Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to the authoress, though it is sometimes questionable with the amount of gay that is canon in the series.
Pairing: Sasuke x Naruto. In that order.
Summary: It has been months after Sasuke's return and everything seems to have settled back into place for Naruto. Save this strange feeling and Sasuke's weird behavior.
Sunset; Chapter One.
He watched in morbid fascination as Sasuke brought the sword through his back. Where was the pain? In the depths of his mind, Naruto clutches his chest as tears flow freely down his cheeks. Where was Sasuke?
Gasping for breath, Naruto awakens from his midday nap. Squinting from the onslaught of sunlight, he peers around his vicinity for hints of his whereabouts.
A field.
The grass crunches lightly as he shifts his weight to his feet and stands up. Absently, he brushes his hair away from his forehead and pauses at the discovery there. Where is my headband?! His world tilts as he loses his focus. Suddenly so many questions runs through his mind…what day was it? What time? Where? Why? Sasuke?
Shaking his head lightly, he searches for his precious headband and is immensely relived to find in near his feet. Apparently it had fallen when he had risen up from the ground.
Clutching it none too lightly he surveys his environment once more. I was training…yeah. That's what I was supposed to be doing anyway… He grins to himself sheepishly and scratches the back of his neck. Well, no surprise there right?
The hesitation is there, but he shifts his eyes to gaze at his feet. He had dreamed again. About Sasuke that is. That couldn't be too healthy now could it? The said boy was back after his few years of rebellious misguidance. Sasuke had returned to them as an infamous hero that had tricked his own allies to trick his enemies.
That was a trick…right? With a heavy sigh, he pockets the headband, wishing to free himself from the responsibilities of a ninja for just a few more seconds.
…
Lately, there had been feelings. Feelings he was wary of when Sasuke was present; this ever increasing need to stay close to him, to be there with him…almost too strong for him to dismiss as a growing friendship. Naruto's clear blue eyes darken as his face scrunches up into a frown. A physical need to stay close to him…it doesn't make sense!
"It doesn't make sense!" With clenched fists he grinds out to no one in particular.
"Nope."
Surprised his eyes widen and the world has to catch up slowly with the fast movements of his head. "Oh...owwww." He holds his head tenderly and hopes that his minor blush was not visible. He must have looked silly grumbling to himself like that. Not so surprised when he when he receives no reaction, he looks up grinning sadly to the distant man in front of him. "Isn't this when you call me idiot or something?"
Sasuke allows for his head to tilt sideways as he grunts. His eyes are ever watchful of Naruto and Naruto feels a cold chill travel down his spine. This isn't the Sasuke that I knew. "Why are you here?" Naruto questions as a heavy silence settles between them. The gaze Sasuke sends his way was too unnerving and he felt his old childish tendencies begin to rise to the challenge.
"No."
A pause. "No?" Naruto repeats slowly. His eyebrow arches in a silent question as Sasuke shifts his eyes to the sky. Oh thank god for that.
"No one sent me." Sasuke replies as if it was enough to satisfy all Naruto's curiosity.
Right eye twitching a bit, Naruto holds his gaze on Sasuke's face. "That's…not really answering my question."
Sasuke fixes his eyes on Naruto once more and a ghost of a smile is visible but only if you were really looking for it as Naruto was. "Yeah." A sudden breeze hits the field and Sasuke's clothes answers it with an indignant ruffle.
I can see his nip-. Naruto catches himself and quickly looks away from Sasuke's chest. He really wishes that Sasuke would return to his old outfit… "Whatever." With that Naruto begins to walk away from the other ninja in the direction of Konoha village.
"Wait." A deep voice calls out and Naruto obliges subconsciously out of surprise. He turns around to Sasuke who no longer was looking at him but at the sky once more.
"Uh?" was the most intelligent thing the blonde was able to come up with at such a short notice.
"Stay and watch." Sasuke points at the sinking sun and only adds to Naruto's confusion. "It's a beautiful way to end a day."
He feels his eyes narrow on Sasuke's face in mild suspicion. Since when was he so Romantic? Naruto felt that the dark ninja had a hidden motive and walks to his side to do as he had asked.
The sunset was indeed beautiful but it did nothing to quiet the roaring questions in Naruto's mind. The shorter ninja would fidget every so often and cast side glances at the young adult beside him. Sasuke, preoccupied with the setting sun, paid him no mind and did not turn from the colored sky until the light had completely gone out. Slowly the taller ninja grants the blonde his attention and grins; the smile fails to reach his eyes. "That…was our first sunset together in years."
Surprised, Naruto gapes at him and immediately frowns. "Well! I wonder why."
"Yeah." With that said, Sasuke walks away leaving the poor ninja and the rest of the world in confusion.
Uh. What was that about?
Not receiving answers from Mother Nature, he too returns to the village. Half hoping that all of this had been a bad dream.
Note: Uh. Quality over quantity? Reviewing helps the author write a better fanfic!