Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the music mentioned.

AN: Updating this was taking forever because, well, I suck at this kinda thing. Pretty much, it's gonna take me a while to finish writing the derby and I'm going on vacation this Monday so my mind is gonna be far away from writing. And it's always hard to get back on track when that happens.

So enjoy this for now, and the last part will get to you when I finish it~

Shortcut

Part 3.1

He couldn't remember a time when he was at such a level of happiness that he felt light on his feet. His mind was incapable of supplying him with memories of times where he was so carefree, and even though he'd only resided within the year 2064 for almost a full week, he was easily wrapping himself up in the moment and slowly drifting further and further away from the past like so. That should bother him, but it didn't. He couldn't dwell on his old life anymore; there was only the road ahead stretching out before him and he was ready to charge forward.

Inhaling deeply and basking in the smell of fresh rubber tires and oil, Naruto removed the lug nuts from the left rear wheel with a revolutionized version of a star wrench while mouthing the lyrics to Green Day's song Blood, Sex and Booze. The music blasting from the speakers of the small dock surrounded him, reverberating off the walls and high ceiling of the garage to give a stadium effect.

Thanks to the recent intimate turn in their relationship ("intimate relationship" just about covered it since neither of them made any formal claims about dating, and he was sure as hell he wasn't going to hear one from Sasuke any time soon), Sasuke had allowed Naruto free reign to the car upon his approval. Naruto was sure that even if he requested to change out the stainless steel muffler for an aluminized muffler, Sasuke wouldn't know the difference and give him the go ahead – of course, Naruto would never switch out stainless steel for aluminized as the stainless steel mufflers were smoother and allowed for better air flow.

Shaking his head at the ludicrous thought, he pulled off the tire with no problem after a hard smack to loosen it, and rolled it over to where he had set the lug nuts so that everything was out of his work space. After opening the sliding caliper, he set to replacing the brake pads.

Green Day faded to an end on his MP3 player and one of Ludo's songs initiated with a bang of drums and heavy strums of the guitar. Humming was never good enough for him so he began to belt out the lyrics with the song, switching between pretending to play the air guitar and drums with the star wrench.

He just barely caught the sound of the door to the garage slamming shut and glanced up at Sasuke as the man descended the stairs. He wasn't the least bit embarrassed to be caught singing off-key, and he even stretched his arms in front of him to point at Sasuke as the chorus began.

"I think I'm entitled to your body, gotta little problem with personal space!" Sasuke paused at the front of the car, a beer in each hand. His lips pressed together in a tight smile that only encouraged Naruto to continue. He stood and began swaying his hips to the beat, which roused a snort from the usually composed man. "And I've been poundin' the jaeger, my breath and behavior have been driving the patrons away."

Naruto lowered his arms and took the beer bottle offered to him, flashing Sasuke what he hoped was a charming smile. He quickly moved to turn down the music.

"Your taste in music is rather…" Sasuke trailed off in search of the proper word.

"Perfect?" Naruto supplied. "Spectacular? Mind-blowing?"

"Mind-blowing is one way of putting it nicely, I suppose." Sasuke took a sip of his beer, his eyes roving over the car where the rear tire was removed. He swallowed and frowned. "What are you doing now?"

Naruto turned to what Sasuke was looking at. "I'm replacing the brake pads. It's a very simple procedure, and it just ensures that the car stops when it's supposed to. Don't wanna go sliding around and crashing into something, right?" The silence had him peering over his shoulder at Sasuke to find a pensive expression shadowing his young visage. "What's wrong?"

Sasuke looked at him in mild surprise, as though unaware of his own expression. "Oh, nothing. Tell me what else you're doing."

Eager to indulge Sasuke's curiosity about the car, Naruto began rattling off his never-ending list of things he wanted to do to the vehicle. It was as though he was a kid again, sitting on Santa's lap at the mall and reciting his extensive Christmas list excitedly.

He was cut off midsentence by a hand trailing up his left bicep, crossing over his chest to trace slender fingers delicately over his collarbone hidden beneath his tight gray shirt. The hand only continued its journey along his body and Naruto folded his lips in between his teeth, biting them in anticipation. Clearly someone wasn't as thrilled about the changes to the car as he was, but he wasn't going to complain while those familiar fingers traced a spiral around his belly button outside his shirt.

He swallowed thickly and grinned. "What's on your mind, Sasuke?"

"Honestly?" Intense graphite eyes met blue and Naruto's pulse accelerated at an alarming rate.

He forced down a smile. "Yeah…"

Sasuke's breath hitched slightly, as if hesitating for an instant. "You."

The smile broke free with absolutely no resistance on Naruto's part. God he felt so fucking special. According to Sasuke, there were 7.2 billion people in the world now, and out of all those individuals, Naruto was the one standing with this man, feeling like he was the most important being in existence. He never felt like this before, and his body was vibrating with energy begging to be released.

Sasuke had no problem helping with that.

They made their way up to Sasuke's bedroom as though they were stumbling drunks, only stopping to make out like teenagers against the wall or nearest piece of furniture. By the time they reached the bed, they were completely naked and wrapped in each other's limbs as they rolled around on the covers.

Naruto's teeth sank into his bottom lip as Sasuke's lips teased the flesh on his jaw and neck with light, fluttering kisses. His arms flew above his head and took purchase in the comforter, flexing his muscles - something that he knew Sasuke secretly appreciated even if he wouldn't admit it aloud. He glanced down and successfully caught a glimpse of those glazed, dark eyes admiring his biceps.

He was so preoccupied with the teeth and tongue torturing his nipples that he hadn't noticed the hand snaking between their bodies, catching him off guard by a sudden squeeze and pull to his erection. "Shi- right…need me to get you ready?" Even while asking the question, he began to sit up to switch their positions. A hand placed firmly on his chest stopped him. "What's up?"

"I," Sasuke cleared his throat. "I took the liberty of getting myself ready throughout the day."

Naruto's eyebrows rose slowly as he processed what he had heard. "You planned this?" Sasuke refused to meet his eyes. It was actually really cute, but he would never tell that to Sasuke's face. Not if he wanted to live to see another day in this blessed future. "All right then. Take me, I'm all yours."

"God, when you say it like that…" Sasuke didn't finish, instead pressing insistent lips to Naruto's. He spread Naruto's legs wide, ignoring the grunt of annoyance from the other man. He couldn't keep his mouth off of taut thighs, leaving opened mouth kisses all the way to the stiff penis encircled by golden curls at the base.

"Fuck, you are soo good at giving head!" Naruto grinned and bit down on a knuckle while Sasuke deep throated him. Was there a course that was given on this sort of thing? Sasuke must have aced that test, because god damn he had Naruto's toes curling with each suck and lick. He would even take one of Naruto's balls in his mouth, making the other man's core temperature rise even further.

Naruto was much more pliant this time around when Sasuke slipped two fingers inside of him, easily focusing on the mouth on him instead. His fingers found themselves twining through Sasuke's hair and marveled for about half a second on how soft is was. Like fine silk slipping through his- ack, whoa, gross, when did he become some sappy poet?

He pushed away such distracting thoughts when Sasuke sat up, leaving his anus with a distant ache while Sasuke moved to the nightstand to get a condom. He took a moment to revel in the feeling of being stretched. It was…weird. His mind couldn't supply a better word at the moment, but it was weird and…hot. He clenched around nothing. Hot as in the temperature sense. Was it supposed to feel so warm down there? He asked Sasuke, who in return gave him an odd look.

"I've heard guys describe it as a burning sensation."

"But it's not burning, it's-" Naruto inhaled sharply at the sudden thrust, Sasuke holding his thighs up while he slid in. "Excuse you, bastard! Mind waiting till I'm done talking before you fuck me?"

Sasuke took a few seconds to answer, catching his breath in short pants. "We can do both…" He muttered and leaned forward to kiss Naruto's frowning lips. He drew his hips back only a little before thrusting back in, his grip on Naruto's thighs tightening. "You were saying?" He kissed Naruto again before he could answer.

Naruto growled into the kiss, making sure to bite Sasuke's lip to convey to the bastard that it was not okay to start sex when he wasn't ready. Nonetheless, he wasn't going to stop Sasuke now; he'd wait until they were done to punch him in his pretty face. For now, the feeling of Sasuke moving in and out of him - somehow familiar despite having only done it once before - was too good to ignore.

Using Sasuke's shoulders for leverage, Naruto met each and every deep thrust, eagerly controlling the speed to his liking. As Sasuke pushed in, Naruto raised his hips to press into Sasuke, and when he pulled out Naruto clenched his anus to make it difficult for Sasuke to leave him. It left Sasuke breathless, gasping fervently against the scarred cheek and setting Naruto on fire. This felt so right; this era, this man on top of him, this moment…Naruto never wanted it to end.

Despite his best efforts, Sasuke did not last till the very end. The thrusts were starting to match up when Sasuke's hips suddenly faltered and he pressed in deep, shuddering and growling in frustration. Seconds ticked by, then a whispered curse fell from his lips as he pulled out carefully, but abruptly.

Sasuke wasted no time filling his mouth with Naruto's cock, breathing through his nose sharply as he took in as much as he could. Fast, wet slurping sounds coupled with heavy panting filled the room.

Naruto barely stood a chance from how forceful Sasuke's mouth was, shouting in his completion. When he was able to open his eyes (he hadn't remembered screwing them shut in the first place), he flinched under Sasuke's intense glare. Had he done something wrong? Called out an ex's name by mistake? "What…?"

"Give me a few minutes. I can go again."

Naruto blinked through his bemusement and euphoria. "Sasuke, it's okay. I'm not disappointed or anything, if that's what you're worked up about."

"No, I…" Sasuke heaved a sigh. He suddenly seemed very uncomfortable, remaining in his position over Naruto only by sheer willpower. This man ran a company. "When we did it the other night…it was amazing. I've never had sex like that."

Naruto was sure his grin would split his face, if Sasuke's death glare didn't burn a hole in it first. He couldn't help it; Sasuke was acting like a teenager who just had their first copulation and couldn't wait to do it again. The CEO of Uchiha Tech was adorable. "So you want to do it again. I get it, I do." He touched a hand to Sasuke's face, stroking his cheek with his thumb and then parted his lips with the digit. "I'm not going anywhere."

His words didn't give Sasuke as much relief as he'd hoped, but at least the Uchiha seemed to consider them. Sasuke inhaled deeply and nodded, leaning past the hand to kiss Naruto, who could taste himself on the other's tongue. It was lazy and gooey, a pleasant representation of how they felt after their earlier activities.

Absolutely nothing came close to this dream-like state that Naruto found himself in every day. When would he have to wake up, he wondered. When he was done fixing the car? Or perhaps Sasuke would keep him around even after that. It was a bit much to hope for, but it wasn't implausible. At least he didn't think so.

Reality wasn't so kind, even if you escaped it for fifty-two years.

His ass swayed in the air as he ducked under the recently replaced hood of the Mustang, tightening anything he suspected might be loose even though he was sure he had placed the engine in right the first time, and caught any mistakes the last two times he checked.

His music was blasting again, despite all the disapproving comments Sasuke made offhandedly about it. "What if a burglar breaks in? He won't even have to sneak up on you." That's what he had said, but then Naruto made a joke about the probability of a thief getting into the house and earned himself an increasingly ineffective glare. He got such heavy doses of that glare since the two weeks he'd been unfrozen.

That was such a weird thing to think about. Even now, as he leaned his forehead against his arm on the raised hood of the car, he still couldn't wrap his brain around how he got here. Sure, he accepted that he was in the future, but he was frozen! How bizarre! Did he look weird while he was stuck in a tube? Did he make a goofy face? How'd he go to the bathroom for that matter, or did he not have to in that state? Oh god, did he wet himself in front of Neji?

These thoughts passed through his head often and he simple brushed them off. Sasuke didn't seem to know the answers when he asked him, and Naruto didn't know how to get in touch with those cousins from the White Eyes Freezer place or whatever it was called.

Then again, there were a lot of things Sasuke didn't answer directly. Like this Mustang…what did he want it for? Naruto had gotten a chance last week to see the car that Sasuke drove on a regular basis, and while he wasn't usually fond of the sleek, modern body style, he could still appreciate that it was a really nice car. And it was electric, too; gasoline cars weren't allowed to be driven on the streets anymore.

So for Sasuke to want this Mustang fixed up to be in working order just to put it in a museum…or at least he assumed that's what Sasuke was going to do with it. Now he wasn't so sure.

Welp, it was nothing worth fretting over! He was given the chance to work with the car of his dreams, inside and out. He was forever grateful to that gorgeous bastard.

Smiling to himself, he returned to shaking his hips to the music. "She's my man, and we got all the balls we need!" He sang the lyrics as he bent forward to check some cables. Satisfied with his handiwork, he backed out from under the hood so that he could close it. "She strangles for a good time, and she kills my self-control. She's my man-"

"Excuse me."

"AHH!" Naruto dropped the hood suddenly, narrowly missing smashing his fingers in the process. Staring wide eyed at the close call, he turned to look at the intruder behind him. The uncanny resemblance to Sasuke caught his attention first, and it was possibly the only reason he didn't go into red alert at seeing a stranger in the garage with him. Then he saw the black tote bag dangling from his hand at his side. Murder weapons?

"Mind turning down the music?" The man asked, nodding his head towards the MP3 dock.

"Uh…" Naruto glanced back at the player nervously. He'd have to turn his back to this man to turn it off, which would leave him vulnerable to any attack. Then again, the man alerted him of his presence…he could have killed Naruto before then, so maybe he honestly wanted to talk. He gazed into black eyes, ascertaining that this guy was intelligent, and also that he had no ill intentions evident on his visage. Swallowing thickly, he muttered, "Yeah, sure."

"Thank you, that's much better." The man said once the music had been turned off.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto pointed an accusing finger at the stranger. There was no doubt he was an Uchiha with those dark eyes and hair. His hair was long and pulled into a low ponytail, shorter bangs framing his pale face. He appeared to have bags under his eyes, but they weren't the least bit unattractive. Wait, did he find this man attractive? Shut up, brain! That's not important right now! "Sasuke didn't mention that any visitors would be stopping by today, so you have five seconds to tell me who you are before I call him!"

"I'm Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's brother." He briefly smirked at Naruto's comical expression of revelation. "And you are…?"

Morbidly embarrassed by his outburst, Naruto wiped his hands furiously on his pants and held out a hand. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki." Itachi shook his hand, his grip firm. "Sorry for…uh…pointing. That was rude of me."

Itachi let out a breathy laugh that had Naruto relaxing immediately. Wow, he was so much easier to talk to than Sasuke was at their first meeting. He recalled what he knew about Sasuke's brother from their conversation at dinner. Itachi had a family (right, he was a dad, so he would already have a softer personality than Sasuke, that made sense), and usually Sasuke ate dinner with them at least once a month. However, Sasuke had mentioned he hadn't had time to visit lately, so maybe Itachi was here because of that?

"So Sasuke finally found someone to fix this piece of vintage." It wasn't a question. He inclined his head towards the car in a silent request to approach it and Naruto realized he was standing in front of the car as though prepared to guard it with his life (which wasn't far from the truth).

Stepping aside, Naruto scratched the back of his scalp self-consciously. He wasn't sure how much he should divulge of his relationship with Sasuke or even the fact that he wasn't from this era. "Yeah, Sasuke hired me to work on it." There, that wasn't completely untrue.

Itachi stepped towards the car, eyeing Naruto as he passed. "Hired, huh?"

Naruto's face flushed at what the tone implicated. He kept his mouth shut, just in case.

"She's a beauty, isn't she?" Itachi asked, suddenly changing the subject. "Sasuke was so excited to get his hands on this car. It's the only genuine model from '65, you know. Almost a hundred years old."

Shaking off the insistent thoughts of how adorable Sasuke could be, Naruto beamed at Itachi's admiration of his favorite car. "Yeah, I've always wanted to own this kind of car when I was a kid. It's been a dream come true to be able to work on the last one."

"Did you manage to get it running? Some other mechanics Sasuke brought in were 'useless', as he so gently put it." Itachi gave a slight smile, setting his car keys on the hood of the car.

"Yeah, I did," Naruto answered distractedly, staring at the keys and squirming where he stood. Don't pester him…don't be OCD…don't…oh fuck it. "Um, could you be careful not to put anything on her? I'm trying not to scratch her."

Obsidian eyes widened for just a moment before Itachi cautiously lifted the keys off the car. "Right, I forgot they like to roll the cars in untouched so the damage has more of an effect."

"Sorry?" Naruto asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"I'm referring to the demolition derby." Itachi said with a slight shrug, glaring down at the spot on the car where he'd laid his keys and checking for any mars.

And like a cold splash of water to his face, Naruto was awake. "Demolition…what?"

"A demolition derby. They hold them every year, and people bid on the car they think will be left standing in the end." Itachi turned his attention to Naruto now, straightening his back and watching his reactions.

Naruto couldn't hide his shock even if he tried. His mouth was suddenly dry, tongue too big to speak. The pit of his stomach was heavy, uncomfortable. He wanted to throw up. He wanted to yell at Itachi. Tell him he didn't believe him. But somehow he knew…somehow…

"But…that's what rednecks do…they…" Why was he still arguing? He didn't want it to be true. Please no, please no, please no…

And he knew, deep down inside, that this wasn't just about the car.

"Oh, that's right. You're the one from the cryogenics lab." Itachi muttered to himself. "In your time, yes, that's true. But these days, people with enough money take vintage cars and wreck them. I don't personally see the thrill in it, but when someone holds a position in society like Sasuke, it's hard to stay out. You know how it is, spending money costs less than keeping it in the bank."

Naruto couldn't hear Itachi beyond the pounding in his ears. He was dizzy, yet the whole room was still. He was…angry. He hadn't felt this kind of anger since…since the first time he was cheated on by one of his exes. Everyone knew but him. All his classmates knew and laughed behind his back because he was clueless. Always being kept in the dark…always…and he was tired of it. He was done with being the dead last after that one time, but it turns out that he couldn't escape it. He would always be the last one to know, even in the future. Why was he such a fool?

"Something tells me you didn't know about all of this." Itachi said, and to Naruto his tone sounded mocking in his enraged state.

Naruto glared menacingly at the older Uchiha. His hands itched to pick up a wrench and bludgeon him to death, but that wouldn't solve anything. It was no use blowing up at the herald of bad news.

Sensing the sudden turn in Naruto's attitude, Itachi began heading towards the stairs. He was as smart as Naruto had initially assessed. "Well, I only stopped by to drop off some tomatoes we grew in our garden back home. Tell him that his niece picked them out." He stopped at the top of the stares and looked back down at the fuming blond. "My brother makes a lot of selfish, senseless decisions, but he never intends to harm others."

Naruto snorted at that, keeping his red vision pinned to the floor of the garage.

"I'll be calling him tonight to make sure he is still well and breathing. Keep that in mind."

With that sly threat hanging in the air, he exited to the kitchen and Naruto turned to kick the tool cart, sending it rolling on its wheels to crash into the wall with a deafening thud. Wrenches, screw drivers, nuts and bolts scattered everywhere, drawers flying open to spill their contents. The damage was minimal compared to the raging emotions that were tearing and hammering at his skull to be let out. Break something he loves! No, sabotage the engine! He can't drive it in the derby if it doesn't work- No. He had too much pride for something so underhanded and despicable.

Seething, huffing sharply through his teeth, he set to work picking everything up and placing them back in their place neatly. He even took the time to organize them by size. He didn't want to think, didn't want to feel, didn't want to know…

Sasuke kissed him the day they met, right in front of that car. They made out on the car. Sasuke finished on the car. And throughout the past week he and Sasuke flirted, touched, kissed, shared looks in front of that car.

And Sasuke was sending it to be destroyed!

There had to be a reasonable explanation. There was always one, especially when it came to the Uchiha. Why would Sasuke have some kind of sentimental attachment to a car he couldn't show off on the road to the public eye? He didn't know anything about mechanics, so there was nothing to tie him down there. He was richer than god, a fucking genius – hence the name of his number one selling product. What possible reason would he have to own a hundred year old car other than to annihilate it for entertainment. For a good laugh- no, no, Sasuke hardly laughed. He wouldn't find a demolition derby comical. He probably sat there, watching them with that insulting eyebrow raised while sipping the finest wine made from the blood, sweat, and tears of suffering men like Naruto.

Damn it, the visual was so clear and cruel in his head that he almost wanted to punch himself in the face for envisioning it. This was not helping him calm down in the least.

"Godfuckingshit!" He swiped his arms across the surface of the toolbox, yet again sending wrenches flying across the floor noisily. "Why didn't you just tell me? Sasuke!"

Sasuke knew…that bastard fucking knew Naruto loved that car! He had spilled his guts out about the history with his girlfriends one night, told Sasuke everything about him, how much he wanted the car, loved vintage cars, even jokingly asked if he could buy the Mustang off Sasuke when he got enough money. And Sasuke, with utter sincerity and a puzzlingly somber expression that Naruto didn't question, had kissed him and whispered to him…

"I'm sorry."

Realization struck abruptly and brutally, leaving every nerve in Naruto's body frayed and numb, like a canon blast had ripped him apart and he could only lay there in shock. Sasuke apologized because he knew the fate of the car, understood Naruto's feelings, and couldn't bring himself to be a real man and tell Naruto the truth. As much as Naruto hated to admit it, Sasuke was trying to spare him the reality of the situation and it was a sweet, however completely misguided gesture. Naruto liked honesty, depended on it, and gave everyone the benefit of the doubt with the genuine belief that if he was honest with people, then they would be honest with him in return.

Nonetheless, it was touching that Sasuke cared about him enough to lie even if Naruto didn't appreciate it. It dulled his anger, and with steadier hands he picked up the tools off the floor and set back to sorting them one by one.

Before he knew it, hours had passed and the door to the kitchen opened to reveal Sasuke, dressed in one of those dark suits that looked so dapper on him. Usually Naruto's first instinct was to wolf whistle at the sight of him, but at the moment it took ever last ounce of his self-control not to fling a wrench at the bastard. His earlier anger was back and bubbling up around his neck, making it hard to breathe regularly.

"Are you done for the day? I brought home dinner…" Sensing the dim atmosphere, the lack of outdated music blaring being a big give away, Sasuke swallowed and glanced between Naruto and the car. "What's wrong? Did something happen to the car?"

"Don't pretend you care." Naruto snapped, balling his hands into fists at his side.

Sasuke glared down at him. "Excuse me?" he hissed, turning to descend the stairs.

"Don't pretend you care about this car, you fucking bastard! You never cared! You just want to see it rammed into until there's nothing left, so don't feign concern for the car, or for me!"

Sasuke didn't falter in approaching him, coming to a halt right in front of him with his arms crossed over his chest. "How did you find out?"

"It doesn't matter," Naruto didn't back down, puffing out his chest in defiance. "You lied to me-"

"I never lied." Sasuke clipped. "And as your employer I demand that you tell me how you found out."

The fury that had been cut in half from prior musings was surging through Naruto's veins once more. How dare Sasuke look at him with such accusing eyes, such a haughty stance?

"Tell. Me."

Naruto considered withholding the information. It would serve the bastard right for keeping this from him. No…he wouldn't stoop to that level. Begrudgingly he admitted, "Your brother came by."

Sasuke's eyebrows pulled together in a deep frown, but he said nothing more. What was he thinking? Naruto wanted to know…but more importantly…

"How could you?" Naruto shouted, not caring about the spittle that now peppered his chin. "You know how much this car means to me, Sasuke! Why would you want to destroy it?"

Sasuke scoffed. "Don't think this is about you. It's a popular pastime for people of my status, I've just never had a working piece of vintage to enter a derby till now."

Oh how Naruto wanted to punch him in the face…hell, what was stopping him?

Reeling his fist back, Naruto landed the hit right on Sasuke's left cheekbone, causing the business man to stumble back a couple of steps. He winced at the pain that shot through his knuckles, shaking his hand out to the side to loosen up the muscles. To his surprise, Sasuke took the punch quite well. He half expected the asshole to curl up on the floor like a baby and grip his face or something, but Sasuke just stared back at him, red cheek and black eyes bright. It just annoyed Naruto even more. "Is this the only reason you had me unfrozen? This was the plan from the very beginning?" He knew the answer already.

Sasuke's eyelids fell a tad bit. "Yes."

Naruto punched him again, this time without aim and hitting Sasuke in the jaw. "You fucking bastard!"

Sasuke glared darkly at him, but he refused to hit Naruto back, taking the punches in silence. He waited until Naruto's breathing had settled, the adrenalin leaving his system. "You volunteered yourself for this sort of thing, I don't know why you're so angry."

Fucking god damn it! The bastard sounded so damn calm, he hated it! But even worse, there it was again! Sasuke still thought he had agreed to being cryogenically frozen. Sure, he never told him otherwise, but it never seemed the time. "Volun-" He had to stop to gulp for air. "Volunteered? I did no such thing! You think I willingly let myself get put under and stuck inside a freezer for fifty-two years? No! I was tricked, Sasuke! I was told I'd be testing out new vaccines, but they lied! Essentially, I was kidnapped and then sold to you!"

Finally, an honest reaction. Sasuke's eyes dilated, but then they quickly narrowed into a contemplative frown. For a few seconds he couldn't meet Naruto's eyes, sounding hesitant as he spoke. "Well…human trafficking isn't completely uncommon in that business…I'll have a talk with Hyuuga-"

"That's not even the point here, Sasuke! I've told you everything! You know about my dreams to own a car like this, and you're destroying one of the last ones in the world for sport!"

"What do you want me to do, Naruto?" Sasuke raised his voice, finally getting exasperated, which suited Naruto just fine.

"I want you to pull out of the fucking derby!"

"Well I can't." Sasuke retorted. "I've already placed a bid, and likewise bids have been placed on the car."

Naruto stared at him in disbelief. There had to be some way to…well, he wasn't sure. He didn't know how these things worked in his own time, let alone this one. He looked at the car, flicking his gaze between it and Sasuke, the bruises forming on Sasuke's face, back to the car, back to Sasuke's eyes. The pale visage was passive, but those eyes revealed the emotions warring within him. He could see that Sasuke wanted to help him, but clearly his hands were tied by something beyond Naruto's comprehension.

He cared for Sasuke, he really did, and he wasn't going to let something out of their control bring a conclusion to their relationship (he used the term loosely), but it simply wasn't in his nature to stand by and watch his dream slip from his grasp – right there…it was right there. How did that saying go? 'You can't have your cake and eat it, too?' Well that was stupid. He wanted to have the damn cake and he would devour it if he wanted to! He was willing to fight tooth and nail for what he wanted, and that was currently two things, both there in the garage with him.

"Fine. Then I'm going to drive the car in the derby."

"I already have a driver." Of course that would be Sasuke's initial reaction.

"Then fire them."

"It's too dangerous. I won't let you."

Why Sasuke's concern made him giddy at a time like this was beyond him – he would hold off on the need to kiss him until later. He fisted the front of Sasuke's shirt and tugged him forward so that they were a breath apart. "You're going to fire that driver. If I drive the car, I can prevent it from getting any major damage and then I can fix it afterwards."

Sasuke kept his eyes on Naruto's heated blue ones. "If you win, people will expect me to put it in the next round."

"Then turn them down. You will turn them down, Sasuke."

Sasuke glanced down at Naruto's lips then looked back up quickly, but it was too late. Naruto saw the look and did not hesitate in taking advantage of Sasuke's fleeting weakness, kissing him roughly.

"You want me badly, huh?" Naruto smirked into the kiss.

"I don't want you to get hurt." Sasuke said on a more somber note, not quite matching Naruto's fierce pace.

Naruto stilled against him, down casting his eyes to Sasuke's bruising cheek. He caressed Sasuke's face and kissed the injury with utmost tenderness, feeling Sasuke's eyelashes flutter against his own cheek. "I won't." he promised.

"You will," Sasuke insisted in an urgent tone. "I've seen how people come out of these things, Naruto. It's never pretty, even when they win."

"You have to trust me."

Sasuke's gaze bore deep into Naruto. "I do trust you."

Naruto's smile was wide enough to make his eyes shut. He could tell it was always going to be hard to hold a grudge against Sasuke in the future. "Then let me drive her in the derby."

"You'll do it whether or not I want you to…" Sasuke sighed in defeat.

"True, but it'd be nice having your consent."

Sasuke took hold of Naruto's wrist and forced him to release his hold by pressing his thumb punishingly into a pressure point, proving that Sasuke could probably take care of himself in a fight – probably even trained by a professional because he could afford that kind of luxury – and was simply allowing Naruto to take his frustrations out on him. The severe grip that lingered on Naruto's wrist served as a silent warning for Naruto to not try hitting him again unless he was ready to be met with Sasuke's own fighting experience. "Fine. But if you get hurt…" Naruto rolled his eyes and Sasuke gave him a warning pinch to a sensitive spot on his waist. "All right, I get it. No lectures. I know you hate those."

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, thanks."

"But I'm serious, Naruto."

Swallowing thickly, Naruto nodded his understanding. When Sasuke looked at him that way, as if he was handing over his very soul to Naruto, it was simply too much and he couldn't find any words that were good enough for the man before him.

"If you're done in here, then let's go eat dinner. We have a lot to discuss now." Sasuke turned to the stairs, but Naruto stopped him before he went too far.

"Hey, sorry about yelling at you earlier. And…punching you." Naruto grinned sheepishly.

"You're not sorry about hitting me." Sasuke deadpanned.

"No, I guess 'm not…but hey! You can punch me back if want! Anywhere at all, go ahead." Naruto spread his arms and legs, leaving himself completely open for an attack.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and continued his way up to the kitchen. "I'm not going to hit you, moron. I'll exact my revenge some other way. You won't know when it'll come, so you can be at ease…for now."

Naruto gulped. Revenge? Something told him that no one ever wanted to be on the receiving end of Sasuke's vengeance. He had an endless list of resources to go by, and something told Naruto that Sasuke had done this sort of thing before. Best to play it safe and stay on his good side for a few days…or weeks.

"Naruto, move it." Sasuke commanded in that deep voice that made Naruto's loins ache. "Your dinner is going to get cold." He didn't have to tell him twice, Naruto racing up the stairs and colliding into Sasuke's back as they went through the door.

Dinner consisted of udon noodles from some chic Japanese cuisine restaurant that Sasuke seemed fond of when he spoke of it. Setting two black plastic bowls with lids on the counter, he went to a drawer and asked, "Do you need a fork or can you use chopsticks?"

"Uh…" Naruto sat in front of one of the bowls and lifted the lid carefully. "I think 'm gonna need that fork. I've never used chopsticks before."

"Really?" Sasuke sounded intrigued more than condescending.

Naruto took the fork Sasuke held out to him. "Well, you know, my foster parents never got us sushi and stuff 'cause it's so expensive, and living on my own didn't give me a chance to indulge in the stuff. But this smells great."

"I think you'll like it." Sasuke smirked and set about his own bowl with a pair of black chopsticks. As they set about eating, Naruto scarfing down his food without choking somehow, - Sasuke had done well in guessing tempura udon for that idiot - Sasuke finished chewing and cleared his throat. "When's the last time you've driven a car?"

Naruto choked on the broth, turning to Sasuke with wide eyes full of dread. Swallowing, he grinned sheepishly. "Uh, well…I got my license, but I never owned a car of my own, so…not since I was sixteen."

Sasuke glared at him. "You want me to let you drive the derby but you've never driven before?"

"Hey, I've driven! I had to drive to get my license!" Pouting, he looked up at the ceiling. "I just haven't driven in…76 years?" He winced at the number.

"The derby is in a month." Sasuke announced.

"Whoa, what?" Naruto chewed on his bottom lip with worry. Was Sasuke going to call off their deal because of that? He severely hoped not, but the food in his stomach churned with anticipation as Sasuke looked on at him, contemplative.

"If I find you a track to practice on, will you be ready by then?" Sasuke finally asked.

Naruto's face lit up in excitement. "You'd do that for me?"

"Of course." Sasuke lifted some noodles out of the bowl, dropping them when he noticed Naruto staring at him. "What?"

"You're amazing, bastard!" Naruto threw his arms around Sasuke's neck. "Will you teach me how to drive, too?"

"I don't have time for that. I'll find you an instructor. The Mustang is an automatic, so it'll be easy." Sasuke tilted his head away from the annoying puckered lips that were trying to leave sloppy kisses on his cheek.

"I was kidding about the teacher, bastard. I remember how to drive an automatic. I'm very familiar with the PRNDL." He snickered at his joke. He only laughed louder at Sasuke's perplexed expression. "Sorry, sorry, it's a joke from a show before your time."

"You're a moron." Sasuke sighed. He pulled his Genius from his pants pocket and opened his contacts list. He didn't have to look for long before he was selecting a name and placing the phone to his ear. It rang once before the other line picked up. "Sakura," he said as if it was a word and not his assistant's name. "I need you to compile a list of nearby racetracks, both public and privately owned, within an eighty mile range of Lakeview. Have it ready and email it to me in two hours."

Naruto frowned at the abrupt command. He'd seen Sakura only once since his first encounter with her in the garage, and it had been brief due to her merely stepping into the foyer to drop off shopping bags containing clothes for Naruto upon Sasuke's request. At least he had gotten to ask her a few questions, like how things were going for her since she was engaged. It was a pleasant conversation, very casual and warming, before she excused herself because she had to get back to the office.

What he had gathered from that little bit of time with her was that she didn't mind at all working for Sasuke because he held her in high regard and allowed her time off when she needed it. "He only sounds like one of those harsh bosses, but it's all just a front." Sakura had assured him with a bizarre wink that made Naruto laugh.

"Yes, he's sitting right next to me." Sasuke said guardedly, drawing Naruto from his thoughts. A few seconds of silence went by before Sasuke spoke again. "I'll tell him for you. Goodbye." He set the phone on the counter before turning back to Naruto.

"What did Sakura say?" Naruto asked cheerily.

Sasuke sighed in irritation. "Just wanted to tell you hi."

"You should have let me talk to her!" Naruto whined. "What's her number? I want to text her."

"I don't want you distracting my employee with your mindless babbling." Sasuke said while reaching for his phone yet again.

"I won't be distracting her! Do you know how lonely it can get when you're only company is a car and a business magnate that's working half the time? I want friends!" Naruto let out a long, drawn out sigh to further express his vexation.

"Are you saying I don't give you enough attention?" Sasuke asked in mild amusement, blatantly overlooking the point of Naruto's complaining. Before Naruto could answer, Sasuke's phone rang and he looked down at the screen before answering it. "Itachi," he said coolly. "I heard you came by today."

Naruto's gut clenched in apprehension, though he wasn't sure why. Itachi had kept his word about calling his brother that night, and Sasuke was indeed alive and well. Naruto hadn't done anything wrong – wouldn't have murdered Sasuke whether Itachi warned him against it or not – yet he still felt fear. Why though? Itachi had been easy enough to talk to, much easier that Sasuke was initially. He shouldn't feel nervous.

"Tomatoes?" Sasuke inquired, looking at Naruto with that eyebrow of his raised above the other. "No, he didn't tell me. We've been preoccupied with more pressing matters."

Naruto looked down at his lap when a pale hand began stroking his knee tenderly. He flashed Sasuke a lopsided grin before going back to watching the hand's ministrations.

"Well tell Hotaru I said thank you for the tomatoes. I'm sure they're going to be delicious. Should I tell her myself?" Sasuke's hand traveled further up Naruto's thigh. "Is that so? What'd she do this time?" Sasuke listened for a minute before chuckling, the rich, deep sound warming Naruto to the core a lot faster than the hand on his leg. "Go easy on her. I was the same when I was her age. What? You take that back."

Sensing that the conversation was going to go on for a while, Naruto slid off the bar chair and began cleaning up, silently gesturing to Sasuke's food to make sure it was okay to clear away. He threw away the containers and washed his fork and their glasses while Sasuke got up and left the kitchen.

He let out a heavy breath, eyes wide as he watched a running drop of water slide down the wall of the stainless steel sink, gathering more droplets and growing larger by the second. He was going to drive in a demolition derby. When he told Sasuke that he wanted to drive the car, he had been in the moment, desperately seeking ways to make sure the car would be okay. Now he was terrified out of his mind. He didn't know how to pull off fancy avoidance maneuvers like in movies where the hero is in a high speed chase. Not only that, he was going to be put in a confined space where all the other drivers had only one intention, and that was to ram into any other moving vehicle in the ring.

No, he couldn't give up just because he was scared. He would leave the worrying to Sasuke and focus solely on practicing with the Mustang. He'd think up some clever drills to get ready and watch videos, do research, and really understand what he had to deal with. He would be prepared. As a Literature teacher in high school once quoted to him, if it is to be, it is up to me.

Naruto fooled around with the MP3 player, searching for the most appropriate song he could think of as he sat behind the wheel of the Mustang, engine roaring with life as the vehicle sat in park behind the starting line of the 1.8 mile track. The stretch of road looked wide and empty since he was the only one there, it was almost creepy. Sasuke had pulled some strings to find him this privately owned track that wasn't in use and only a thirty minute drive from Sasuke's house.

Finding the song he wanted, Naruto pressed play and the speakers of the old car began to pulse with the familiar guitar riff. Thank god Sasuke had replaced the old radio in the dash because Naruto needed his music to keep him concentrated and motivated. The drums started and Naruto revved the engine, the sound echoing loudly off the stands. Grinning manically, Naruto thrust the gear into drive just as Bon Scott's coarse voice began to carry the lyrics, foot slamming down on the pedal and the force pushing Naruto back against the leather seat.

"Fuck YES!"

The car swerved, but he corrected the wheel quickly and straightened out, taking his foot off the accelerator to gain control back. Okay, he wasn't doing that again. His back and neck were sore from the takeoff, and he could only imagine what Sasuke was thinking after seeing that foolish attempt at a high speed start. He could just visualize the bastard shaking his head in dismay, and the image alone made Naruto's cheeks flare in embarrassment.

But wow, that was amazing! 270 horsepower of raging awesome! The grin plastered on his face could possibly be stuck like that permanently and he didn't give two shits because he was finally driving his dream, and it felt even better than he'd ever imagined. Oh god, was he hard? He laughed despite the tingling of arousal in his groin.

The first turn was coming up and he eased left, staying on the outer edge of the track. After that tiny mishap, he was going to take things gently despite getting hyped up just moments ago due to Highway to Hell blasting through the speakers. The Mustang was like a girl on a first date with a new guy. She knew the ropes, had done it all before, but still needed to be warmed up almost like it was her first time. He kept a steady speed of 45 MPH until he had circled around completely.

He could see Sasuke standing in the middle row of seats, arms folded across his chest as his eyes followed the car closely. He knew Sasuke was watching, he could feel the prickling of the gaze on the back of his neck, hairs standing on end despite the sweat rolling down him from the heat inside the car. It did nothing to calm Naruto's excitement, and on a strange impulse to show off, Naruto applied more pressure to the gas and yanked hard on the wheel, pulling off a couple of neat rotations. White smoke from the friction enveloped him and the Mustang as he came to a halt, and the smell of burning rubber wafted through the air, causing him to gag and send a silent apology to the vehicle. To escape the smell and smog, Naruto steered the car into the clear area of the track in front of him before speeding around the loop as if being chased.

50 MPH…55…60…70…soon he was pushing 85 MPH and screaming along with AC/DC's Shoot To Thrill at the top of his lungs even though he could barely find his voice. Fuck modesty, there was no one here besides Sasuke, and the bastard wouldn't be shocked to see him like this. Power felt good, and the power of an engine was the only kind Naruto needed. He was free, soaring over asphalt, living his dream in the moment. The only thing that could make this any better was if he was on open road, Sasuke sitting beside him in the passenger seat, and all of their belongings in the trunk because there was nothing to tie them down. No house, no company, no obligations…

His foot slowly eased off the pedal and the MPH meter in the dashboard lowered considerably. Why was Sasuke suddenly a part of his dream? Even when he was dating girls, none of them made an appearance in his expectations for the future with him and his car; he was supposed to fly solo until he met 'the one', so why now? Why did Sasuke stand above the others? They weren't even dating, just messing around and reveling in each other's company.

Nothing had changed between them, not really. It was more like a light had been shed on the situation suddenly, and Naruto was able to see everything crystal clear. And the funny part was that it wasn't hard at all to admit to himself that he might be in love with Sasuke. It wasn't difficult, but it was still scary. After the derby, after everything was done and over with, if Sasuke told him to leave Naruto knew he'd be devastated. It would be the worst break up he'd ever experience, and he wasn't even dating the damn bastard. What have you gotten yourself in this time, Naruto Uzumaki?

He was going 10 MPH now, and nearing the finish line. A part of him wanted to floor it and circle the track till there was nothing of him left, just the body of Naruto, his thoughts frozen in moments passed and no longer relevant. But they'd catch up to him, snapping him in the face like a rubber band. If he crossed that line – oh god, Sasuke was there and looking at him – he would step out of the car and feel more naked than ever before.

Has there been any sign that Sasuke wouldn't want him back in every way Naruto wanted him? Naruto tried to think hard, placing his foot on the brake and leaning his forehead against the top of the steering wheel. He was ten feet away from the finish line, ten yards from the man he was in love with, ten seconds away from spilling his guts.

What the hell was wrong with him? He'd never gotten this hung up over a girl, even ones he knew he had no chance with but still gathered the courage to ask them out anyway. How could Sasuke feel so untouchable when they'd come this far together? Damn it, they've sucked off each other's cocks several times! Neither was above the other, but at the same time, Sasuke was out of reach. He had a name for himself, a company, an image, a social standing. Who was Naruto compared to that? A loser with only five dollars to his name and the ability to fix cars that no one cared about anymore. Why would Sasuke want to be with someone like him?

But Sasuke kissed him first. Sasuke wanted him first. Sasuke knew what Naruto wanted when they started this, and he handed over a very fragile, very insecure part of himself to Naruto. Naruto didn't laugh at him. He wouldn't just send Naruto away after something like that. There was a chance for them. It was there, like a bell, and all they needed was for one of them to ring it. Well hell, if Naruto didn't love a challenge; he was going to ring that bell first.

Putting the car in park, he hopped out of the Mustang and ran up the steps into the stands to meet Sasuke. "My heart's pounding like crazy!" he beamed, wiping sweat from his forehead with his gloved hand. "I've never been inside a car with so much horsepower! It's amazing!"

Sasuke snorted and adjusted the aviator sunglasses higher on his nose. "You really seemed to be enjoying yourself out there."

"Definitely, but I'm gonna need to change out the tires before the derby, because the exercises I have planned are going to wear out the ones on there now." Naruto said, watching Sasuke pull out his phone to make a memo of what he was saying. He studied Sasuke's sharp jawline and watched him closely as he swallowed, the Adam's apple bobbing and throat tensing.

I love you.

"What kind do you want?" Sasuke asked, looking at him.

Naruto smiled and shrugged. When they first met, Sasuke would always ask Naruto what he needed. Now it was what Naruto wanted. "I'll look at the numbers on the tires later, don't worry about it right now."

I love you!

Sasuke pocketed the phone. "All right, then. I have to head into the office now. My driver's waiting. Will you be okay on your own?"

"Yeah," I love you. "I'll be fine."

"Do you have your phone?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes."

"Is it charged?"

"Yes, mom." God, I love you so much.

"Lovely attitude you've got there." Sasuke retorted halfheartedly before taking out his wallet and handing him four fifty dollar bills. "Just in case you get hungry."

Naruto took the money. "I'll see you at lunch, right?"

Sasuke nodded curtly. "I'll pick you up around one and we can go out to eat or if you want to take a shower first…" Behind the sunglasses, eyes as black as a beetle's wings raked over Naruto's body.

"Sounds good," Naruto stepped forward and pulled Sasuke into a kiss with an arm around his shoulders. What had he been worrying about on the track? There was no doubt in his mind that Sasuke wanted him back just as much with the way the Uchiha was kissing the breath out of him. The arms hugging him tightly around the waist were just the right kind of constriction that made his earlier arousal kick back into gear. "Hey," he breathed into Sasuke's lips.

"Mm?" Sasuke appeared hilariously disoriented with his sunglasses askew and heavy eyelids.

"I know you have to go to work now, but I want you to know…" I love you. "I'm horny."

Sasuke let a small smile slip for a few seconds, just long enough for Naruto to truly register it as a smile, before pulling back and readjusting his glasses. "Hold that thought. Keep it until I come pick you up."

"Ha, okay." Naruto chuckled. "Have a good day at work, darling dear."

Sasuke snorted. "What are we, a married couple?"

Naruto hummed in response. "I've never gotten a chance to say that, ya know? It's just nice."

"It is…" Sasuke said, looking him up and down unabashedly before turning to leave.

Naruto's grin widened little by little until Sasuke was out of sight. "He was totally just checking me out."

"It's a little tight…" Naruto grumbled at the door, pulling at the seat of the jumpsuit, but the material slipped from his fingers. He writhed in his spot for a few moments before sighing and picking up the helmet and keys from the counter. He had to step back in the cramped bathroom just to open the door, flooding the dim space with the white light of the VIP room reserved for the Uchiha Tech president. "Didja hear me?"

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Sasuke. It was clear that the guy wasn't paying any mind to his complaints of discomfort with the way those jet black eyes were raking over his body like it was his favorite flavor of cake, which made absolutely no sense seeing as Sasuke hated sweets. Maybe a freshly picked tomato? Or a cock, because- no, that was going too far. It wasn't even funny anymore, merely unnerving. At least he didn't have to ask how he looked; the tent forming in the other man's trousers made it very clear just what Sasuke thought of the ensemble.

As if to confirm Naruto's thoughts, Sasuke licked his lips before releasing a shuddering breath. "I have to say, seeing you wearing my family's crest is a real turn on."

Naruto looked down at himself, twisting his head around to get a good look. He had been aware that the red and white fan was the Uchiha Tech logo, but he didn't know it doubled as the Uchiha family crest. That must have been a pretty big deal to have such an important signature literally everywhere; an even bigger deal for Sasuke to have it sewn to the shoulders, back, and left breast of the black leather jumpsuit that Naruto was going to wear while driving his Mustang in the derby. Territorial, horny bastard.

Nonetheless, Naruto beamed with smugness. "Glad you like it," he said, continuing to pull at the seat of the suit.

"I like it a lot," Sasuke muttered, circling around Naruto like a vulture. He slapped Naruto's hand away from the material. "It hugs your body perfectly."

"A little too- hey!" Despite weeks of remarkable sex with the man, his cheeks flushed at the sudden pinch to his ass. Smirking, he turned to Sasuke. "Hey now," he drawled teasingly. "I have to head to the pit in a couple of minutes, ya know."

All flirting and humor flitted from Sasuke's visage in the blink of an eye. "You're sure you want to do this?"

Naruto was taken aback by the sudden mood swing. He quickly sobered up. "Definitely."

Sasuke's throat and jaw tightened, the way it usually did when he pulled such stern expressions. "Then you better come out of this in one piece."

"Me or the car?"

There was a pause. "Both."

"That's what I want to hear." Naruto broke into a smile.

"I know, that's why I said it." He looked at the car keys in Naruto's gloved hand, distracted. "Naruto, I-"

"Sasuke," Naruto intervened quickly. He knew it was coming. It was bound to; they had been holding out for the past month with the words hanging in the air above their heads like a bright neon sign, blinking and very distracting. But not yet; he wasn't ready yet. He had to prove himself first, to both himself and Sasuke. "After I win this thing, I have something to tell you."

Sasuke swallowed visibly. Probably the words he was about to say. "I'll be waiting."

Naruto chuckled – oh god, that was so cheesy. Changing the subject as to break up any awkwardness between them, he asked, "How much did you bet on the car anyway?"

Sasuke shrugged, eyes distant. "A lot more than I meant to."

"Oh? How much?" A dead stare was his only answer, and then it clicked. Naruto's shoulders sagged a bit. "Oh…"

"So you better not lose."

"I won't. Believe it."

An announcement for the drivers to get to their vehicles echoed through the building, startling both the men out of their thoughts.

"That's my bat signal. See you later, Sasuke." Naruto gave a half smile and wave before turning and jogging off to the garage the Mustang was in, completely missing the hand that reached out for him.

TBC