Chapter 2

It's been four days since Naruto received that letter filled with incriminating pictures of himself and his lover, Itachi. Four days of finger-biting terror that his secret, his and Itachi's, were out in the open. He couldn't help picturing the reactions of his family. The outright shock, shock that may very well wipe out his ailing mother and may send his brother into rage till he was thrown in a mental asylum. His father may just be disappointed. And they would all take it out on Itachi. He was the older one, they would say, he should have known better. That would have been unfair, of course, because it was Naruto who started this whole thing.

It was by chance that he discovered his professor at a gay bar. By pure luck, he recognized him behind the glasses and high collars. Itachi looked so different and you could just tell he was still in the closet. Hardly anyone wanted to touch that with a ten-foot pole. But Naruto did, he'd wanted his professor from the first day he laid eyes on him, and knowing he was gay too only made that want that much stronger. That was why he didn't let the opportunity to hold onto him, hook him in with the fact that they both had the same secret and he would never tell, go by.

In four months they were already dating and Naruto couldn't be happier. It was sheer bliss and contentment even though their relationship wasn't open, and wasn't exclusive. Itachi still went out with women every now and then but it was just keeping up appearances. He didn't really love them at all. He just wanted to look good in front of the masses, Normal, ordinary. He worked so hard just to get this far, if it all came apart right now, Itachi would be destroyed. Literally and figuratively.

Naruto didn't care about how his family would react. In fact, the only reason he was still in the closet was that he didn't want to look suspicious standing next to Itachi. Didn't want to draw eyes to him and make him lose social standing. Now, even without doing anything, it was all going to fall apart.

"Are you okay?" Shikamaru asked from beside him. Naruto was biting his nails and staring at the lecturer as though he wanted to bore a hole through him with his eyes.

"I'm fine," he answered absentmindedly and continued biting his nails. What should he do? If he kept quiet and pretended he didn't see those pictures, would the person who sent them realize they were wrong? Would they lose interest? Not likely. What did they want? Why did they send those pictures and why haven't they said anything ever since?

Shikamaru suddenly grabbed his hand away, causing Naruto to look away from the lecturer and glance between his held hand and his friend. "Your nail is starting to bleed," said Shikamaru as an explanation.

So? Naruto pulled his hand back. "It's fine. I have more nails."

"Don't chew on them." His friend sounded disturbed. "Really what's wrong? Just tell me, okay? If you share your problems with others the lighter you'd be."

Naruto warily looked between the board and Shikamaru. For all he knew the mailer might be his friend Shikamaru. Confiding in him would be the worst thing he could do. There might still be some way out of this that he didn't know yet.

He checked his phone. Still no word from Itachi. That very day he had sent a message to Itachi asking to see him as soon as possible. It hadn't occurred to him to keep it from his lover as this was their problem, they should work on it together, but now he wondered if he should. Itachi has been withdrawing from him a lot lately and it was only that night four days ago that the distance Itachi was creating closed a little, likely because his lover got tired of resisting his own desires. If Naruto showed him the letter, Itachi would likely run away, and this time for good.

To protect their relationship and his lover's job and political career, Naruto has decided to stay quiet but Itachi still hasn't responded. Well, it was nothing new. Sometimes it takes weeks to get a response, a month being the longest record yet. Still, Naruto would have liked to hear his voice and receive his reassurance.

"Are you listening?" Shikamaru was still talking but Naruto had zoned out and had no idea where in the conversation they are. Luckily the lecturer rounded up his teaching and gave what sounded like a teeth-pulling assignment.

"I'm off." Naruto hauled his bag on his shoulder and began rushing off. He didn't want to get too agitated about this and it has been four days, maybe nothing would happen. He hadn't bothered to reply to the message but given the lack of a return address, it was clear his mailer didn't want one. What did he want though? People didn't send that kind of message unless it was a warning. Someone was warning him to stop otherwise they would tell.

It wasn't until Naruto had showered and eaten that he felt a little like himself, sane, optimistic, and ready to face any challenge no matter what. If this person's goal was to blackmail him, Naruto didn't intend on giving in. he would find out who they are eventually and use their own weapon against them.

He was eating a meal one day, a week after the postal mail, and watching a show when he noticed something odd about the words being written on the bottom of the screen. In the usual place where news highlights ran there were words that didn't look all that special in the beginning but when you take one, jump four spaces and take another one, add the total of five words in, you'll get I am going to tell. Naruto thought it was a coincidence but it kept happening again and again and he jumped to his feet in fright, fingers smashing the buttons of the remote control to turn off the TV.

"Calm down Naruto, you are freaking yourself out. You've got to stop thinking too much. It's impossible." Though he said this, his teeth were still shattering and he felt a constant chill up his spine like there was someone else in the room with him.

His eyes quickly looked around and found his window wide open. From there he could see the rooftop of the next building and it looked like someone was there, someone was watching.

With a shriek he raced to the window and tripped on one of the clothes he left on the floor, injured his elbow but kept crawling till he could pull the curtain close.

"n-no, it's not true. No one is watching me. Why would they watch me? What do they want?"

Someone knocked on the door causing Naruto to let out a very unmanly scream. The blackmailer has come to the door? No way. He started shaking from the floor as the door kept being knocked then suddenly the person tried the lock, once then twice.

He is trying to break in!

Naruto jumped to his feet, rushing to get to the door and keep it close no matter what. I should have called the police, he thought. I should have taken this more seriously!

He slipped on another of his clothes before reaching the door as it opened but Naruto was there and slamming it back into the face of the intruder.

The blackmailer cried in an awfully familiar voice. "Eh?"

Naruto opened the door and saw Itachi standing there with his hand to his nose, there was blood. "Ehhh!"

----

"What is wrong with you, why did you close the door like that!" a raging Itachi was in the bathroom wiping his nose while Naruto stood at the door, remorse all over his face.

"I'm sorry," he said in a small timid voice. "I thought you were someone else."

"Someone who deserves this?" Itachi pointed at his face which was already starting to bruise. "Damn it, I have a shoot tomorrow Naruto."

"I didn't know you were coming, sorry."

"I wasn't... I am so busy but I thought you wanted to see me so I came." Itachi looked long at his face in the mirror and sighed, "It's not going to be possible anymore. I have to call my secretary and tell her to try and ask for another date."

"Thank you, Itachi!" Naruto made to jump on him in his relief but Itachi's fire hot glare stopped him in his track and made him swallow. He touched his fingers together nervously. "Does that mean you are staying?"

Itachi sighed. "Naruto, I thought you were smarter than this. You know how busy I am yet you act this way. I can't just take time off whenever anymore. I am trying to run a party."

"I know. It's not like I just called you out here because I wanted to see you. I have something to tell you."

Itachi looked at him skeptically and shook his head. "You could have just sent me a mail then."

"I-I it wasn't something I could just text to you. It's... sensitive." His face flared with heat but he stared resolutely at Itachi. "I'm sorry I ruined your schedule, Itachi, and your face but this is important."

Itachi stared at him with obvious suspicion, his face pulled bitterly then he exhaled. "Fine. Give me a moment to shower first."

"Oh, okay." Naruto stared at him realizing that his lover was about to get naked. It's been a week since he was touched and as usual, just the thought of a naked Itachi in his bathroom has his face becoming red and his body becoming breathless with excitement.

"You are still standing there, Naruto," Itachi said. There was no fun in his eyes, and he wasn't going to invite Naruto to join him. That's such a damn shame.

Biting down his desires Naruto hastily retreated, "okay I am going to get you something to wear."

He ran around the room and picked up one of the t-shirts and shorts he kept on hand for when, however rarely, Itachi came to his house. The panic from before having died brought in some feelings that usually came with Itachi being around. Naruto knew that they weren't equal in their relationship, whether by age or by status—even their feelings weren't the same—but he didn't really mind.

One day that relationship will end, and maybe this blackmailer might be the reason why. Even though Naruto had decided not to tell Itachi, he was freaking out all on his own, plus he just wanted to rely on Itachi who was really good at solving problems, leaving this to him was surely the best and Naruto could only pray that it wouldn't end his relationship.

His phone was ringing as he cleaned up his room, putting the dirty clothes he usually left strewn all over the floor into a basket.

He picked up the phone and answered the call without looking. "Hello?"

"You are together again... aren't you?"

That stopped Naruto cold. The voice was obviously mechanized and could not be recognized but Naruto knew, this... this was the blackmailer. How did they get his number?

"I know you think it's smart to get your boyfriend involved." The word boyfriend was pronounced like a curse. "But that would be unwise because the second he knows, those pictures are going online and on the news. You know I can do it. You've already seen by handwork, right? Assuming you are not completely stupid."

Naruto swallowed, sweat traveling from his forehead to the side of his face. "w-what do you want?" the words came out as if his throat was being strangled.

"We'll see." The call ended. Naruto immediately redialed but the service said that the number did not exist. "The number that just called me?"

"What?" Itachi was out of the bathroom, steam coming from his body. He wore clothes, the ones Naruto had left for him and he looked comfortable. If Naruto told him that, his shoulders would tense again and that tight glint in his eyes would return.

"N-nothing."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "You only stammer when you lie, Naruto" he said.

"You know that about me?" Naruto could almost cry. All the fear and anxiety fell away at the thought that his lover still held interest in him.

Itachi's face darkened with seriousness and he went to sit in front of the TV, his hand reaching for the remote. On the TV was the news that kept repeating itself and the words of the blackmailer. Naruto jumped forward and slid on his knees to land just between Itachi's thighs.

His lover's eyes started wide, completely taken aback. It was a very rare expression on Itachi's handsome face but Naruto didn't enjoy it.

"What's the matter with you?" His lover's voice was hard and unhappy.

"Huh..." Naruto couldn't say why he had slapped the remote out of his lover's hand so he said, "How long are you staying. The whole night?" he tilted his head like a puppy the way his lover liked. Itachi had told him that it always made him want to rub on Naruto's spiky blonde locks when he did it, like a cute puppy.

"You want me to stay the whole night?" the hand came upon his head as usual and rubbed. It felt good and Naruto closed his eyes for a second then they snapped open. No, think Naruto. That damned bastard is watching. He can see you.

"Of course but I don't think we should just stay in, let's go out."

Itachi's easy smile disappeared, and his frown returned with a vengeance. "What's wrong with you? First, you want me here then you don't.'"

"It's not that!" Naruto cried, his face twisting in this agonizing situation where he couldn't just speak the truth.

"You just shut up, okay? You are confusing me." His lover bent over and covered Naruto's mouth with his. Oh crap, Itachi we can't do this. There is a bastard watching us and taking pictures, probably.

Itachi's kissing has turned heavy and hot, Naruto's head was spinning so deeply with lust that he didn't realize when he climbed on top of his lover and started grinding against him with lusty moans spilling from his lips as they kissed. Why am I so horny, he thought frustrated. I can't think at all when Itachi is touching me. I am going to lose all sense of reason like this.

But he had to stop himself somehow.

Itachi suddenly spanked him and then pushed him off to the side. "This had better not be why you asked to see me, "he said, glaring faintly. With his face so flushed and ergo not as stern as usual, Naruto shook with the need to lick him all over.

"I-that's not it," he said unfocused.

Itachi sighed. "And here I thought I satisfied you last time. You are becoming a little too much for me, Naruto."

"eh?" was Itachi that annoyed? "I'm—"the apology got silenced with Itachi's fierce kissing. Ceasing his lips and pushing Naruto to his back.

"Fine, then I will have to work even harder."

"No—" Through the haze of pleasure Naruto realized that Itachi misunderstood something but did he want to correct him? No. he hugged his lover with his legs, surrendering to the powerful and uncontrollable lust that Itachi always brought out of him, and allowed his lover to carry him to bed.

Itachi of course ravaged him. So good. Too good. Naruto was never good at giving pleasure, or rather he never got to learn because Itachi ran the show, always and he was really good at making Naruto lose his mind. He would drain Naruto and then leave him senseless from pleasure. He probably had more experience than Naruto, even though he has never talked about his past with him. There was much Naruto didn't know and wasn't allowed to know but still this man... he couldn't live without him.