A/N: I'm using the American Sign Language in this story and I've just recently started to learn it so don't take anything written in here as fact. I can somewhat use STS, Svenskt Teckenspråk (the Swedish Sign Language), but it's quite different from ASL, both as language and in culture.

Please remember that I'm not trying to offend anybody. I just like to write and try new things. I apologize in advance if I do offend someone.

Warnings: Language, above mentioned and mild boyxboy. Don't like, don't read.

Pairings: Sasuke – Naruto, Itachi – Deidara, Gaara - Neji

Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, I'm just borrowing them.

More chapters will be uploaded once I've gotten the next chapter of How could I possible know? done. That said, on with the story! Enjoy! ^^

Summary: Being fond of dancing, Sasuke one evening follows his brother to a new club and meets a blond man called Naruto. The man doesn't speak, is an exceptional dancer and seems to take an interest in the withdrawn raven. Where will this meeting take them? What secrets will be revealed? What feelings discovered? And how will they manage when trouble is merely a telephone call away?

Chapter One

Meeting the Dancer

The homey club was full of people dancing, talking and drinking, generally having a good time. Some couples were slow dancing to the soft tunes of a waltz and the lights dimmed to create an appropriate setting.

A shadow moved across the red-colored wooden floor, streaking along the walls and avoiding the groups of giggling girls studiously. Looking up, the man quickly stepped back as the lights above shimmered, changed color and moved as the music altered, the beat picking up into a song fit for a jitterbug that had the crowd surrounding the dance floor cheering. The area was soon full with people and the man pressed against the wall slowly got moving again, drawing closer to the part of the room littered with chairs and tables.

A soft sigh came from the man, dressed in a dark red button up shirt and black slacks, as he sank down in a chair, resting his head against the reddish wood pillar just beside him. An intricate silver ring, consisting of two parts, one to be worn on your pinky and the other on the middle finger, a chain between the parts, glinted in the low light as he reached out and put a glass filled with a transparent liquid down on the table.

The lights flashed above him as the music switched into a slightly calmer song and the man's lips curved slightly as he brushed a strand of raven black hair away from his face, revealing deep, onyx eyes.

"I like this place." he whispered silently to no one particular, accustomed to speaking to himself. Usually, there was no one around to speak to either way.

"Hn. It's nice, yes." his brother mumbled behind him and he leaned his head back, looking up at the man. The older man gave him a small smirk before sitting down opposite of him.

"It's.. mellow, un." a blond sighed as he flopped down beside the older of the two ravens who only closed his eyes tiredly. The two of them were dressed in a similar way, jeans and white shirts, only, the blond's jeans were dark blue and worn-out and the older raven's black and crisp looking. Probably not bought too long ago.

"Freak." the younger mumbled, earning a slight glare before looking out over the dance floor, searching for something, or someone, interesting. After a while, his eyes landed on a blond man, for that moment alone, who seemed to be dancing inside his own bubble of space.

And by God, did he dance.

His feet stamped as he clapped his hands to the beat, his sense of tempo flawless. He twirled and spun, a confident grin stretching sakura colored lips all the while. His hair was sunshine blond, his sparkling, smiling eyes the color of the bright summer sky, his skin a deep tan. His tank-top and his baggy pants were white. A glimmering ring of gold in his right ear.

He was graceful in his movements, every action refined, the song merely an accessory. Every girl wanted to be his partner, the petite women floating into waltzes and the girls there to party spinning into jives. It didn't matter whether the woman was talented or not, he could grab a teenage girl as well as an middle-aged lady and make her look beautiful. He could spin his partner to send her skirt flaring just so and catching her before she could feel dizzy. He was gentle but firm in his hold, and as soon as his partner became exhausted, he would calm their moves and do the fancy stuff himself.

Damn-

"He's hot. And good." his brother mumbled and he was slightly surprised to hear the exact words he was thinking said aloud.

"Hn." he grunted, crossing his arms over his chest as a waiter flashed the dancing blond a grin before putting on a new song. The blond lit up like a beacon as the first few beats flowed through the speakers and he waved a hand in the air, the man by the stereo laughing.

The blond bowed slightly to his partner who smiled and went back to her seat, unaware of the onyx eyes following her before snapping back to the blond man. A wide circle formed around the man as he went for it in earnest, his body bending, feet working, arms moving, hips swinging. That wide grin telling you that he really was having the time of his life as he danced, the people cheering around him.

And it was pure perfection the blond displayed.

The song ended with a few hard, pulsing beats that the blond breakdanced to, ending it on knees and his back bowed back in an arch, grinning and panting, chest heaving. The older of the two raven's smirked slightly as his younger brother clapped his hands softly, in recognition of a great talent, the sound drowning in the ringing applause the blond received.

The blond climbed to his feet as a new song started and the floor was slowly filled with couples dancing and singles seeking someone to dance with or just those who liked to dance but preferred to be alone. The younger raven watched as the blond walked towards the bar, opposite of where he was sitting, smirking slightly when the man was handed what seemed like a glass of milk upon nearing.

"Milk?" he mumbled and heard a soft murmur on his left. It wasn't directed to him but he looked over either way. He looked back at the blond when he realized it had been the two men opposite of him talking.

He rose an eyebrow out of curiosity when he saw a man dressed in black with short red hair near the blond sipping on his milk. He was slightly.. annoyed, when said blond lit up and immediately pulled the man into a hug, making the other shift uncomfortably and blush. The bartender smiled teasingly and nodded to the redhead who shrugged awkwardly. The blond grinned as he leaned back and pointed at the dance floor, the redhead shrugging again before nodding lightly. A large grin almost split the tan man's face in half and he instantly grabbed the redhead's hand and dragged him out onto the floor. Other people made room for them as a waltz started and it was official, he was jealous.

"Otouto." his brother's voice snapped him out of his haze and he blinked then straightened, having leaned forward slightly.

"Hn." he grumbled, leaning back more comfortably as he watched the blond sway gently with the redhead.

"If you want to dance with him that badly, why don't you get over and ask him?" his brother sighed and he shrugged, his face hidden in the shadows as he watched the blond intently. "Dance with me then." his brother sighed and he blinked.

"We haven't danced in ages, aniki." he muttered and the other shrugged lightly.

"So? Come on. You know few can beat us in dancing." the man said and the younger hesitated slightly, his resolve weakening. "Or don't you think I'm capable of dancing anymore?"

"Low blow." the blond sitting next to him whispered into his ear and he grimaced invisibly, knowing the other was right.

"Absolutely not! Come on." the younger said quietly but sharply, briskly standing. His eyes appeared to be promising bloody murder but the older only smirked and rose, taking his brother by the hand.

Giving in, he let the slightly taller raven lead him out onto the dance floor, relaxing once his brother held him. A moment later they were floating through the room, dancing a calm foxtrot, the people noticing them stopping to stare and backing away after a while. Self-conscious, he tried to ask his brother to let go but before he could speak, the other raven whispered,

"Calm down, otouto. I've got you."

Breathing out a silent sigh, he closed his eyes and let go of his tight control, allowing his brother to lead as he wished. He hardly had to think when his brother gently sped their movements up, easily following even than his eyes was closed, completely in tune with the man and the song.

Emerald green eyes widened when they caught sight of the two raven's floating so gracefully throughout the room and he quickly stopped his partner, turning him around to look. A brief widening of cerulean eyes told him that the blond had noticed and he silently mumbled,

"Let's give them some space."

Nodding, the blond fell back, merging with the surrounding crowd. As soon as he did, the floor emptied completely until there only were the two raven's left. He had never before seen two men dance with such flawless harmony. Even than they were dancing pressed close together, there really was nothing intimate about their intensive and amazing movements. There was love, though.

Confused, he knocked on the redhead's shoulder, shoving a notepad into the man's face, frowning. There was a question mark drawn within a heart on it.

"Those two?" the green eyed man mumbled low and he nodded. "I don't know. I think they love each other but just.. not in that way. Understand?"

The blond pouted but nodded. Turning his eyes back to the couple on the floor, he watched with awe as the slightly shorter man, his raven hair resembling a duck's butt, was spun gracefully before held close once more. Blinking, he noticed something and quickly began scribbling on his notepad again.

Does he, the smaller one, keep his eyes closed?

The redhead beside him frowned then stared intently on the couple for a while before nodding.

"You're right, he does keep his eyes closed." the green eyed man mumbled and the blond grinned widely.

Amazing!

The redhead chuckled low. The blond started slightly when a hand knocked on his shoulder and he turned to face a long haired woman.

"Excuse me, does he really keep his eyes closed? The one that follows." she asked curiously and he nodded vigorously. "Oh, my! Did you see that?" she asked a random person standing close to her and the man frowned.

"What?"

"He keeps his eyes closed! The one that follows!" she urgently whispered and the man jolted then looked at the couple intently.

"You're right." he said surprised. From there the discovery spread like wildfire and a moment later the crowd was whispering curiously about the smaller raven's ability to dance with his eyes closed.

"Is he a professional?"

"Is he blind?"

"I don't know but-"

"Is he really that good?"

Hearing the whispers, the older of the two raven's pulled his brother closer, forcing him into a set of quicker steps before spinning him and pulling him back into his arms.

"Aniki?" the younger whispered silently, eyes still shut as they floated through the room, his brother's hand firm on his lower back.

"Hush. Just dance, otouto."

And dance they did. His brother's hold tightened and he instantly tip-toed, sensing what the man was about to do.

The blond gasped when the two raven's began to really dance, all that they had done previously paling in comparison. A sound of awe rose from the surrounding crowd as the two flitted through the room, their movements faster but as graceful as before. The song ended in a high, but soft drill of a flute, and the smaller raven was spun a number of turns before dipped just as the final note hit.

The sound of the following applause was deafening. The two raven's bowed to the surrounding crowd in unison before they disappeared from the floor, ignoring catcalls and praises alike. The blond noted curiously that the taller raven, his long hair pulled back in a ponytail, seemed to be shielding the slightly smaller one a bit.

Latching onto the redhead's arm, he tugged the man with him, away from the floor.

"Hey, calm down." the redhead mumbled and he stopped and scribbled hastily,

I want to meet him!

The redhead sighed at the pleading eyes.

"You do as you wish, I'm not your guardian. Just be careful, Naruto." he replied and the blond caught him in a hard hug, beaming as he pressed a kiss to his cheek. Sighing with a small smile, the green eyed man watched as the blond scurried away, bouncing with energy. "You owe me a dance!" he called and Naruto turned and waved with a grin before disappearing. "Jeez.."

"He's really on the go, isn't he?" a waiter with long auburn hair and pale eyes asked and he nodded, looking after the blond for a second longer before turning to the man. "Hi."

"Hm. Don't you get off your shift soon, Neji? I want to dance. Preferably with you." the redhead said and the pale eyed man, Neji, smirked slightly.

"Miss me much?"

"You can't imagine." the redhead growled as he pulled the man close and kissed him hard. A thin notepad smacked into his head a second later and he pulled back surprised, Neji frowning slightly at the interruption before smirking when he saw the note.

Get a room, pervert!

Laughing low, the redhead looked up and noticed the grinning blond a bit away before said man disappeared once more, though this time in the opposite direction. A soft kiss was pressed against his cheek and the redhead blushed slightly, looking back at the pale man beside him.

"Gaara? Will you wait for me?" Neji asked and the green eyes softened.

"Of course I will."

"See you later, then."

Pecking the man's lips before he could go, Gaara smiled slightly and said,

"Later, Neji."

Leaning his head back against the pillar, he took a deep breath, his chest still heaving, before he said,

"That's proof enough that you can dance, aniki."

"Hn." the man grunted as he snatched the younger man's glass and downed it in one go.

"That's my water, Itachi."

"Hn."

"Jerk." the younger sighed then almost jumped a foot into the air when a warm hand landed on his shoulder. Turning quickly, he was met with a fox like grin and smiling sky blue eyes. He couldn't help it, he blushed.

Naruto watched with confusion as the raven before him turned red and adverted his eyes. He glanced over at the older of the two, looking lost. Lifting his hands, he gestured at the younger raven then shrugged, frowning worriedly, still looking directly at the other raven. Understanding lit in the older man's eyes and he lifted his hand and finger spelled, a bit slow but perfectly understandable,

I-s f-i-n-e

Smiling, the blond nodded then touched the younger man's shoulder, making him glance up. The blond held his notepad out.

Ya dance good, =)

"Thank you." the raven mumbled before his eyes widened briefly. Naruto looked on curiously as the man frantically apologized, signing as if he'd never done anything else. Finally, he began giggling and earned an affronted and confused look.

I hear but I don't speak. No need to apologize.

he wrote and the raven blushed again. The blond smiled. He was cute with the color on his cheeks. It made him look alive.

"Uh.. would you like to sit down?" the man asked and the blond grinned, nodding. He sat down beside the raven and turned towards him, still grinning. He looked over at the blond man and the older raven when the two rose, curious.

"Otouto, we'll be leaving." the man said and Naruto watched as the younger stood with a frown.

"Why?" he asked as he leaned over and gave his brother a swift hug, touching his blond companion's fingertips with his own when the man pouted. He refused to let the bomb-specialist and clay-molding maniac anywhere near him. Besides, the only people he hugged was his brother and his mom. And boyfriend, when he had one.

"No reason. Enjoy your night. I'll be staying with Dei, by the way." Itachi smirked at his brother's annoyed look.

"Fine. Have.. fun, aniki." he said and the man smirked a bit wider before nodding to the blond who gave him a wave, grinning. "Irresponsible man.." the raven sighed as he sat down. He was startled to find the blond staring at him with a smile on his face. "What?" he asked, scowling, and the blond shrugged, shaking his head. Then he asked, writing very fast on the notepad,

who were they?

"The dark-haired one is my elder brother, the blond his.. boyfriend. Why?"

just curious.

"Hn."

when dancing, I'd see ya weren't a couple but ya seemed so calm and in harmony, there must've been love too. just not love like that for a partner, more as family.

Speechless, the raven only stared at the blond for a while before shrugging awkwardly.

ya're pretty, blushing.

"And you're weird. And too blunt. And I'm not pretty." the raven deadpanned, blushing all the hotter, arms crossed over his chest. The blond laughed again. "Why don't you use ASL?"

inconvenient. few hearing, and speaking in my case, understand it. it's quicker with paper and pen around here.

was the answer and he let out a sigh then signed,(1)

We can both use ASL so let us. It is quicker.

He hadn't ever imagined someone smiling that brightly and the blond immediately asked, abandoning the notepad,

What is your name?

S-a-s-u-k-e.

The blond frowned slightly then asked,

Do you have a name sign?

No.

Sasuke looked at the blond for a while then asked,

What is your name?

N-a-r-u-t-o.

You do not have a name sign?

The blond looked pained and Sasuke frowned slightly, apologizing.

Forgive me. I did not mean to upset you.

I know.

Sasuke was worried when the blond stared down at the floor and he slowly reached out with his hand and lifted Naruto's chin, then signed,

Would you like to dance with me?

Yes!

the blond lit up and the raven smiled suddenly. Rising, he asked,

Do you lead or follow?

Both. Where did you learn how to dance?

Naruto asked, smiling, and Sasuke shrugged first then answered,

Aniki taught me a lot. I have danced with him for as long as I can remember.

I see. Do you enjoy dancing?

Yes. Where are we going?

Sasuke asked since they were heading towards the bar and Naruto smiled then signed,

I am going to ask the bartender to change the play list.

Why?

You will see.

Sasuke blinked and the blond smiled all the wider, about to pick his notepad out when the raven asked,

May I interpret for you instead?

Giving the pale man a surprised look, Naruto smiled at the sight of the blush rising on those cheeks, then he nodded.

Go ahead.

Reaching the bar, he grabbed onto the bartender, the man turning surprised.

"Hey, Naruto! I thought you had gone home!" the bearded man said and the blond shook his head, giving him a hug. "Well, what do you want with me?" the brown-eyed man asked and Naruto stepped back slightly, turning his head and signing to Sasuke,

Get over here. He does not bite.

Sasuke walked closer, siding up with the blond who grinned then looked back to the confused bartender, beginning to sign rapidly with his hands.

"This is Sasuke. Did you see him dance? he asks." Sasuke said and the bartender put the glass he was drying down, surprised.

"You're interpreting for him? Or me, whichever it is..?"

"Yes, he is. Could you change the playlist, Asuma? To the one I like so much, he says." Sasuke said and the man nodded, walking over to the stereo.

"Sure thing, Nar. Any special song you want to hear?"

"Number eleven." Sasuke said and Naruto blinked and stopped signing, turning confused eyes at Sasuke who frowned. "What?"

Why are you in a foul mood?

Naruto frowned and Sasuke grimaced, scowling down at the wooden floor. He should have known that the blond would hear. Said man touched his hand and he looked up then sighed and signed,

I got jealous.

What? Because of?

Naruto asked, surprised, and the raven reluctantly signed,

I did not like that he called you N-A-R.

Naruto began giggling when he got over the initial surprise and he hugged the raven tightly, wrapping his arms around the pale man's neck. He smiled when an arm curled around his waist and Sasuke held him closer. A low laugh behind them made him turn his head and look at Asuma who winked.

"See you later, Naruto."

Grinning, the blond nodded then looked at Sasuke and signed,

Let us dance.

Sasuke nodded with a small smirk, siding up with the blond as they headed towards the dance floor, the soft notes of The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss II floating throughout the room, the song picking up in intensity as they walked.

You do not come here often, do you?

Naruto asked and he shook his head.

No. Today is the first time.

Lucky! I go around a lot but this is my favorite place.

Naruto signed happily as they walked out on the dance floor and Sasuke smirked slightly. Catching Naruto's hand, he pulled the blond close as he murmured,

"Lucky indeed."

Naruto smiled then rested his head against Sasuke's shoulder as the man lead him into a waltz. He followed the raven easily and realized after a while that Sasuke was barely keeping his eyes open. He leaned back slightly and studied the man, onyx eyes opening and looking back.

"Something wrong?" Sasuke asked and Naruto shook his head, smiling slightly. Tip-toeing, he kissed the raven's cheek and watched with amusement as Sasuke blushed again. He giggled softly, putting his head back on the man's shoulder and closing his eyes as Sasuke pulled him even closer.

The raven would blush whenever he got too far inside his safety bubble. It was endearing. Naruto smiled slightly as he hugged Sasuke a little tighter.

They weren't dancing as much as swaying together, their closeness and the crowd around them not allowing much else. Turning his head slightly, Naruto nuzzled his nose against Sasuke's neck, smiling at the shudder the dark-haired man gave. He let out an involuntary gasp when said man bent his head and lightly kissed his neck, a flare of heat spreading from the touch.

"You all right with this?" Sasuke murmured, lips brushing his ear and he let out a quite, pleased noise then nodded. "Ne, Naruto? Why don't you speak?" Sasuke then asked softly and felt the blond sigh, hot air rushing over his bare skin. The music changed and Sasuke settled his hands over Naruto's hips, the blond leaning back a bit and signing,

I was in an accident when I was younger. Trauma.

Sasuke gave a crooked grin then said,

"You're still young."

Naruto looked exasperated as he signed,

You are bothersome.

"Yeah. I know." Sasuke sighed and pulled the blond closer, Naruto settling his arms around his neck. "Aniki usually call me foolish though." the raven smirked slightly and Naruto tilted his head to the side, looking curious, as they gently swayed to the ballad playing. "Just a reflection." Sasuke mumbled and Naruto pulled his hands back and signed, looking slightly troubled,

I was not being very serious

Sasuke was surprised when the blond tapped the letter S below his left shoulder with his right hand, the one he mostly used to sign with, especially as he couldn't think of anything it meant.

"What did you just say?" he asked, confused, and Naruto gave him a grin.

S-a-s-u-k-e. Temporary sign name. You have to meet all of the ones who sign around here before you get a real sign name. Rules are rules.

Sasuke blinked then smiled slightly as he nodded, albeit his smile looked sad.

May I call you N-A-R, as a kind of nickname?

he asked and Naruto regarded him with wide eyes, looking a little confused and a little lost. Sasuke gave him a wry smirk then wrapped his arms around the blond in a gentle hug. He was a bit startled when Naruto pressed his face against his neck and he felt moist skin press against his own, the blond's hands clenching in his shirt. Letting out a silent chortle, he pressed his lips against the blond's ear and whispered,

"You are going to rip my shirt."

Those tan fingers gripped tighter. Sasuke smiled slightly, wrapping his arms more securely around the blond and moving them to a more secluded part of the floor with a few, floating moves. Brushing his hands over Naruto's sides, he felt the man start and heard him giggle in surprise.

"You ticklish?" Sasuke asked and Naruto hesitated briefly then nodded, once. Sasuke smiled then pressed his hands a bit harder against the blond's side, beginning to run them up and down in smooth caresses, careful not to tickle the blond. He was forced to stop when Naruto leaned back and signed, smiling softly,

That is nice.

"Good." he said then noticed that Naruto was about to lean against him again. "Nar, wait." he said and the blond stopped, surprise and confusion on his face. Sasuke moved around the man smoothly and pressed a gentle kiss against the blond's neck, hearing Naruto gasp. "You can sign all you want now." Sasuke smiled against the back of the blond's head and Naruto leaned back, placing his head on Sasuke's shoulder, the man's arms still around him.

Thank you.

Naruto smiled and Sasuke chuckled.

"You're surprisingly easy to be with, Nar. I'm very happy I met you." he said low and Naruto grinned, tilting his head in a way that let him look at the raven's face.

I am happy I met you too. And you are very pretty when you blush.

"Hn. I'm not pretty." Sasuke grunted, embarrassed and Naruto let out an airy giggle then pressed himself closer to the slightly taller man, signing,

You react so funny. It is as if you never have been with somebody that really appreciate the way you are.

"I don't think I have." Sasuke said calmly, a bit unused to the blond's straight-forwardness but finding it rather charming. It was something about the tan man, except his dancing and his looks, that really called out to him. He wanted to be around this person.

They danced to the soft music for a long while, until Naruto suddenly lifted his hands and began signing, Sasuke watching curiously, his eyes widening with every word.

I want to stay with you.

"Nar?" Sasuke breathed against the back of the blond's head, slightly alarmed. Naruto swirled around in his arms and sky blue eyes searched his own worriedly. Sasuke jerked back in shock when the blond suddenly pressed their lips together but the blond was holding onto him tightly, and his own hold hadn't loosened either, preventing him from moving away.

Staring into those expressive blue eyes, Sasuke unconsciously tightened his hold around slim hips, making the blond tilt his head slightly to the side, wondering what the raven was thinking. Naruto's eyes widened when the raven moved forward and gently touched their lips together, too surprised to answer. Sasuke hesitantly leaned back.

"Did I get you wrong?" he asked silently and Naruto shook his head, giving the man a quick smile. Sasuke smirked then murmured teasingly, "Who reacts funny now?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at him and Sasuke let out a silent chuckle before he slowly leaned down and kissed the blond again. Naruto lifted a hand and carefully caressed the man's cheek before running his hand through dark hair, pressing closer. Everything seemed to disappear around them until it only was the two of them, only a few soft tunes floating through the air. Nobody had ever been this gentle with him before.

-And I've never fallen in love this fast.-

Naruto thought, sighing softly as he parted his lips and deepened the kiss when Sasuke lightly touched his hair, tucking a blond curl behind his left ear. A warm hand settled at the back of his head and gently tilted his head a little to the side, a questioning tongue swiping across his lower lip. He started lightly then realized he actually liked it and opened his mouth wider, allowing the raven access. When they split, Naruto drew a shuddering breath as he opened his eyes and stared into Sasuke's.

"Naruto.." the pale man whispered softly, warm air rushing across his skin with every breath said man drew. Naruto smiled slightly then signed,

I still want to stay with you.

Sasuke looked at him for a moment then sighed lightly, smirking a little. Pulling the tanned blond closer, he kissed Naruto's temple as he quietly said,

"We just met. Is that really something you can ignore that easily? I could be a very bad man for all that you know."

Naruto nodded with a grin, making Sasuke chuckle when he signed,

No one that dances like you can be evil.

"Then how about a cup of tea at my place?" the raven smiled and Naruto nodded eagerly. "Good. Something you must get before we leave?" Sasuke asked and the blond shook his head, latching onto Sasuke's arm with a content sigh, leaning against him slightly.

Sasuke smiled as he led them towards the exit, nodding to Hyuuga Neji's familiar figure. He was slightly surprised when the man gave him a hostile glare and grabbed onto the redhead he'd seen with Naruto earlier. The green eyed man looked positively murderous when he caught sight of them. A millisecond later, Sasuke had stepped in front of a perplexed Naruto, facing the redhead walking towards them hurriedly.

"What the hell do you think you're doing with Naruto?" the redhead asked angrily and Sasuke frowned slightly.

"Why is it any of your business?" he asked quietly and now Neji, arms crossed and scowling, answered,

"He's dear to us, Uchiha. We do not care for him to be hurt."

"'Hurt'?" Sasuke frowned then asked, bewildered, "Why are you under the impression that I'm going to hurt him?"

"Because it's you. You're one of the nastiest bastards I've met." Neji snapped and Sasuke was about to answer when the unfamiliar redhead spoke,

"You'll be sorry if you do hurt him."

Sasuke blinked at the lethal seriousness he heard in the man's voice.

"Is that a threat?" he asked softly and the redhead's glare intensified.

"Yes."

Sasuke was about to reply, his temper flaring, when Naruto pushed past him and placed himself between them, arms outstretched and worriedly looking at them.

"Naruto?" the redhead asked, sounding surprised, and the blond gave him a pleading look then began searching his pockets for a notepad and a pencil, realizing with a distressed moan that he'd left them at the table Sasuke had been sitting at. As if sensing his discomfort a large hand were placed on his shoulder – when had he noticed that Sasuke had large hands? – and turned him around. He stared with wide eyes at Sasuke who frowned then reached out and dried a tear away from his cheek as he murmured softly,

"Please don't cry."

Naruto's eyes teared up even more – hey, the raven was being kind! – at the words and also because of his increasing frustration. Lifting his hands, he began signing as he blinked the tears away. Sasuke nodded then turned to the two worried men behind the blond and said,

"He asks you not to worry. He's just frustrated over misplacing his notepad and pencil."

"Do you know ASL?" Neji asked after he'd asked Naruto for confirmation, which the blond had given by nodding with a wry smile.

"Yes." Sasuke replied, his shoulders stiffening slightly. He didn't really want Neji to know why, it was a little too.. personal. A light tap on his shoulder made him look back at Naruto who worriedly asked,

What is wrong?

Sighing, Sasuke replied,

Not now. Not here. I will tell you another day.

Do you promise?

Naruto asked, still looking worried and Sasuke smirked slightly.

Yes. You notice changes very fast in people's auras.

Not really. You are just very easy to read. You, raccoon and N-E-J-I.

Naruto smiled and Sasuke lifted and eyebrow then asked, pointing at the redhead,

Is he raccoon?

Yes. He is G-A-A-R-A.

Naruto smiled brightly and Sasuke nodded then signed,

Why is he so protective of you?

Naruto grimaced a little then signed quickly,

He is like a big brother. Worry about me a lot. N-E-J-I is almost the same but more like a worried brother-in-law.

Sasuke blinked then turned and looked at Neji when Naruto grinned.

"I had no idea you had a boyfriend." he said and the Hyuuga turned pale eyes at the grinning blond, looking exasperated.

"Yes, I do. Gaara, this is Uchiha Sasuke, my rival and kind of friend. Sasuke, Gaara no Sabaku." Neji said and Sasuke politely held his hand out. Gaara let out a sigh but took it. "Now what do you want with Naruto?" Neji then asked, frowning at him and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Nothing bad I can assure you. At the moment, I want to make him tea, as promised." Sasuke said and Naruto nodded with a smile. Sasuke met the couple's wary gazes then sighed and said, "You are free to come along if you don't believe me."

Naruto shone up and signed,

Really?

Sasuke sighed softly then smiled slightly and replied,

I cannot change my mind when you look that happy.

The blond smiled then took a step closer and tip-toed, kissing Sasuke on the cheek. He smiled all the wider when the man blushed again and giggled at Sasuke's obvious embarrassment.

"And I'm not pretty, hear me?" Sasuke growled, making Naruto laugh. He leaned into the pale man, said man ignoring Gaara and Neji's questions, wrapping an arm around Naruto's shoulders as they left.

Sasuke poured hot water into the tea kettle, comfortable in the kitchen he had every right to call his own. Neji and Gaara was sitting in the living room, debating his and Itachi's choice of furniture, judging by their words. Naruto was perched on the counter not far away from where he was standing, smiling and kicking his legs in the air. Giving the blond a small smirk, Sasuke picked four mugs out of a cupboard, setting them on a tray of wood. Looking back at the blond, he called enough that the other two would hear too,

"Does anyone want milk?"

Naruto nodded but Neji called,

"No, we're fine."

"What about honey?" Sasuke asked and Naruto nodded eagerly, making him smirk, and Gaara called low,

"Yes."

Sasuke shook his head, a little surprised. That redhead was a mystery. Naruto waved his hand, getting his attention, then signed,

Gaara likes sweet things.

"Hn. I hope he doesn't like adorable things too, I'm not willing to share." he smirked and Naruto gave him a confused look.

Share what?

"You." Sasuke said with an easy smile, letting out a soft laugh when the blond blushed but smiled nonetheless.

You are pretty.

Naruto grinned and it was Sasuke's turn to flush red.

"Why pretty?" Sasuke asked with an expression dangerously close to a pout but an Uchiha doesn't pout, hence why it's a frown. Naruto let out a chuckle then jumped down from the counter and walked over to the raven as he signed,

Because I think you are pretty.

Kissing the pale man's cheek, he took the tray from the surprised raven's hands then escaped into the living room and Sasuke looked after him, cheeks red. The raven smiled softly then grabbed the kettle and followed the blond.

Upon entering the living room, he found Naruto sitting between Neji and Gaara, writing with vigor on the notepad Sasuke had given him when they had arrived at the apartment. Smiling at the blond's energy, he leaned over the table slightly, pouring tea into the cups, noticing that Naruto had poured milk into a cup already. He set the kettle down then curled up in the rocker chair placed to the side of the couch, earning a surprised look from Neji. He met the gaze calmly, with a tap of his foot setting the chair into motion.

"Still convinced I'm up to no good, Neji?" he asked with a small smirk and the pale eyed man shook his head.

"No." he replied then leaned forward and took the remaining cup of tea. Naruto looked up at Sasuke and signed,

This tastes good. What?

H-O-N-E-Y-B-U-S-H and L-I-M-E. It is a R-O-O-I-B-O-S tea.

Sasuke signed and Naruto nodded, wrapping both hands around the cup as he sipped on the hot drink.

"Sasuke? Does anyone else live here?" Neji suddenly asked and Sasuke gave him a look but showed nor surprise or irritation on his face.

"Why do you ask?"

"I distinctively remember you saying that if there's a kind of music you could do without, it's enka." Neji replied and Sasuke frowned. When had he told the man that? Sure, there was some music styles that could probably be described as much more annoying – he tended to not listen to them at all – than enka, but there was something about the ballade music that really got on his nerves.

"Hn." he grunted, sipping his tea as he looked over at the shelf that held a bunch of CD cases.

"Who?" Neji asked, frowning, and Sasuke gave him a confused and slightly exasperated look.

"Hyuuga, how many people can tolerate me? How many do I tolerate enough to live along?" he asked, a hint of irritation in his voice, and Neji gave him a flat look.

"None that I can think of. Except maybe.. Itachi? Does he still live here?" the pale eyed man asked and Sasuke grunted.

"Doesn't matter much to me. He saves some money even than he pays half of everything and we don't try to kill each other.. most of the time." he said, muttering the last under his breath. Naruto lifted his hand and signed,

I-T-A-C-H-I your brother?

Yes.

Naruto looked a little relieved and Sasuke smirked slightly.

Why does he live here?

He has an apartment, but we can share the costs if he lives here. And it is good to have company some times.

Sasuke replied and the blond nodded. Neji looked between them then shrugged, Gaara keeping silent but smirking slightly as they continued to sign to each other. After a while, they put their mugs down and signed quicker, completely absorbed in their conversation. They had been talking for ages, mainly about dancing, when Sasuke finally said, making Naruto chuckle quietly,

I think we are boring our guests.

Neji had changed places with Naruto at some point and was now curled up against Gaara's side and seemed to be sleeping. The redhead was holding a crossword Itachi had been working on, printing down a word every now and then, his other arm wrapped around Neji. Naruto smiled then leaned forward and scribbled down a note, shoving it under Gaara's nose when he was done. The redhead looked over at the blond and rose an eyebrow which Naruto nodded to, moving his hands as if he was shooing someone away. Sasuke smothered a chuckle and the redhead rolled his eyes then rose, easily picking Neji up into his arms.

"Shall I call a taxi?" Sasuke asked but Gaara shook his head.

"We don't live far from here." the man replied as he walked out of the room. "Thanks for the tea, Uchiha. See you. Later Nar." Gaara then called from the hallway and Sasuke called back,

"Your welcome. Naruto says bye."

The blond smiled at him then moved to take Gaara's spot, sitting closer to Sasuke.

Comfortable?

Sasuke asked and the blond nodded with a smile.

What time is it?

Half past ten. The clock was nine when we got here.

Naruto nodded then lit up and asked,

Have you got a movie we can watch?

Look in the cabinet over there. I am going to clean up here.

Leave my mug.

Naruto signed as Sasuke rose and began putting the mugs back on the tray. The raven nodded and he smiled then rose and padded over to the cabinet Sasuke had pointed at and opened the door. The collection of DVDs were rather impressive.

-Hm. He must like to watch movies then. He or his brother.-

Naruto thought with a wry grin. He liked to watch movies too, but he did it at the cinema when he had money since he didn't own a TV. Looking through the cases, his eyes caught on the cover to the new version of the three musketeers and he pulled it out and looked at it.

Sasuke almost jumped a foot into the air when the loud intro to a movie preview started, dropping a mug back into the hot water and effectively splashing himself. Wet, annoyed and frowning, he walked into living room after he'd picked the mug back up and washed it off before putting it on the dish rack to dry. Naruto looked up from the DVD-player and burst out laughing, the melodic sound making Sasuke frown deeper even than his mood lightened some.

What happened?

he asked and Naruto grinned then signed,

I pressed the wrong button. You look wet.

"Hn. I'm gonna change." Sasuke grunted and began walking towards the bedroom, Naruto's intensive gaze following him. Looking over his shoulder, Sasuke sighed then waved the blond along. The man was up in a matter of seconds and Sasuke had barely entered the room when Naruto followed him, his sky blue eyes wide with curiosity. "As long as you keep out of my way, do as you please." Sasuke said as he walked over to his wardrobe.

Sighing, he picked a white t-shirt out and tossed it onto the bed, noticing that Naruto was going through Itachi's selection of books. He turned back to the wardrobe and picked out a pair of sweat pants and a pair of boxers. Turning with the clothes in his hands, he rose an eyebrow and asked,

"Are you going to stay in here while I change?"

Naruto looked up then smirked. Sasuke snorted then shrugged and said,

"Suit yourself."

Naruto grinned then turned back to the bookshelf as Sasuke shrugged out of his wet shirt. When the blond turned to ask Sasuke if he could loan one of the books, the raven was mostly dressed, just about to pull the t-shirt over his head before he was done. Sasuke's back was turned towards him and Naruto couldn't help but stare, partly because of how beautiful the man was but mostly because of the large tattoo covering the pale skin. A dancing phoenix, wings outstretched and beak open, was almost entirely covering his back, flames of fire surrounding the bird. Naruto was completely taken by how alive the fiery bird seemed as the muscles of the man's back moved when he pulled the t-shirt over his head. The phoenix was tattooed in yellow, red, white and black but mainly orange colors. Just before the white textile of Sasuke's t-shirt covered the image, Naruto noticed what looked like three black commas at the base of his neck, a bit to the left.

Sasuke turned around and found Naruto staring at him with wide eyes and he smirked wryly.

You are staring.

he signed and Naruto started and apologized.

Why a P-H-O-E-N-I-X?

he then asked and Sasuke sighed, his shoulders slumping. Naruto frowned then rose and put the book he held in his hand down, walking around the two beds and wrapping his arms around Sasuke in a hug. The raven let out a soft huff then pressed his face into Naruto's hair, hugging him back. Warm hands were running down his back in long, soothing moves, effectively making him relax.

"Weren't we going to watch a movie?" Sasuke then asked and Naruto nodded, letting go. Sasuke smiled slightly then took the blond's hand and turned, walking back towards the living room.

Sasuke sighed as he rose and stretched his arms above his head, padding over to the DVD-player and shutting it off after he'd picked the movie out. Turning back, his gaze fell on Naruto and he smirked slightly. The blond had been asleep for quite some time, curled up underneath a blanket and a hand tucked under his cheek, snoring lightly. Sasuke shook his head then put the DVD-case back and closed the cabinet as quietly as he could. He walked over to the couch and stared down at Naruto for a moment before he sighed and grabbed the notepad and pencil lying on the table. He scribbled down a note then tore the paper out and placed it on the table before he straightened. He gave Naruto a final look then walked out of the room, switching the lights off in the process. He went to the hallway, locking the door and putting the security chain on. He walked into the bathroom and brushed his teeth before he put the lights out and went to bed, leaving the blond man asleep on his couch.

A/N:

1 : I decided to write what they sign as if they were speaking, mostly. The order of the words are different in ASL and in STS (SSL). When you write a sentence you are going to sign in STS, you write it with capital letters, and as I understand it you also do it when you use ASL. For an example; What's your name? becomes YOUR NAME WHAT?

Names are fingerspelled if the person doesn't have a name sign, in STS and in ASL as well, hence why they are in capital letters.

I repeat; I have very little knowledge about ASL and I've probably broken all the rules there are, but please bear with me. I'm not trying to offend anybody and I apologize if I have.

Until next time,

/ Kickilia

~Written by Kickilia, 2012~