied.

"Well, mind if I sit here? I'm waiting for Shikamaru, and I don't like to sit alone, I'd look stupid." Shikamaru was her boyfriend these days.

"Actually, I'm waiting for so-"

"So what? Let's wait together."

"Ino- chan, I really don't think-"

"Hey, did you know about Sakura and Sasuke- chan?" The blonde girl asked over him, drowning the rest of his sentence.

Naruto frowned. "What? What's between Sasuke and Sakura- chan?"

Ino looked surprised. "What? You didn't know? And to think, you are part of Team Seven after all!"

"I don't care! Just tell me what's happening!" Naruto almost growled at the girl.

"Well, I heard they recently hooked up. Actually, I heard it was pretty serious between the two of them." Ino said confidentially at him, and winked. "Wait; let me get to the ladies room first. I need to freshen up before Shika- kun sees me."

Naruto can only nod dumbly as his hands scooped his chest.

It can't be true. It just can't be true.

He fisted the velvet box in his pocket, and ran out of the ice cream parlor as fast as his legs could carry him.

You ain't never coming back to me

That's not how this was supposed to be

You take my hand just to give it back

No other lover has ever done that

Naruto ran and ran. He wasn't sure where he was supposed to go, so he kept on running and never looked back.

They recently hooked up… Actually, I heard it was pretty serious between the two of them…

Naruto shook his head savagely even as he run, trying to get the words out of his head. He didn't want to believe it. Ino was just playing him. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't be.

He ran and ran until he reached his- no, their- sacred place. He threw himself at the bed, as the first signs of fear and rejection gnawed at his gut. He let the first few teardrops fall in the pillow but he brushed his tears away violently after that.

He wanted to trust.

He wanted to wait.

He wanted to ask Sasuke whether its true or not.

He wanted to just slit his wrist and bleed to death.

Before long, he was rendered shock as he heard a familiar whisper of feet outside the door. Naruto scrambled to get up, just as he heard the door open.

Sasuke comes in, looking confused and dazed. He didn't notice the blond sitting there on the bed, and when he did, his eyes widen in utter surprise as he took in Naruto's tear streaked face.

"Wha- what are you doing here?"

Naruto managed to snort despite the war in his head. "What do you mean, what am I doing here?"

"I thought we were supposed to meet in the ice cream parlor or something." Sasuke said, walking slowly to the bed, face rearranged from that of confusion to ---

"I was there. You weren't."

The dark- haired boy smirked in reply. He reached the foot of the bed and sat at the edge, his back to the blond.

"Sasuke, I want to ask you something." Naruto said slowly, his heart beating fast. The truth was, he didn't want to ask… because Sasuke could once again be too Sasuke, whose words are mightier than the sword.

Sasuke was silent, his back still turned away from the blonde. His shoulders were tense. Out of pure instinct, Naruto crawled slowly to the dark haired boy, and gripped his shoulder hard.

His knuckles started kneading the tense knot of muscles there, and Sasuke threw his head back in contentment. Smiling softly now, Naruto kept on kneading and massaging the length of Sasuke's shoulders.

Maybe it was better this way.

Naruto could live like this, just spending stolen time with Sasuke, not having to care about what other people would say or do to put him down. It wasn't because he was afraid. It was just really better this way.

His hands started to go down his lover's arms, running his hands across the cold, rather clammy flesh. Sasuke shivered from his touch.

Yes, this is better this way.

No more questions, no more anything. Just to be able to spend time with him is enough. Asking for more would be too much. Asking him to move in with him in his apartment would be too much. Asking him to accept his ring would be too much.

And Naruto… he knew that too much is already bad, just like the way having more ramen that you could actually eat would make you puke.

His hands caught something in the dark- haired boy's shirt. It was silky and soft to the touch.

Yes. Too much is really, really bad for everyone, even him. And he knows this, as a sudden feeling of hot pain seared in his chest. It was too bad for him that it hurt. It hurt so bad that even breathing was painful.

He released Sasuke's shoulder, taking with him the object that had been lodged in his shirt. The other boy looked at him inquiringly, and Naruto merely smiled sadly. With his other hand, he took the velvet box from his pocket, opened it and placed the silky and soft object next to the ring.

He gave it the startled boy, and kissed him softly on the cheek. Tears fell from his eyes yet again, but he didn't bother to brush it away.

"See you… Sasuke- chan…"

"W- What?" the dark- haired boy asked, face twisted in confusion again. But Naruto had already left.

He looked down at the box. Without warning, he felt a sudden tremor that quaked his inner senses and threatened to overwhelm him.

Next to the ring was a strand of pink hair.

-0-

Author's note:

Told you it was pointless! This thing is actually stored in my computer for a long time already, and I haven't the heart to put it up cos it's pointless. Anyway, please leave a review if you can. Thanks!