These Dreams and Dreaming Again, a naruto fanfic

I'm posting this in the hope that it will tide you over until I have time to continue my other stories. Theatre has consumed my life, I'm sorry to say.

This is a Sasu/Naru Naru/Sasu fic and is yaoi (not too hard core). For those of you you don't know, that's boy on boy. Don't like? Turn back now.

This story is based on two Jim Croce songs, These Dreams and Dreamin' Again. I think it's cute, and it was the first yaoi I ever wrote. So enjoy. POV switches around quite a bit, but it's labeled and you shouldn't have trouble keeping up.

Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, not Masashi Kishimoto, then Naruto and Sasuke would be together. Since I don't, they're not. =( I don't own the Jim Croce songs either.

NARUTO POV

I sat in the windowsill of my apartment, looking sadly over the town. My thoughts strayed yet again to my best friend (and possibly more) Sasuke Uchiha. It had become a sort of ritual since he had come back. To look over the sprawling, lively city and wonder, Why?

Sasuke was back now, for good he had promised. But things weren't the same as they had been. Sasuke was … I couldn't quite put his finger on it. Distant. Cold. Uncaring. All of these things he had been before, but now they were almost unbearable.

It's as though our revelation just before Sasuke left had never happened.

*FLASH BACK*

"WHY Sasuke?" I demanded hoarsely. We were both breathing heavily. I was lying on my back, fighting to stay conscious. Sasuke stood over me, ready to run off. But I didn't want to see him go. "Why are you leaving?"

Sasuke looked down at me with his dark eyes. Not cold eyes, or uncaring, just reflective. They weren't supposed to reveal secrets. "Because I have to kill Itachi. I need power," the raven replied. He turned to go.

I closed my eyes and let the rain run down my face, hiding the tears I knew were there. My whole world was crashing down. My best friend, the person I loved more than life itself, was leaving me. He was leaving, and didn't want me any more, if he ever wanted me at all.

Suddenly the rain stopped falling on my face. Some one was above me, looking down. I cracked my eyes open a tiny bit. Sasuke was above me, staring down at me with his beautifully intense eyes. "I have to leave, Naruto, because I love you," he whispered. My eyes widened in shock. Sasuke continued, trying to get this confession off of his chest. "I love you so much, and I don't want you hurt because of me. I need to leave, to do what only I can, but I promise I'll come back for you."

Sasuke then lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me softly. I was shocked. He loved me. He wanted me. Sasuke went to stand up, but I stopped him. I threaded my fingers through his hair, and pulled his face back down to mine. The next kiss, and the ones that followed, weren't quite as gentle as the first. Neither was what happened next.

I blushed slightly as I remembered what we did. "God he had a fine body," I murmured to myself. The sun was beginning to set. Fiery colors splashed across the sky, painting the city red and gold and orange. Absolutely beautiful. If I could muster up the enthusiasm to enjoy it. All I could think of was his warm lips against mine.

I sighed sadly. Thinking about it would only make things worse. I slid out of the windowsill and trudged to my bed. It was still early, but I didn't care. I had nothing better to do than sleep. And maybe if I was lucky, he would be there. In my dreams, the only place he could ever want me.

Once we were lovers, but some how things have changed.

Now we're just lonely people trying to forget each others names.

What came between us? Maybe we were just too young to know.

Now and then I feel the same.

And sometimes at night I think I hear you calling my name.

Mmm mmm mmm, these dreams, they keep me going these days.

Once we were lovers, but that was long ago.

We lived together then, but now we do not even say hello.

What came between us? Maybe we were just too young to know.

Now and then I feel the same.

And sometimes at night I think I hear you calling my name.

Mmm mmm mmm, these dreams, they keep me going these days.

What came between us? Maybe we were just too young to know.

Now and then I feel the same.

And sometimes at night I think I hear you calling my name.

Mmm mmm mmm, these dreams, they keep me going these days.

*SASUKE POV*

I sat on the branch of a large tree, somewhere out in the forest. The wind stirred the leaves softly in the fiery light of the sunset. Beautiful. If I cared. The only thing that would come to my mind was him. My blonde angel.

He had been so happy when I came back. I promised I would never leave him again. Did he put so little faith in that promise? Was that why he had distanced himself from me? And because of that, I was even colder to him.

"Why can't I do anything right?" I demanded of myself quietly. "Why can't I do anything right by him?" That was the most frustrating part. That no matter what I did, it always seemed wrong. Everyone else could make him laugh or smile. Why couldn't I do that? I wanted to be the one Naruto would smile for. To make him happy.

I slid down from the tree and landed silently. The sun was setting and darkness was already beginning to creep over the city. It was time to go home, to an empty house and a cold bed.

I walked through the streets in a trance. If any one called out to me, I didn't notice. I could barely see what was infront of me. A face was blocking my view. His face looking at me, wondering why I didn't care. His blue eyes shone with unshed tears. I wanted to be able to reach out, to touch his face and assuage his doubt. But I had no right to touch such a pure person. I hadn't earned the right to comfort him, and relieve my own pain. My actions had made him slip just out of reach. So I would have to live with my misery.

Don't you know I had a dream last night.

You were here with me, lying by my side so soft and warm.

And we talked a while and shared a smile.

Then we shared the dawn.

But when I woke up, oh the dream, it was gone.

Don't you know I had a dream last night.

You were here with me, lying by my side so soft and warm.

And you said you'd thought it over.

Said that you were coming home.

But when I woke up from the dream, it was gone.

I'm not the same. Can you blame me? Is it hard to understand?

I can't forget, you can't change me.

I am not that kind of man.

Don't you know I had a dream last night.

And everything was still. You were by my side so soft and warm.

And I dreamed that we were lovers, in the lemon scented rain.

But when I woke up, I found that again,

I had been dreamin'. Dreamin' again.

*NARUTO POV*

"Mmm," I mumbled. "Sasuke. I missed you." I hugged him tightly, burying my face in his chest. He stroked my hair and whispered, "I missed you too, Naruto. I love you."

I sighed happily. That was all I needed to hear. I tilted my head up for a kiss. He lowered his head to mine, our lips barely touching.

"Ahh!" I yelped as I fell out of my bed. A dream, yet again. It was unfair. The dream had felt so real. I stayed on the floor, trying to muster up the will to get back in bed. "My imagination has gotten sooo out of hand."

It was still dark outside. I glanced out at the moon. It had to be around one in the morning. I sighed again, this time in disappointment. I got back up and sat on the edge of my bed, holding my head in my hands.

"This is stupid," I growled. I stood back up, resolved. "I have to go see Sasuke. If he doesn't want me he can tell me himself." I strode out of my apartment into the night, to find the man I loved.

*SASUKE POV*

"Mmm," I moaned. "Naruto…" I was lying on the floor, Naruto on top of me. My shirt was off and he was licking and nipping at the pulse in my neck. He chuckled, then pressed his mouth hard onto mine. I opened my mouth to let him in, which I knew is what he wanted.

I knew that other, more physical pursuits were about to follow. I also knew that it was a dream. Naruto could never want me like this. He was too good of a person, meant for someone better than me. I sighed, and before the dream could get any more out of hand, forced myself awake.

I sat up in my bed. I was alone in the huge, empty house that I called home. The moon shone brightly through my window between the tree branches, making odd patterns on the floor. I sighed in disappointment.

"Why couldn't it have been real?" I asked quietly, my throat thick with sleep. I brought my knees up to my chest and laid my head down on them. I felt the tears well up in my eyes, and then spill down my face. I refused to make a sound though. Naruto deserved more than me. And I would let him go without pining after him.

A soft tapping slightly drew my attention away from the sounds of my own sorrow. Was someone at the front door?

*NARUTO POV*

"Damn it Sasuke, open the damn door!" I grumbled under my breath. I banged on the door once more. The mansion was silent and none of the lights were on. Either he was asleep, or not home at all.

I was about to walk away when an idea hit me. I turned the doorknob. Sure enough, it was unlocked. I walked in quietly, hoping not to be mistaken for a burglar.

*SASUKE POV*

The tapping noise continued for about a minute. I wasn't sure who was at the door, nor did I care. I knew who I wanted it to be, but that was unlikely. I decided not to get up. They could come back later. I laid my head back on my knees and wished for things that would never be.

*NARUTO POV*

The house was enormous, and I had no idea where I was going. Assuming that the bedrooms were on the top floor, I began the long walk up the huge flight of steps.

The halls were lined with doors and pictures and just a lot of stuff. If I wasn't looking for my Sasuke, I would have snooped around. Instead I kept looking left and right for any sign that Sasuke was around.

Finally, an open door. I walked cautiously up to it and peeked in. My angel was there, sitting on his bed. He was curled up in a ball, head on his knees, crying silently. My heart constricted.

"Sasuke?"

*SASUKE POV*

"Sasuke?" a voice asked timidly from the doorway. I looked up. Through my tears, I could see him. My angel. I stared in disbelief. "Are you okay?"

I shook my head vehemently. As far as dreams went, this wasn't as much fun as the last one. But he was here, and that was all that I cared about. But I knew it was just a dream, and that if I didn't wake up now I would regret it in the morning.

"Go away," my voice cracked.

*OMNISCIENT NARRATION*

Naruto looked hurt, but didn't leave. "No," he replied, anger replacing the hurt. Sasuke looked shocked. His dreams never disobeyed him. Only the real Naruto could look that angry, no dream ever came close.

Naruto walked over to where Sasuke was sitting in fetal-position. He reached out to put a hand on the raven's shoulder, but Sasuke flinched away. "Please," Sasuke whimpered, refusing to look at Naruto. "It will hurt so much more when I wake up."

Now it was Naruto's turn to look shocked. He almost laughed. Reaching down, he pulled at Sasuke's arms and dragged him up until he was standing on the floor infront of Naruto. Sasuke still wouldn't look at him; instead he stared at the floor.

"You're not dreaming," Naruto whispered as he pulled Sasuke into his embrace. Sasuke laid his forehead down on Naruto's shoulder. "I'm here." Naruto stroked Sasuke's hair, murmuring reassurances.

Sasuke slowly, as if it truly was a dream, wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist. "But," Sasuke began, then stopped. He tried again, failing to keep his voice from cracking, "Why are you here?"

Naruto chuckled darkly. "I figured that if you didn't want me, you could say it to my face." He continued to stroke Sasuke's hair.

"Why wouldn't I want you? I told you that I love you. Don't you believe me?" Sasuke asked. His voice sounded pained.

"I did," Naruto replied. "And you came back, just like you promised. But you made it seem like having me around was a burden, something unpleasant that you just endured because you had too."

Sasuke smiled a very tiny bit and turned his head to the side so he was facing Naruto's neck. "Well we can't have people knowing the truth," he said smirking slightly. "What would people think? How would you ever become Hokage?"

Naruto caught the teasing in his voice and marveled at it. "Not to mention that Sakura would kill me. You do have an image to uphold," Naruto agreed. "So, just to be clear, you do want me?"

Sasuke straightened up to look Naruto in the eyes but still holding onto him. "Of course I want you. I need you," he replied. Naruto beamed at him, making Sasuke want to sing for joy. "Besides, I'm kind of a wreck without you." He gestured at the bed where he had been crying.

Naruto nodded in understanding. "I know the feeling," he said wryly. The teasing expression fell off of his face and was replaced by a very tender one. Naruto reached a hand up and gently grazed his fingertips on Sasuke's cheek. "I love you," he whispered.

Sasuke smiled and laced his fingers through Naruto's, pressing Naruto's hand to his face. "I love you too," he replied, whispering as well. "You have no idea how often I've dreamed of you. Hoping that you would say those words. But then I'd wake. And I was alone-" Naruto put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"I know. I dream of you too," Naruto said, smiling a tiny sweet smile.

Sasuke was overjoyed. Naruto dreamed of him. He lowered his head to Naruto's and Naruto met him half-way. It was a sweet, chaste kiss. They broke apart and smiled at each other.

Then hormones took over. Naruto snaked his arms around Sasuke's neck and crushed their mouths together. Sasuke opened his mouth in surprise, which was all the invitation Naruto needed. He slipped his tongue into Sasuke's mouth and began exploring.

Sasuke, after recovering from the shock, kissed back. After the mandatory battle for dominance, which Naruto won, they parted both breathing heavily.

Sasuke let a tiny moan escape as Naruto attacked his neck. He began unzipping Naruto's orange jacket, letting it fall on the floor. The tight black shirt was another matter. Naruto wouldn't let up on his neck long enough for Sasuke to get the shirt off. He was about to say so when he noticed that he was no longer wearing his nightshirt. When had that happened?

As Naruto moved to go down Sasuke's neck to his chest, Sasuke pulled Naruto's shirt off and flung it across the room somewhere. "My god," he murmured. Naruto looked up at him quizzically, wondering if he had done something wrong. Instead of answering, Sasuke ran his hands up the sculpted planes of Naruto's chest. "You're more gorgeous than I remembered."

Naruto blushed a little. The sight of Sasuke's pale hands on his tan chest brought up old memories. Before he could say anything, Sasuke pushed him backwards onto the bed and took one his Naruto's nipples into his mouth. Naruto moaned in pleasure. Sasuke smirked as he sucked.

The quiet Uchiha Mansion was not really quiet for the rest of the night.

"Mmm," Naruto hummed when he awoke the next morning. At least he thought he was awake. He was lying in a fluffy white bed, naked, in the arms of an equally naked Sasuke. He shook his head. "Dreaming again. When will I learn?" He nuzzled into Sasuke's chest a bit more as he tried to wake up.

"Wha?" Sasuke groaned as he woke. He looked down into the crystal blue eyes of his angel. "Another dream," he sighed.

Naruto looked at him, perplexed. "I thought this was my dream?" he said.

Sasuke looked down at him, surprised. "Are we awake?"

Naruto nodded. "I think so. Good," he smiled as he closed his eyes again. He snuggled closer to Sasuke, content.

Sasuke smirked at the now sleeping angel in his arms. "So last night actually happened," he mused. "Dreams really do come true."

Yeah, I'm a sucker for a happy ending.