Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Lick the Strawberry ❯ Wet Apples ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

I'm aware it's shouta. But Naruto is very Lolita, isn't he?

-x-

I bit the red apple.

The snake came to play.

-x-

Sasuke put his arms under his head, his dark eyes lidded. He stared at the ceiling calmly. To think that realization finally struck him deep to the core, that he was, indeed, mad with desire for the small boy-one would actually think that he'd be much more stunned then anything else. After all, to finally come in terms with yourself, especially for such a sullied deed, is awfully traumatic in some cases. Perhaps he wasn't shocked. Maybe all this time, he knew that deep down inside, he was a pedophile.

Maybe.

Sasuke grimaced, rolling out of his bed. That word. Pedophile. It was so…filthy. It wasn't the good filthy, like raunchy, sexual. He wished it was, but it would never be. The child Sasuke fell in love with was absolutely no ordinary child. Sasuke was aware that it wasn't even love. It was more of a childish crush, or a creepy obsession. It wasn't love. There was a line that one should never cross, and Sasuke crossed it too many times for his little feelings to be even considered as love.

If it was, Sasuke would be in a possibly even worse position, as Naruto…he was so different. The child was far cleverer then he ever anticipated.

He knew, even when he was tossed onto his bed. With his devious blue eyes, he knew that he had control over him. He saw the pictures. And he knew that Sasuke wanted to touch him.

Sasuke wasn't exactly humiliated, but stunned. How could a five year old be aware of such things, and allow himself to be unafraid? If he knew he was pedophile, why didn't he struggle? If he knew that he could do something to his body, why had he been so calm?

Could it be, that Naruto was used to this type of treatment? For a five year old, his tongue could be sharp, even without uttering dirty words. It would probably provoke his parent to abuse him. Was he used to be violated? What kind of parent did he have? Sasuke shifted, getting up and staring at the spot Naruto was laying on a few hours ago.

Today was a weekday, and the boy hadn't gone to school. Sasuke tried to analyze the situation. Was Iruka the one hurting him? No…it couldn't be. Iruka seemed to be the one adult Naruto depended on. He never smiled for anyone else. Even when he was smiling, giggling in his home, the sound lacked the intense radiation it brought when he was around Iruka. Sasuke narrowed his eyes in jealousy.

As horrible as it was, he wished Iruka was the one who hurt him, the one who would destroy him. Because, that way, Naruto would need someone, and he could be that someone.

He could depend on him. Not on Iruka. Iruka would be the one he'd hate. He would win.

Sasuke realized how immature and silly his thoughts sounded. Not to mention desperate. He bitterly laughed. He was so selfish. How could he always criticize others for caring about themselves only, when he too was like that? How could he demote humankind to pieces when he committed the worse sin of all?

Goddamn Adam and Eve just had to eat the damn apple. So sins like this could be whiffed and sucked into the human mind, polluting `perfect' people such as himself as pigs of things that actually mattered for him, like Society, and being an Uchiha. How could he ever maintain his image if he was caught kissing a child in public? The Tabloids would finally pay attention to him, instead of Itachi. And how could he even want such a demonic child? Naruto was so stunningly brilliant, it was absolutely ridiculous.

Sasuke was like the embodiment of Eve. Naruto was the apple. And he had bitten into it.

Sasuke never felt more pitiful towards himself. The thought of kissing the child had caused his heart to squeeze regretfully. He had all the opportunities to kiss him, touch him, but he didn't. He had been exploited by the victim, but came out as a victim himself. He was a fool.

A stupid, idiotic fool.

After those words were spoken, Sasuke had not known what to say. Naruto had sat still, frozen, staring at him. The silence was broken by the next words that Sasuke dreadfully did not want to hear.

“I saw.” Sasuke already figured that out.

Naruto had then cast his eyes downward, looking guilty, although he wasn't guilty of doing anything.

Those blue eyes looked like he had been expected to be touched. When Sasuke had told him he had to go home, Naruto had looked surprised. Sasuke was surprised as well. His body wanted to smother the blond, with caresses and strokes. To touch his forbidden caramel skin, salty and marked with wounds.

His aroused, wanting body had been had been completely constricted by his mind. He vaguely realized it was pure irony, because it was his psyche that caused him to suddenly have such a fatal attraction to the blond.

In other words, he could not bring himself to violate the boy. He had left, untouched. Sasuke wondered how he was going to ever even talk to the child properly again. Of course, he wouldn't have the backbone to properly look him in the face. Not after this encounter.

Now that he had actually accepted the fact that he liked Naruto, there really was no use in having the vacation anymore. What was he going to do for the rest of the week?

Dejectedly, he spent the rest of the night picking up the pieces of information he had tore up that morning. He took the pictures delicately from the wastebasket, looking at them tenderly. His hands trembled with defeat as he set the notes back together with tape. It was good as new when he placed it back in the drawer.

He lost. To himself.

Sasuke liked to take walks, and somehow, taking walks in the middle of the large park always calmed his nerves. But for the past two days, his nerves had been more jumpy and yearning then usual.

On first day, Sasuke found himself walking back and forth to the duck pond. He bought three bags of duck feed, and willed his body to go where it desired. He stayed there for the whole day, feeding the creatures, until it was nighttime. Looking at the moon's reflection in the dark waters, he realized that he had been alone since evening approached. The ducks that had accompanied him during the day had left for home.

Realization struck him. “God…” He murmured, resting his arms on the bridge. He had been waiting for Naruto to show up. Self-pity and embarrassment reddened his pale cheeks. Sasuke cursed quietly.

Sasuke rested head on his arms, lowering his head.

On the second day, he hadn't allowed himself to even approach the pond. Instead, he took a stroll in the more flowery and romantic area of the grand Park. Littered with single women, as well as couples, it was hard not to notice the handsome man shuffling along the rocky path with his hands in his pockets. After being approached by three women from a four mile radius, he power-walked to an isolated field of yellow, hoping to get away from the little terrors.

Sasuke had walked into a field of daffodils, far away from the prying eyes of single women, hoping to remain, even for a little bit, inconspicuous. He sat on a secluded spot amidst the fields of the flowers. Closing his eyes to savor the simmering wind that brushed through his hair, he decided that he'd stay there for some time.

He folded his arms behind his head, resting. Watching the blue clouds flow in the sky, as well as the surrounding daffodils sway along with the wind, Sasuke suddenly felt a sense of peace he hadn't felt in the longest while.

After a few minutes of peaceful serenity, it all came to a crashing halt.

His eyes rested on a particularly large and spiky daffodil sitting in a separate field of flowers.

Sasuke had refused to believe it at first. The bright yellows and the blinding sun had a staggered effect on his eyes. His eyes widened, he stared at the small figure nervously. \

It couldn't have been him, in the center of the flowers.

A child's hand cupped the flower delicately, bringing the intricate nose of the daffodil closer. Sasuke's heart began to thump. The bright gold of the gleaming stands of hair set the child part from the daffodils.

He had sat up to look at the figure more properly, sure that he had been hallucinating. It couldn't have been him. God hated him, but not to the point…

The figure stiffened suddenly. The chubby fingers twitched. The boy turned around…and Sasuke ducked.

Oh, but it was.

He cursed god. Naruto scrutinized his surroundings before going back to the daffodil.

Sasuke rose up from the grassy ground. He walked away into the dark bamboo forest, knowing he'd easily blend in with the area's dark demeanor.

He gave one last look to the blond, he found himself just looking at his back from a distance. Like always.

Sasuke realized that he hadn't made any progress with him, not even a little bit. Their meeting only led him backwards.

He vaguely noticed that the blond was dirty, was still clad in the same clothes the night they met. Sasuke closed his eyes, inwardly deciding it wasn't any of his business.

Sasuke did his best to look away, no matter how disheartening and hopeless he'd know he'd feel soon after. There was no point, he told himself, to approach him. Apologizing was not the Uchiha way. Besides, he had nothing to apologize for. Everything he did was what he meant. Naruto's accusations were the truth.

Still, when he went home, he couldn't help but think…Maybe, just maybe, there could've been something he could've done.

The next day, on that afternoon, Sasuke was considering on whether or not to take another walk through the park.

He looked in his refrigerator, disappointed to only find that it was already empty, minus some milk and tomatoes. He was barely home on work days, and often had Tenten order him takeout. He was a workaholic.

It wasn't that he didn't like his apartment. It was a large beautiful bachelor's pad, worth a few million, and it was usually something regular people would only be able to see in a magazine.

But honestly, he didn't stay in his home for long, because of a rather silly reason. At least, Sasuke thought it was silly.

There was something about his home which just irritated him. Every time he went home, there was nothing to look forward to. The silence always reminded how quiet it was when he was a child. It was disturbing reminder of his family life. How everything was so perfect, so flawless and still.

Sasuke realized long time ago there was no such thing as flawlessness and perfection. To think he once strove so hard to achieve that path made him bitterly laugh.

However, the main reason why he found his apartment so unbearing was the fact that there was...

There was no one to welcome him home.

Living practically in his office made him feel more contented and blissfully unaware of the fact that he was always alone. He kept work on his mind and nothing else, until Naruto became a distraction. He had found solitude in only working, not thinking of family or girls or anything, before Naruto came along. But his solitude had been disrupted by a five year old.

He supposed he had the blond to thank for, because he forgot about those bad memories and thoughts. He had been thinking about him for quite a few months. He wondered if this upsetting obsession would ever stop. However, he really did have to thank the blond for chasing away his sad thoughts, even if Naruto had placed new, troublesome ones in place instead.

Sasuke knew there was no meaning in dwelling in the past, but it was hard to get over when he saw his lovely abode everyday.

There was no point in thinking about it, he decided.

He checked his wallet, making sure he had enough for groceries.

Deciding to go through the park as a shortcut to the store, he pocketed his wallet and cell phone, put on his leather jacket, and stepped out of his home.

Stepping into the elevator, he remembered how Naruto almost pressed all of the buttons in excitement. He allowed himself to smile.

Walking through the streets and into the park, he quickly made his shortcut to the grocery store. Ignoring the leering eyes of the teenage girls as the cashiers ogled him, he paid for his goods and left, walking back into the park.

Carrying the plastic bag, he looked down at the rosebushes. His mom loved red roses. Resting a hand on the rigid leaf of a vine, he allowed himself to think fondly of his mother, even for a few moments. He hadn't seen her in a long while. She had been the only one attentive to him as a child. Everyone else in his family over-looked him. Perhaps he should call...

A drop of water brought him back from his thoughts.

He felt the liquid drip onto his hand. Looking up, he cursed. The sky was darkened, and the clouds rumbled. It was going to shower.

And that meant he was going to have to run through the park to get home the quickly. Clutching his groceries, he sprinted into the park across the street, dashing past the many entrances.

Running across the bamboo fields, thunder crackled. Sasuke barely had the time to blink when the sudden downpour of rain had him soaked. He cursed, clutching the flimsy bag of groceries to his chest. He ran.

Then he stopped before a familiar field of sunflowers.

Was that person on the bench…?

No fucking way…! Sasuke dropped the groceries. That idiot…! He gritted his teeth. What the hell was he doing in this weather?

He ran to the wet bench, water dripping off his face. His dark bangs were soaked, plastered on his face as he leaned over to look at the shivering child.

Sasuke shook his shoulder. “Naruto!”

The blond was sleeping on the bench, sopping wet and trembling from the cold. He was dressed in the same clothes and had the same bandages the night Sasuke had first met him.

“What the hell…” Sasuke growled. He was making sure the blond was going to tell him everything. “Naruto!” He shook the blond. The blond strands of his hair were stuck on the tan skin. His clothes wrapped around his body from the wetness. Naruto continued quivering as the icy water continued to pelt against his skin.

Thunder crackled as the rain came down harder.

Sasuke grew concerned. Naruto was going to get sick. The wooden bench was wet with rain. Lightening illuminated the darkness for a brief moment.

Sasuke cursed again. Taking off his leather jacket, he wrapped it around the blond. It was wet, but gave off warmth.

It was better then nothing. Wrapping it around the small blond, he brought the small shivering body close to his chest, hugging him possessively. Naruto buried his wet face on the crook of Sasuke's neck, and Sasuke blushed when his name was said in a whisper. “Sa…suke…”

Sasuke said nothing, and carried him back to his apartment, running along the way. He left his groceries in the middle of the park. The daffodils watched.

Finally arriving to his building, he strode to the elevator. He had to get Naruto out of his clothes as soon as possible. Sasuke blushed at the sudden thought.

`Maybe you can…touch him here…or there.' A voice in his mind said teasingly.

Sasuke shook the thoughts away, feeling sick to the bone. He enjoyed the feeling of Naruto's wet body against his. Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. Now was no time to think such nasty thoughts.

On the elevator, a series of questions ran through his mind. What the hell had the child been doing? Where were his parents? He didn't get any fresh cuts, from the looks of it. And he was still wearing the same clothes. So, what was that about?

But Naruto's health came first. He'd ask him later.

Naruto wriggled in his arms, trembling from the remnants of the freezing rain. Sasuke rubbed his wet cheek against his, and Naruto stirred, but continued to exhale timely.

Naruto was asleep.

Sasuke glanced at the glowing buttons as the elevator rose up, contemplating.

He decided. Shifting slightly, he brushed his lips against Naruto's cheek, inhaling the sweet smell of Naruto, now moist. Sasuke's cheeks reddened. It was the coldness, see. It wasn't the cold tasty skin of Naruto. Sasuke licked his lips, savoring the taste.

It definitely wasn't. Not at all.

-x-

Thank you for supporting me! Will you continue, dears? I love you. Chuu. X3

Thank you.