xDelfin

On a warm, summer night in Konoha, Uchiha Sasuke lay inclined in his bed, resting on a small mound of pillows and staring through the open bedroom window. Tonight was the night, for it had to be done now. He could no longer stay in this village, where he'd gotten pretty much everything he could have. To meet his destiny head on, he'd have to face the real world and conquer it with his own two hands. With every ounce of power he would gain, it would be one step closer to making his dream a reality: avenging his clan and destroying Uchiha Itachi.

"Naruto?" He spoke quietly, directing his voice to the still blond wrapped in his arms. "Baby."

"Hm?"

He swallowed. They had discussed this before, and what painful conversations those had been. Now when the moment was upon them, he had to set things right. For good. "I have to leave you. I have to leave this place." This was closure. This was severing their bond. So he had to make sure he'd do it right. "Do you understand me?"

Naruto lifted his head off Sasuke's chest and angled himself so that he faced the boy and looked him in the eyes as he responded. "If this is your dream, if this is what you want… then of course I understand." The raven could hear the pain resonating in the younger boy's chest as he recited that. It was what he wanted to hear and what Naruto hated to say. But after weeks of fighting with each other and Naruto fighting with himself, Sasuke couldn't believe that his partner was lying as he said those very words. The blond lay his head back between Sasuke's chest and left bicep, murmuring into his shirt, "I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

He allowed himself to grin at the appearance of Naruto's regular opinions, softly saying 'I know' into the boy's upturned shoulder. For weeks they had talked about this and it always remained clear that nothing was going to stop him from leaving. It was also clear that nothing was going to stop Naruto from hating him for it. He would not allow this to be a permanent goodbye. This was, as the blond would refer to it, as a 'see you later' notion, keeping what little affection they had for each other, constant but stretched over time and distance until the day when Sasuke would return.

"We have to do something, you know?" Naruto reminded him. "I can't just let you go and do nothing. You know what people might think." Naruto couldn't not react after the youngest Uchiha would leave. They had agreed that he would keep them under the bonds of brotherhood, but what to think and believe on the inside needed such reassurance as well.

They would never be able to trust each others' words again after tonight. For fear of who might be listening, watching or picking something up, they would tuck their true intentions under the tatami boards until it was all over. And until then, what would Naruto believe?

"Forget you understand," Sasuke said thoughtfully. "Forget that you know me. Be as selfish as you want to be, and come after me like you want to." This would be the easiest pretense to act under. While in reality, Naruto had come to terms with Sasuke's decision, and, if however reluctantly, supported his ambitions, Naruto didn't want Sasuke to leave at all. So attempting to bring him back to the village, at every chance he'd be faced with, would be as natural as sunrises and sunsets. It would be easiest for both of them, if they were to forget the deeper connection they'd discovered and felt, pretend that they were indeed only bonded by a brother kind of relationship and act purely as their aching hearts desired. Sasuke looked down to find two wide, blue eyes staring back at him.

"You want me to forget?" he whispered, astonished. "Sasuke, it took forever for me to admit this to myself," he explained and his expression turned melancholy. "You want me to just give it away?" It was Sasuke's turn to ask something of him; ask him to go along with this ploy to save their skins. He knew how hard it would be over the next possible months, maybe years. So he would ask Naruto to bear that pain with him. Sasuke make no noise in response; an answer for Naruto to swallow internally. He sniffled. "How long?"

"How long do you think until I can get strong enough?"

"You're strong enough already," he pouted and stated stubbornly.

"Strong enough to defeat my brother?"

Naruto touched Sasuke's lips ever so lightly with three fingertips. "I believe in you. I know you'll be able to do it." Then just as quickly, he ducked back down to cuddle in the boy's warmth. "Just hurry up and make a man out of yourself so you can come home!" he whined into the side of his ribs. "Come back to me.."

"I promise."

And it was one he meant to keep. When all this was over, he'd like nothing more than to return to nights like these once again. Here, tangled with his love's body, he was already beginning to miss it like his bed in the mornings. Naruto was the most important person to him. Itachi was the second.

Naruto wrapped their pinky fingers around each other, locking the gesture with the touch of their thumbs. Sasuke would return. They would have these moments on another night in the future.

And once his destiny was fulfilled, he'd never let Naruto go again.

"Sasuke... take me with you. I want to be there with you." he mumbled continuously. "I'm not completely useless; I'll help you!" he pleaded, wishing for that one loose end that would alter the immediate future. Anything he could do –anything he could say to ease this pain rapidly growing in his chest… he would try it.

"Baby, I wish." Sasuke held the boy closer to his bosom, pressing his forehead against the boy's cotton- clad back. "God, I wish. But you won't survive Orochimaru." He was very much aware that the sannin intended to use him. Truthfully, he couldn't care less if it got him to where he needed. But Naruto... he wouldn't allow it. "And even if you do, we won't be able to stop the Akatsuki by ourselves." Konoha had the Hokage, a number of Jonin, Chunin and Genin friends who would dutifully protect their own. When training with Orochimaru, they wouldn't stand a chance against all ten members of the organization. "No, I won't let you get that close. You'll stay here where it's safe." I need you to be safe. "And wait for me," he added.

Naruto's eyes clenched and he held onto the raven boy as tightly as he could in his tired state. "Sasuke!"

"Naruto." He petted a few locks of gold hair and kissed was exposed area of the boy's forehead. "I love you so much." You have no idea.

Several hours flew by in the blink of his eye. He hadn't remembered falling asleep, nor did he linger on the act he'd regret for many nights later. To him, it seemed instantaneous when he heard Sasuke's heavy voice again. "Go to sleep."

He lifted his head, ignoring the protest in his neck and shoulders. "W-will I see you when I wake up?"

Slowly and begrudgingly, Sasuke shook his head and Naruto fought his best to repress the cries in his throat. He reached up and put his hands on either side of the older boy's head, shut his eyes and kissed his lover. Long and true, their lips remained connected, until Naruto couldn't restrain the trembling in his lips. He pushed off the pillow, glanced at his lover's sad expression, and kissed him again; this time more quickly. "Goodbye, love." He brought a hand up to feel the smoothness of Sasuke's cheeks as he said this. Looking deeply into the boy's bright, black eyes for what could be the last time in a while, he whispered, "Until we meet again." And lay back down at his side. A single tear rolled down Uchiha Sasuke's cheek, and he secured the arm around the blond ninja.

He waited a complete hour before kissing Naruto on the forehead and stepping out the window frame with his gear strapped to his back. One more sorrowful glance back at the bed and he spoke solidly:

"Goodnight."

I don't own Naruto.
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xDelfin