Better

By TokyoMajin.

I don't own the Naruto characters or the song – the song is better by Regina Spektor. Warning: Contains possible spoilers for the manga chapters if you aren't up to date.

Summary: Sasuke's back and Naruto just wants to make him feel better. One – shot.


Naruto was at a loss as of what to do. Sasuke had been back in Konoha three weeks. Three weeks of moping. Three weeks of shutting himself away inside the Uchiha mansion. Naruto had given him space, just like Sakura had advised, but this was getting ridiculous. He didn't know what had happened with Sasuke and his brother, but whatever it was had deeply affected the teen. He hadn't been the same since they found him, half dead on the outskirts of Konoha, and brought him back. Naruto sighed and stood in front of his friend's bedroom door. He finally had him back and he had no idea what to do to make him snap out of his funk.

If I kiss you where it's sore
If I kiss you where it's sore
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything at all
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything at all

Sasuke was his brother, his best friend, the first person to really acknowledge him and now…his feelings had changed. Since he'd seen Sasuke, what felt like years ago, standing in the ruins of Orochimaru's lair his feelings towards the other teen had begun to change. They had turned into something else, something deeper and maybe even…love. Naruto shook his head. This wasn't about his feelings. This was about Sasuke's and dragging him out of the hell he was forcing himself into. He pushed open the door of the room, knowing there was no point in knocking, because the teen wouldn't even answer.

"Sasuke…" He called quietly, stepping into the room. In the dim light of the room he could make out the pale figure lying on the bed, dark eyes staring lifelessly at the wall where the Uchiha fan symbol was painted. Naruto sighed and took a step into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. No reaction, not even a flicker. Naruto ran a hand through his mess of blonde spikes, pushing the hair from his eyes to take in the shirtless figure of the Uchiha. He swallowed and pushed the inappropriate thoughts from his head. 'Concentrate Naruto,' he told himself sternly, 'you are going to be kind, patient and gentle with him. He's been through a lot. You can do it!' He nodded to himself and sat down on the edge of the bed next to the raven haired stretched out legs. Sasuke didn't even move.

Born like sisters to this world
In a town where blood ties are only blood
If you never say your name out loud to anyone
They can never ever call you by it

Naruto fought the urge to sigh again. He knew that Sasuke's return to Konoha probably hadn't been intentional and that now he was back he had to face the pressures of being The Last Uchiha once again. He had avenged his clan, and survived, and now all he had left was his memories of the once mighty clan, now reduced to one lone boy in a room. Naruto knew the council had gone easily on Sasuke because of who he was. He was aware that if it was he, the nine tailed fox container, who had ran away he would have been killed the moment he arrived back, accidental or not. Neither of them moved for a long time, and Naruto bit his lip trying to think of a way to phrase all the thoughts that were running around his head, and to prevent him from acting on the one thought that seemed remotely coherent in the jumbled ruins of the others.

"Teme…" He growled suddenly angry. He was angry at himself for not being able to think of anything to say, angry at the teen for not making this easier on him and angry at the misfortune that surrounded the two of them. "Stop being an idiot and snap out of this stupid mood! You think you're the only person who's lost someone they care about!" Naruto's voice chocked slightly as the familiar pain rose up again at the loss of his teacher, but he pushed it back down, closing brilliant blue eyes for a moment to attempt to rein in his emotions. This action caused him to miss the black pools that flickered from the wall to his face and back again so quickly it almost was undetectable. "Just because you did it by your own hand doesn't matter, it would have happened eventually!" Naruto continued, opening his eyes again to fix on the emotionless face of the boy next to him. He jumped up, hands clenching at his fists. "It's hurting everyone who cares about you to see you this way!" He yelled again and then stamped his foot. It was a childish action that almost caused Sasuke to smirk. His dobe really hadn't grown up.


If I kiss you where it's sore
If I kiss you where it's sore
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything at all
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything at all

You're getting sadder, getting sadder, getting sadder, getting sadder
And I don't understand, and I don't understand

"I just don't know how to make it better," Naruto murmured his voice quieter than before. He sighed a little sitting back down. "Sakura and Kakashi are real worried." Naruto told him, "Tsunande too…not that the old hag shows it, I know she is. The rest of them too…" Naruto pulled a face, "in their own individual ways," A soft smile lifted his face as he mentioned his friends. Sasuke watched him from the corner of his eye and then glanced away. Naruto seemed to be thinking for a moment, his face squashed up almost comically, before his face lit up in a huge smile. He dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out the Konoha headband that had once belonged to the other. The scratch across the headband was, to Sasuke's shock, gone and Naruto was still beaming in a way that made electricity shoot up Sasuke's spine. He found he could no longer concentrate on his dark thoughts with that smile directed at him, the smile that seemed to light up that whole room and chase away the darkness that had been clinging to him for so long. His eyes drifted to the headband Naruto had placed on the bed next to him and then watched as the other stood up and stretched, walking over to pull open the curtains and let the light stream into the room. Sasuke felt like a vampire seeing that light again after so long and there in the centre of it all, stood Naruto. His blonde hair glinted golden and his eyes were bright as he stared out of the window.

"You're such a teme!" Naruto growled suddenly, not turning to look at Sasuke as he spoke, "You have every one worrying about you, again! Sakura-chan is being all…weird now your back and all you've done is hidden yourself away like a…like an idiot!" Naruto declared proudly, turning to point at the other man, his face surprisingly happy for the angry things that he was saying. He huffed, folding his arms across his chest before moving to sit back at the bed. "You've been back for three weeks and I've only seen you for half a day and you've managed to piss me off like you wouldn't believe. This is a new record even for you," Naruto whined, pouting a little.

"Hn," Sasuke muttered running his finger over the cool metal of the headband. The silence that followed that muttered comment was overwhelming and then, suddenly Sasuke had an armful of Naruto.


But if I kiss you where it's sore
If I kiss you where it's sore
Will you feel better, better, better

Naruto froze, very aware that his face was now pressed against Sasuke's bare chest. He could feel his friend's heartbeat against his chest, and he closed his eyes, savouring the warmth the pale skinned youth was emitting. 'If I kissed him….would that make him feel better?' He thought, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. Before he could even stop himself, his lips were pressed against that heart beat. He felt Sasuke tense and he pulled back, eyes cast downwards.

"Sasuke…" Naruto muttered, a little uncomfortable at his impromptu action. He rubbed the back of his neck and went to move off the other boy when a hand curled around his, pulling him closer. A cool hand pressed against his warm whiskered cheek and a pair of soft lips lightly brushed his own and in a moment they were gone, and Naruto found himself staring into those impossibly deep black eyes.


Will you feel anything at all
Will you feel better, better, better
Will you feel anything at all
Anything at all
Will you feel anything at all
Anything at all
Will you feel anything at all
Anything at all...

A huge smile split his face and a soft smirk slid across Sasuke's. Their lips touched again, more forcefully than before, and Naruto's own hand came up to tangle in those soft black locks and his other hand rested lightly above the fast beating heart of his best friend, his brother, his precious person.

"Hn, dobe. You have made me feel better," Sasuke muttered, his voice was croaky from weeks of under use, but to Naruto it was one of the most beautiful sounds he'd heard.

"Teme." Naruto growled softly before leaning into the addicting touch of the others lips once again.

He might not have taken away the pain completely, but at least he had made the other feel better.


Well that's it, just a short one shot inspired by Regina Spektor's song – Better. I should be revising, but I'm so sick of it that I decided to distract myself from it for a while. Hope you all enjoyed this!