"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Sasuke sighed out from his place in the water.
Akashi turned around, the ever present grin on his face, "It's because you love me~" he sent him a wink and slowly swam towards him, "Do you hate it? It's summer and it's hot."
Well... Sasuke didn't hate it. The cool water actually felt nice on his skin, "I don't hate it, but is midnight swimming necessary?" The only source of light they had was the moon above their heads.
"Come on~ We've never done something like this." Akashi reached his arms forward and wrapped them around Sasuke's shoulders just as his legs went around his hips.
Sasuke moved back a little, just so he could stand on stable ground. His hands found their way under Akashi's thighs, "Was the bareness also necessary?"
Akashi had also somehow talked him into doing everything... naked. Yes. He actually said yes to that, "Well... We're alone. There's nobody around," the boy in his arms tilted his head, "What? Shy someone's going to see you in all your... glory?" He grinned, tightening his legs.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, "Shameless."
"As if you mind." Akashi closed the distance between them.
_
"That was refreshing." Akashi said, walking in front of Sasuke.
Refreshing? Sasuke was... drained. Quite literally, "Nice to see your mood improved." He sighed, not looking in front of himself. Not a moment later, he slammed into something. Blinking, he noticed Akashi had stopped, "Why did you stop?"
The redhead was looking to the side, and Sasuke did the same. Oh. He then realised what he was looking at.
Training Ground 3.
"How many years has it been since we've been there together?" Akashi's question broke through the silence, "You and I." The last part was almost whispered.
Too many. They were 12 then, and now... "Seven years." Just saying the words out loud made his chest constrict. Seven full years had passed since that day.
"Wanna spar?" And there it was.
Sasuke let out another sigh. It was just like Akashi to change the subject so quickly, "After... that? Are you sure you can take me on?" He glanced at him.
A small laugh left the redhead's lips as he faced Sasuke, "Come on, if I survived that," Sasuke watched as Akashi's eyes trailed down to his... Seriously... Shameless... "I think I can survive anything." He grinned innocently, but there was nothing innocent about his words.
"What am I going to do with you?" Sasuke shook his head, exasperated.
"I have a couple of things in mind, but after we spar." Without another word, Akashi made his way onto the training grounds.
Sasuke reluctantly followed after him, a tired expression on his face.
_
"So, what is allowed and what isn't?" He asked as he stretched, not looking at Sasuke, "Full power or?" He straightened up, reaching his arms over his head.
"Do you want to destroy everything?" Sasuke asked, raising his brows.
Now that Akashi thought about it, he was positive they would obliterate more than the training ground they were on if they sparred with everything they had, "Not really. How about..." he trailed off, thinking of what they could do, "No weapons or Ninjutsu, just Taijutsu?" He proposed, tilting his head.
"That seems like the most... safest choice." Sasuke agreed, before he raised his hand in a hand-sign. Akashi sensed that the seal on his eye had been broken, "That reminds me... How are you at Taijutsu? Back in the academy you were quite good at it."
Well, it has been a while since Akashi only used his arms and legs to fight, "Who knows. I think I'm kind of rusty at using only Taijutsu, but we'll see," he went into a stance, "I think I should be able to ground you." He sent Sasuke a shameless wink.
"You'll be the one on the ground." Sasuke shifted his feet, going into a more comfortable position.
Akashi laughed at his words, "Hey, it's a win-win situation for me. Doesn't matter if you're below or above me."
Shaking his head, Sasuke took a step forward and lunged at Akashi, not wasting a second. Akashi, kinda surprised, stumbled to the side to evade a punch, "No fair!" He whined, ducking under another hit. Sasuke said nothing in reply and Akashi huffed. He spun around an incoming kick, and whipped his hand to the side, landing a clean hit to the back of Sasuke's neck.
_
The raven-haired boy took a few steps back with unfocused eyes. Akashi almost knocked him out with a single hit, "Am I mistaken, or did you say you were rusty?" Sasuke questioned, taken aback at Akashi's fluid movements.
"I am." Akashi replied.
Narrowing his eyes, Sasuke went at him again, keeping a better eye on his movements. Akashi's style of fighting was much different from his or Naruto's. He focused more on vital spots, like the back of the neck. He was also still faster than Sasuke, even without the Flying Thunder God. Sasuke side-stepped a quick jab, but failed to see the other hand. Something slammed into his shoulder and he whipped to the side, almost knocked off balance.
This style of fighting was kind of overwhelming for Sasuke.
Without a word, Akashi disappeared from his sight and the next thing Sasuke knew, he was on the ground, the breath knocked out of him, "I told you I would ground you." A weight settled over his stomach and he was met with Akashi's bright eyes.
"As did I." Surging up, Sasuke somehow managed to flip their positions so that Akashi was beneath him. He looked down at the boy with a smug expression.
"I also said it doesn't matter if you're below or above me." Akashi gave him a childish grin.
And in that moment, Sasuke knew.
Akashi definitely wasn't just a lover to him.
_
Contrary to Akashi's previous words, the first thing the boy did when they got home was sleep. He barely managed to undress himself and put on his pyjamas, before he promptly fell asleep.
Not that Sasuke was complaining. His neck still throbbed from Akashi's hit.
He laid down on the futon, next to the sleeping Akashi, and just... looked at him. Akashi was nuzzled into the pillow, half of his face hidden by the fabric of it, but it was enough for Sasuke. He could still see him.
His nose, his lips, his closed eyes. He still saw him.
He watched his shoulders move as soft breaths left him. Then, Akashi shifted. He shifted just enough so he was touching Sasuke. His hair tickled Sasuke's chin, but he dared not move away.
Slowly, as to not wake him up, Sasuke took hold of the thin sheet and brought it over their bodies. It may be summer, but he didn't wish for him to get a cold or something.
Then, as he felt his own eyes grow heavy, he placed his hand on Akashi's back and lightly pulled him forward, slotting their bodies together.
_
Months passed before Sakura's project was ready.
"So it's ready?" Akashi asked, not being able to hide the excitement in his voice, "Like, really, really ready?" He practically bounced on his feet.
A hand was placed on his shoulder, holding him down, "If you continue like that, you'll go through the roof." Sasuke's calm voice stopped him from any further jumping.
"Meany, I'm just excited!" Akashi whined, staring at Sasuke..
"I know." Sasuke's grip on his shoulder tightened and Akashi could see it from the way his jaw was clenched.
He was also excited. Very much so.
"Yes, only a few more days are needed to check the equipment and make sure there are no faults," Sakura explained while flipping through her notes, "In the meantime, you can find Karin."
Akashi, even more excited, turned to Sasuke with wide eyes, "We're going on an adventure!" He took his hands in his own, a grin on his face. When he received no reply, Akashi blinked, "Is something wrong? You're... unusually quiet."
"Actually, I'll be getting Karin and you'll be staying here." Was Sasuke's reply.
Even more confused, Akashi tilted his head, "Huh? Why?"
Sasuke leaned forward and placed his palm on Akashi's cheek, "You've been holed up with me all of the time... You've barely spent any time with Naruto and Sakura, you haven't even talked with Kakashi," he gently brushed his skin, "Even the others, you made no contact with them."
Akashi understood where he was going with that. It was the truth. He didn't want to be away from Sasuke. And yet, "I'm mad." He mumbled out, averting his eyes.
"I know." Sasuke whispered.
"I'm really mad."
"I know," Sasuke brushed his lips over his cheek, "I'll be back before you know it."
Akashi gripped Sasuke's shirt in his hands and leaned back, "Come back in one piece, please." He watched as Sasuke's expression softened, a small smile gracing his features.
"I'll always come back to you," Sasuke said, "There's nothing in this world that could keep me away from you."
Akashi could name one thing that could.
_
Akashi was forced to watch as Sasuke went further and further away, until he couldn't see him anymore.
His heart ached.
_
About two or so hours later, Akashi was dragged outside by Naruto. Apparently, Naruto had heard about Sasuke's leave and decided it was best Akashi wasn't alone.
It was such a Naruto-thing to do.
"Sakura and Kakashi-sensei agreed to meet with us at my place!" He cheerily explained, "Kakashi-sensei will also be bringing... drinks. I think mom wouldn't mind us making an exception for today."
"You mean alcohol? How did they even agree to that?" Akashi asked, allowing himself to be pulled by Naruto.
"Sakura understood that you're sad Sasuke isn't here and I told Kakashi-sensei that you suffer from a broken heart." Naruto grinned at him.
As expected of Naruto.
_
"It so wasn't a good idea to let him drink!" Akashi heard Sakura's whisper-yell, "I told you!" From the corner of his eyes, he saw her point at Kakashi. Her arm was shaking, probably because she had also drank too much.
"There's nothing wrong with him." Kakashi brushed her off as he poured himself another glass.
"Nothing? Look at him!" She pointed at Naruto, who was almost passed out, "He can barely move! Just look at him!" Her voice went higher the more she spoke.
Kakashi raised his brows and looked back at his glass, "He'll be fine~ It's Naruto, he'll be like new tomorrow morning." He said it as if he was sure of himself.
"He'll feel half-dead in the morning." Akashi decided to speak up from the side.
Sakura turned to look at him, "Why are you fine? You've drank the most." Her eyes looked hazy and unfocused. She had definitely drank too much for it to be good.
"I'm surprisingly immune to alcoholic drinks, I wonder who I picked it up from." He said, leaning his head against the wall as he downed the glass he had in his hand.
He heard Kakashi laugh from the side, "Definitely not from Minato-sensei... He was such a bad drinker it was comical," he glanced at Naruto, "He got it from him."
That caught Akashi's attention, "Am I like mom?" He asked, glancing at Kakashi.
"About that, I've never seen her drink more than one glass, so I'm not sure." Kakashi explained, looking as if he was in thought.
There was a quiet thud and everyone looked in Naruto's direction, "Kakashi-sensei~" he slurred his words, "Is there someone special in your heart?" The... random question got everyone wondering.
Except Akashi.
He knew the answer to that.
"Now that I'm reminded about that, Kakashi-sensei, I don't think we've ever seen you with someone," Sakura turned to the older man, "Why is that?" She asked.
"Oh yeah, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, "Take off your mask!" He pointed at him, a grin on his face.
Well... That was an interesting turn of events. To be honest, even Akashi was wondering about Kakashi's face, "Sensei, you've never let us look at you... properly."
Kakashi sighed and placed his glass down as he leaned back, "I guess it's fine." He said and reached for the mask that was on his face for as long as Akashi and the others could remember.
There was no way he was just going to-!
The mask got pulled down, revealing bare skin.
Silence filled the room. Until Akashi broke it, "Damn..." he whispered, not looking away from Kakashi, "Sensei... you're fine as fuck."
"You can say that again." Sakura mumbled out, also not looking away.
Kakashi sighed and didn't bother to pull his mask back up, "Language." He reprimanded Akashi, but there was no real bite to his words.
"You even have a beauty mark... I'm so jealous." Akashi whined, stretching himself atop the floor.
Before Kakashi could reply, a rather loud thud resounded through the room, immediately followed by an even louder snore. They turned in Naruto's direction and found him on the floor, "Did he just... fall asleep?" Sakura asked, blinking as she looked in Naruto's direction.
"Yep, that's Naruto for you." Akashi said, laying onto his side.
It didn't take long for night to fall.
Kakashi left first, saying how he was probably going to be neck deep in paperwork by now. He was still the Hokage and he still decided to pay him a visit.
It meant a lot to Akashi.
Sakura decided to sleep over, since she was too wasted to walk home properly.
Akashi tucked both her and Naruto in, saying goodnight and leaving back to the Uchiha Compound. It still didn't feel right for him to sleep in his... old apartment.
_
It was a rather cold summer night, so he hurried back, feeling chills on his skin.
_
He went inside the empty house and the only thing that greeted him was the creak of the door.
Was that how Sasuke felt after everything happened? Going home and expecting to be greeted by a mass of people... just to be greeted by nothing? Akashi's heard clenched in his chest.
No more.
He would be alone no more.
Sasuke was more than just a lover to him.
_
Days passed one by one, but it still wasn't fast enough for Akashi.
He spent his time in Naruto's and Sakura's presence or he even went and bugged Kakashi in his office, occasionally helping him with some paperwork. Well, honestly, he did more damage than help.
He was surprised by the fact that Sai and Ino had gotten together in the meantime. It was an odd pairing, but as he looked at them from afar, he couldn't help but think that they were perfect for one another.
What surprised him even more, was the tension between Shikamaru and Temari. That pairing was... Akashi didn't even know how to describe it. Temari was a rather forward person and Shikamaru was the polar opposite.
Well, opposites attract, right?
_
Days passed and Akashi spent most of his time sitting in the backyard, watching as the birds sailed through the sky.
Watching as the sun went down.
Watching as it went back up.
Something soft nuzzled against his arm and he glanced to the side, "You've missed this, haven't you?" He asked.
Chrono blinked, laying his muzzle onto Akashi's thigh, "We all have." He replied, his deep voice resounding through the area around them.
Akashi smiled and laid onto his back, welcomed by even more softness, "This place is perfect for all of you." He whispered, closing his eyes.
The other wolves shifted towards him, almost fully covering his body by their own.
Akashi missed this.
_
The house was dark when he arrived. He received no greeting as he opened the door, its creek resounding through the rest of the house, "Akashi?" He said, looking around.
There was no one there.
He swallowed, feeling chills go up and down his spine, "Akashi?" He tried once again and yet, there was no answer.
Speeding up, he checked every room of the house, desperately opening doors.
Every room was empty.
Just as he felt his heart throb in his chest, he remembered the one place he didn't check.
The backyard.
Even thought it made no sense to check there, he still went. And he was thankful he did.
There he was. Laying on the grass, surrounded by his wolf summons. As soon as Sasuke stepped forward, most of the wolves raised their heads in his direction. As they recognised who he was, they slowly leaned away from Akashi, revealing more and more of him.
Sasuke stepped closer, hovering over him.
He was asleep, soft breaths leaving his lips.
Sasuke's heart soared at the sight. There was no need to wake him up.
The rings in his pocket can wait.