Like Ghosts In Snow (Naruto YAOI)

Chapter Four- Amazing

Hey, Hi, Hello.

Welcome to the fourth and final chapter of 'Like Ghosts In Snow'. I hope you guys enjoy it! <3

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto or the songwriters. 

WARNINGS: More brother bonding.

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   We both stop in placethe instant we lay eyes on him. "What the fuck," Mangetsu says. His voice is flat, almost unbelieving. I clench the plastic bags I was holding tightly in my hands.

   "I don't even..." My voice trails off. The same flat, humorless tone.

   Sasuke stands up jerkily, looking highly unsure of himself. "Um...hey." He tucks his hands into his pockets. His nose is red and he's trembling slightly from the cold. He had probably been out here for a while, maybe thirty minutes or so.

   I raise my eyebrow. It's dark outside, freezing fucking cold, and Uchiha Sasuke was completely sober and sitting on my porch. Telling me 'hey'. And wanting something from me. "What?" I ask.

   "Um, in light of recent events, I have come to the realization that I owe you. And really need to apologize for all the shit I put you through. So, uh, I'm sorry. For everything," he tells me, wincing at the expression on my face. He's still just standing there, looking at me like he's scared of me rejecting him.

   "You have a lot to make for," I tell him, not breaking the eye contact we maintained.

   He nodded. "I know. So I'm going to start now."

   I examine him before sighing softly, walking up the steps. I brush past him, setting down a few plastic bags to free up a hand. I unlock the door and scoop the bags back up. "If you want to make things up, you can start by going out to the car and bringing the comforter in. And be here tomorrow at ten in the morning."

--

   "I still don't understand why he's coming," Mangetsu confesses. I shrug my shoulders at his words. I already tried to explain to him why Sasuke was coming with us. I wasn't entirely sure myself, to be honest. But he was, and I wasn't going to just tell him 'nevermind' and send him on his way.

   Exactly at ten o'clock the next morning, Sasuke is knocking on my front door. Mangetsu answers it, and when I finish putting my tie on I head out into the living room. Sasuke is sitting on the couch, dressed in black skinny jeans, Converse, a white dress shirt and a little black bowtie. He stands up at seeing me. "Hey," he says, once more stuffing his hands in his pockets.

   "Hey. We'll be leaving soon," I answer. He nods and sits back down, perched on the edge of the couch. I turn and head back down the hallway. I grab a sweater and my wallet before heading back out into the living room. Mangetsu is leaning in the doorway to the kitchen, watching Sasuke with narrowed eyes. "Alright. Let's go."

   Ten minutes later we're at the grocery store where I worked. I park the car but leave it running. I turn to Mangetsu, who is in the back, and Sasuke in the passenger seat. "I'll be right back," I answer. Mangetsu doesn't do much of anything, but Sasuke looks back at Mangetsu from the corner of his eye before nodding. On that note, I duck out of the car with my wallet in hand.

   About six minutes later I'm back at the car, opening the door and getting in the best I could without jostling the delicate packages I got. I hand them over to Sasuke, who takes them with a curious look. "Flowers?" He asks. I only nod and fasten my seatbelt. Now, time for the forty minute car trip.

   We make it in thirty eight minutes of silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, because there wasn't really anything to talk about. As we pull into the cemetery parking lot, Sasuke's eyes light up as he understands what's going on. He doesn't say anything, just sits there with the both bundles oc flowers balanced carefully on his lap. I feel a smile quirk the edges of my lips at how resolute he seemed in making up all the shit he put me through. Of course, it was mostly of my own volition and I wasn't as mad at him as I probably should have been. But whatever, he insisted.

   I park the car and turn it off. Then I turn to Sasuke and say, "Well, prepared to meet my parents?"

   He seems a bit hesitant in his answer, but he nods quickly. So we exit the car, getting our sweaters on because it was freezing outside, and we walk to their grave site. Sasuke is still carrying both of the flowers, his cheeks flushed an adorable pink-ish color.

   Once we reach their grave site, we just stand there for a few moments, looking at the snow-covered headstones. Then Sasuke crouches down next to them, setting the flowers down next to him and brushing the snow off until they were easy to read. He sits down, wrapped up in the fluffy jacket I gave him before we left, and says, "Hello. It's nice to meet you. My name is Uchiha Sasuke."

   Mangetsu and I share a look before kneeling next to him. He reaches out, tracing their names with his fingers. Their headstones were relatively simple- names, dates of birth and death, and the simple words 'Loving parents of Suigetsu and Mangetsu'. It wasn't my idea to put that on there, rather my mother's brother's, but I wasn't the one who paid for them so I didn't raise a complaint. I didn't know how my mom's brother paid for them, either, because he wasn't rich. Not my business, though- he disappeared after they died and we haven't seen him since. That's why I no longer referred to him as 'Uncle'.

   "Asuka. Naoki," Sasuke whispers. He seems sad, and his hand falls to his side. He bows his head and silence falls over us again. We stay that way, just sitting in the snow and thinking.

   "I think they would have liked you," I murmur. Sasuke looks at me, apparently confused. I elaborate. "You're fiery and arrogant, but not completely arrogant. And you apparently do know when to draw the line, swallow your pride and apologize. Like Mom did."

   This makes him happier. "Thank you," he whispers. "That means a lot..." he trails off.

   Mangetsu takes this opportunity to talk. "In light of what recent events? I mean, yesterday you said something about your apology being prompted by recent events. What were they?"

   I roll my eyes, but I too wanted to know. It must've been pretty major for Sasuke because he wasn't one to just apologize like that. Sasuke glances at his hands, folded carefully in his lap. "It was my brother. He was tired seeing me mope so he called me out on my problems and told me to fix them. So here I am."

   "That was your brother with you at the store that day, wasn't it?" I ask. Sasuke nods abd we lapse into silence again. Then Mangetsu sighs, shoving his hands in his pockets.

   "Well, as much as it helps settle the internal issues I've been having, it's snowing and we've been out here for an hour. And my ass is wet," he tells us, and I look up at the sky. Sure enough, it was snowing. And about an hour has passed, because according to the worn wristwatch I was wearing it was almost noon.

   I sigh and reach out, getting the flowers and placing a bouquet on each grave. "I guess we should be getting back, then," I respond, standing carefully as Mangetsu follows. Sasuke has a bit of trouble, so I reach out and grab his hands, lifting him up. He's shaking from the cold. So I wrap an arm around his waist and guide him back down the path to the parking lot. He seems grateful for it, and a little bit surprised.

   Forty minutes later finds us stopping in front of Sasuke's mansion. He glances at the driveway before looking at me. "Thanks for letting me come with you," he tells me, seeming a little bit sad.

   "No problem," I shrug, "and about you making up for your mistakes? Your debt was paid in full when you introduced yourself."

   He frowns slightly, and after glancing at his house again, he leans toward me and kisses my cheek. His lips are warm and chapped, and he's saying goodbye and ducking out of the car before I can say anything. The door closes behind him and he's almost sprinting up the driveway. I watch him as he goes, pale skin gleaming. Darting away like that, he looks like a well-dressed ghost in the snow. I smile to myself, pressing a hand to my cheek before shifting the car into drive and going back home.

--

TA-DA.

Bowties are cool! Doctor Who, anybody? xD hopefully that ending wasn't as bad as I think it is. Thank you for reading this story!