When Love Fades

Chapter 38 - The Confrontation II

Naruto jingled his keys in his jacket pocket as he walked down the street to where he'd parked his car. It was still only early afternoon, but the sky was overcast, making it feel later than it was. A gust of cool wind blew, carrying a hint of rain with it.

He was walking past a coffee shop that was near where he'd parked when the shop door opened, the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans wafting out into the street. Naruto paused, the aroma reminding him forcibly of mornings with Sasuke and the strong brew he always drank.

Naruto huffed out an annoyed breath as he pulled out his keys and unlocked his car. "Lots of people drink fucking coffee. Get over it," he muttered to himself, putting the keys in the ignition.

He headed back to his apartment, trying not to think about what Gaara had said. Did Sasuke feel the same way Gaara did? Was one person just... not enough? Both Gaara and Sasuke were... complicated guys. It wasn't something Naruto felt like he could just brush off. He was pretty sure that - at least sexually - he'd met Sasuke's needs but in the end, had that been all it was? The thought made Naruto queasy. It had felt like so much more than that when things had started. Naruto had made casual friends easily, but Sasuke was the first person he ever felt like... he connected with. He had thought at the time that they got each other. Sasuke had been everything Naruto thought about. Obviously, the reverse hadn't been true. But maybe... it wasn't really even anyone's fault. Had Naruto had asked for too much? Did what he want not even exist?

He wasn't ready to contemplate that. He'd grown up in pretty fucked up homes, so it wasn't like he had any real-life examples to look at.

Maybe everyone out there that looked so happy from the outside was just... faking it.

God knew he was.

He sat in his car, staring at the steering wheel. He wished he could just talk to Sasuke and ask him. Suddenly, it felt critical for him to know if Sasuke just hadn't been happy with Naruto, or if Sasuke felt the same way Gaara did... that one person would never be able to 'be everything' to him. He just wanted to know if he and Sasuke just hadn't been the right fit, or if the right fit didn't even exist.

Given that Sasuke hadn't responded to his e-mail, Naruto knew he wouldn't take his call, either. Showing up at work or at Sasuke's place was out of the question. He wouldn't pen Sasuke in like that. The restaurant near Naruto's new apartment was public, though. Sasuke could ignore him or walk away if he wanted.

Naruto had been avoiding the place, especially on weeknights when he knew Sasuke might be there with his team from work. He hadn't been ready for a confrontation, but now suddenly he just really needed to see him, even if Sasuke told him to fuck off. He had to try. It was Friday, so he doubted Sasuke would be there that night, but he decided that, on Monday, he would stop in and see. He just... he just wanted to talk to Sasuke. He needed to know.

Normally, Naruto would call Kiba when he was freaking out about something, but Sasuke was still a touchy subject between them. Kiba had never really liked Sasuke, and the break-up had only made that worse.

Shika, Naruto decided. If anyone could give him an unbiased perspective this mess, it would be him. He decided he'd swing by his friend's house over the weekend and see what he had to say.

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Neji had been right... the bar had good live music. Evidently, they weren't the only people who thought so, given how crowded the bar was that Friday night. Sasuke leaned back against the packed bar, enjoying the smoky atmosphere. It had been way too long since he'd just... unplugged. Dinner or sex after work was fine, but this was the second time Neji had taken him out for a date that didn't revolve around either of those things. It felt... more like a relationship than what Sasuke thought they'd agreed to, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying himself. It had been a long time since he'd had... fun.