In a lifetime

A/N: There's a movie called Time Machine, seen it? If not- then in the movie a man builds a time machine in order to go into the past in order to save his girlfriend who died in a mugging. Even though he goes back in time and prevents the mugging from ever happening, she dies anyways by something completely different. The man concluded that he could travel back in time a thousand times, watch her die in a thousand different ways, and he could do nothing to prevent her death. Please keep this in mind when you read this fic- it was that very plot that inspired this story.

...

The old plastic tray that was indigenous to practically every public school in the country- hit and landed on the well-used round table that was currently and will probably forever be known as the 'staff table'. The raven-haired owner of the previously mentioned lunch tray, settled down on his seat minding that some strange colored liquid, that was to his left, didn't touch his pristine white shirt. He forced down a sigh, an action that he was doing a lot of lately, and stared with disgust at the watery goo that was on his tray.

How did the government get away with severing this stuff to children who needed education and to the teachers who gave it? With a small plastic spoon in his hand he poked at his meal. One more poke and the spoon was thrown to the side and the meal left untouched for the rest of the lunch break.

"You should eat, Sasuke." The voice came so simple and carefree. It was the voice of a man that Sasuke couldn't of possibly heard from. A man who wasn't there, that wasn't nowhere to be found…because the man was dead. Even though Sasuke knew that, even though Sasuke knew that it was all in his head, he answered the voice anyway.

"I'm not hungry."

"Uh, what was that?" Sasuke was mentally shaken when a completely different voice sounded. Across from him sat a man with shaggy brown hair and facial tattoos.

Sasuke grunted. "Nothing, Inuzuka."

Inuzuka Kiba, the current physical education teacher of the public school called Leaf, tilted his head in question when Uchiha Sasuke turned away from him. "You alright, Uchiha?" Kiba asked.

Sasuke had turned away because he hated the concerned look in his coworkers' eyes. He hated the pity that seemed to radiate off everyone he came in contact with. Everyone knew of his tragedy. A tragedy that happened well over a year ago but still feels as fresh as ever. Sasuke felt his chest constrict and he stood up. "I'm fine." He informed Kiba before exiting the cafeteria.

….

"Don't make that face you'll scare the kids." That carefree voice was back and it bounced and echoed in his head. Sasuke's scrunched up face- scrunched up even more and like before he answered the voice without hesitation. "Shut up." It was only after the words left Sasuke's mouth did the presence of one of his 4th grade students became known.

Sasuke lifted his gaze and locked eyes with a ten-year-old child's wide-eyed stare. The raven-haired teacher coughed into his hand and straightened out a few papers that were settled on his desk. "Did you have a question?" He asked the kid as nicely as he could.

The student, with a hesitated nod, pointed out a math question in his workbook. After a detailed explanation the child left his teacher's desk. Said teacher, ran a pale hand through his dark locks and whispered to himself "See what you made me do, Naruto?"

….

"Did it happen again?"

Even though the question wasn't specific Sasuke knew what the woman across the room from him was asking. The raven, with a heated glare, gave a nod of confirmation. The sound of pen writing on paper became known and almost deafening in Sasuke's ears. He hated when she did that. She took everything that was spoken and wrote it down. Sasuke hoped that everything that was said and written down in this room was confidential. Even after repeat reassurances he was still skeptical. Just what else can therapists do during lunch breaks other than to talk about their clients?

The woman shifted in her seat, transferring her notepad from one knee to the other. She looked at her patient, flicking a piece of blond hair back into place, the diamond-shaped-tattoo on her forehead reflecting off the dim light above. "How often do you hear the voice?"

Sasuke released a grunt and folded his arms along his chest. "Not often," he answered.

The woman, who Sasuke knew was well in her fifties even though she appeared younger, raised an eyebrow to convey that she wanted a more detailed answer. Sasuke didn't give one. "Is it getting better?" She asked instead.

Sasuke leaned his head back and stared at the multiple psychiatry diplomas that were planted on the otherwise plain wall. After the incident the school, where he taught, threatened to fire him if he didn't see a therapist at least once a week. Following a few uneventful, boring, and useless sessions- Sasuke finally came around and actually found that talking about things helped. Tsunade Sannin, as it read on the diploma, was very kind and intelligent. There were times when she reminded Sasuke of the one he lost. The one whose voice he found echoing in his head more recently than ever. "Yes, it's getting better," he lied.

Tsunade once again wrote down a few lines in her small spiraled notepad. She was a very perceptive person, if she knew he was lying then she didn't call him out on it. "Sasuke," Tsunade began, "it's been a year and a half since the death of your lover." The raven stiffened at that destructive yet simply said statement. "How are you getting along at your apartment? You shared it with him didn't you? Are you planning to mo-"

"I'm not moving." Sasuke interrupted. The apartment he once shared with his departed lover, Naruto, was the only thing left. It was the only place where Sasuke felt at home. Even though it was always a heart wrenching reminder- Sasuke couldn't make himself leave.

"Sasuke, I think it would be good for you."

"No," Sasuke was final and Tsunade knew that anymore on the subject would be useless. She nodded her head and thankfully, for Sasuke, didn't write anything down in her notepad.

Instead she peered at the raven and asked, "is there anything you want to talk about before the session ends?"

Sasuke leaned his head back once more and viewed the many diplomas on the wall again. "Actually," he began. From the corner of his eye he could see Tsunade straightened in her seat. It was rare for Sasuke to actually start a topic of conversation and Tsunade was being extra attentive. "I've been wanting to get a pet."

"A pet? What kind?"

Even though he was still facing the wall he was no longer viewing anything in particular. His eyes glazed over in thought and memory. "Naruto….Naruto always wanted a cat." Sasuke's voice got softer. "He…he used to always talk about this stray cat he had known back when he was a kid. He couldn't keep it and it hissed every time Naruto tried to pet it, but that idiot feed that stray everyday. Everyday he left a plate of food outside. Even when…even when the cat stopped coming…Naruto would still leave a plate of food outside. " Sasuke felt his chest constrict in that familiar pain. He felt the back of his eyes burn and sting. "Naruto was always a sucker for strays."

Tsunade gave a soft smile. "I think that's a fine idea."

…

He struggled with the brown cardboard box, making sure that it was leveled, as he opened the door to his apartment. From inside the small brown box came soft mewls and a tiny orange paw could be seen poking out through one of the small holes.

The door was opened and the raven quickly shut it behind him using his foot and quickly locking it. He tossed his work bag, which was filled with papers that needed to be graded, and plopped down on the couch. The box that rested on his lap rattled and Sasuke, taking in a breath, opened the box.

Inside, a tiny kitten squinted upward. Her orange fur seemed to shimmer as the kitten opened her tiny mouth and meowed. Sasuke felt his heart throb and his throat burn as the kitten pawed his hand, her tiny wet nose pressed against his palm and then with her tiny tongue- lick at his finger.

"Gorgeous isn't she?" Sasuke gave a nod of agreement to the voice that echoed in his mind.

"She's beautiful, Naruto." Sasuke replied, his spoken words resounding through the empty apartment. Even though there was no way he could be there, Sasuke believed Naruto was. Sasuke could feel the blond looking over his shoulder. He could imagine that silly grin that Naruto would wear whenever he was insanely happy.

Sasuke leaned forward, his shoulders slightly hunched as he carefully petted the little kitten on the top of her head. "What should I call you, little one?" Sasuke whispered to the kitten. The kitten only purred in response and Sasuke lifted the little orange thing out of the box. The raven gazed into the kittens' greenish-yellow eyes and couldn't help but smile.

He moved the box to the floor and rested the tiny kitten on his lap where it crawled up and promptly fell asleep. "I'll call you 'Naruto'."

…

"She's fine, Sasuke. Stop calling and just get your shopping done!" The line on the other end clicked and Sasuke scowled at the dead phone. Sakura had hung up on him. Sakura, a medical student, with impossibly natural pink hair, was a mutual friend of Naruto and his. She lived just one floor down and was married to a marathon runner named Lee.

As it was, Sakura was the only person who Sasuke trusted Naruto (the kitten) with. Since Sasuke lived alone and couldn't stand the thought of leaving the kitten alone as well. Sakura babysat, or I should say kitten-sat, for him. Not even a week has passed and Sasuke couldn't stand being apart from the orange little kitten. When they were apart Sasuke frequently called and asked for updates. After five calls in under half a hour- Sakura finally snapped.

The raven stuffed his phone into his pocket and readjusted his grip on his shopping basket. He needed a few groceries, cat food, throw in a couple of cat toys, and he was done with shopping for the week.

Sasuke rounded the aisles, snatching a few choice items and stuffing them into his basket. He narrowed his ebony-colored eyes and peered over his shoulder. For a while now it felt as though someone was watching him, following him. Sasuke didn't see anything out of the ordinary and went along with his shopping. It was after paying for his groceries and walking out to his car did he get tired of the unknown eyes drilling into his skull. The raven turned around to confront his stalker.

Sasuke didn't expect his pursuer to be directly behind him however and Sasuke faltered for a moment before he glared at the stranger before him. "Why are you following me?" Sasuke demanded with no patience what-so-ever.

The stranger, who had silver-gravity-defying hair and multicolored eyes, smiled- although the smile was covered by a thin, dark blue scarf. "You called me." He simply said. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and quickly looked about to see if the stranger was possibly talking about someone else. "I'm talking about you."

Sasuke's eyebrow rose even higher. "What the hell are you talking about?" The stranger said nothing and Sasuke sighed. "I don't have time to deal with this." The raven turned and unlocked his car. After placing the grocery bags in the backseat he got in and drove off without a second look back.

..

Sasuke gently scratched behind the orange kitten's ear and was rewarded with a loud purr. His other hand dug into one of his groceries bags and pulled out one of the many toys he had bought. After the plastic covering was taken off, Sasuke now held in his hand a toy mouse. The toy was brown, small and fat, stuffed with cat nip, and a long tail that the orange kitten, Naruto, quickly took notice of. With barely a twist of his wrist Sasuke moved the toy mouse on the counter and the tiny kitten happily played.

"Ohhhhh, that's so cute!" Sasuke smiled as Naruto's voice rang in his head. Again he could picture his departed lover, leaning against the counter, his grin so wide and infectious, blue eyes sparkling- Sasuke shook his head. Naruto was dead. Maybe he was going crazy?

"You're not going crazy."

The toy mouse that Sasuke held in his hand fell to the counter and Sasuke turned around in a sudden panic. That voice just now wasn't Naruto's or anybody else's that he knew for that matter. Leaning against his kitchen archway stood the stranger from the grocery store parking lot.

Sasuke moved a hand behind his back and made sure that his tiny kitten was behind him and safe. His other hand searched for a potential weapon. With his fingers tightly wrapped around a silver candle stick holder, that was luckily nearby, Sasuke narrowed his eyes and spoke. "What are you doing in my apartment?"

The intruder, his multi-colored eyes darting to the potentially deadly silver candle stick holder and back to Sasuke's hard eyes, gave an innocent smile. Well, what could be an innocent smile since a scarf was still hiding half his face. "I told you,…You called me and I'm here to grant your wish."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Sasuke demanded as he took a step forward, his hand slightly raised- the silver candle stick holder proving to be a helpful barrier since the silver-haired stranger took a step back.

"I knew you would need a little convincing. That's why I let you hear his voice."

Sasuke faltered for just a moment but his eyes returned to their narrowed glare. "I don't know what your talking about. Get out of my apartment before I call the police."

The stranger made a tisk-ing noise and he gave a disappointed shake of his head. "Come on now, Sasuke. No need to be so hostile. I'm here to help you."

Sasuke frowned when the stranger said his name but he wasn't able to comment on it since the kitten, that was still behind him, gave a meow. For just a spilt second- Sasuke had turned his gaze away from the intruder- that split second was all the intruder needed. When Sasuke turned back the stranger was gone. "What the-" Sasuke whispered. The raven looked about his apartment but the stranger was nowhere to be found.

"Behind you."

Sasuke turned around to see the stranger behind him. But what made the Uchiha's blood boil and run cold at the same time was that his tiny orange kitten, the one that he lovingly named, Naruto, was in the strangers' hand.

Sasuke clenched his teeth, his fingers that were still wrapped around the silver candle stick holder, tightened, knuckles turning white. The kitten meowed and the silver-haired man cooed down at it. "Aw, so cute, so cute."

"Don't touch my cat." Sasuke hissed.

The intruder set the kitten down on the tiled floor and Sasuke felt his muscles relax. "I already told you Sasuke: No need to be all hostile."

Sasuke didn't like how the other spoke to him so casually, speaking his name as though they were old friends. "What the hell do you what?" He grinded out.

The stranger clapped his hands together. "To grant your wish, of course!"

"Look, I don't know what kind of joke this is-"

"It's no joke." Sasuke was stunned into silence when the silver-haired man disappeared right before his eyes only to reappear a few inches away. "I'm the real deal." He whispered.

Sasuke stared at him, his charcoal-colored eyes taking in every detail of the man. "Who are you?" Sasuke slowly asked.

The man grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief and something else unreadable. "Well, lets see…" He began, his voice light. "I have been called a demon, an angel, a trickster, a warlock, oh and my favorite- a god!" he chuckled, his head tilting up as though he were recalling something.

Sasuke said nothing and continued to stare with uncertain eyes.

The silver-haired man then suddenly gave a polite bow, his voice remaining light as he introduced himself. "However, you may call me Kakashi," he gave a grin again, "and to answer your next question- I am actually: an immortal."

Sasuke slightly opened his mouth but no words came out. He didn't know what to say. The silence was broken when the orange kitten, Naruto, purred loudly and began to rub against Sasuke's pant leg. "Naruto," the raven said quietly, his pale hands wrapping around the kitten and pulling him up.

"I see you named your cat after him." The silver-haired man, now known as Kakashi, said.

Sasuke glared. "What do you know about Naruto?"

Kakashi seemed to give a shrug. "He's the one your heart calls out for."

The soft orange fur beneath Sasuke's fingertips calmed him. He didn't like how the 'immortal', if that's what he really is, was talking about Naruto. He wasn't liking anything that was going on. He was starting to downright hate the man all together.

Kakashi continued talking, Sasuke's tense posture and angry eyes seemingly going unnoticed. "Naruto can't answer your call… but I can answer it for him."

"I don't understand."

Kakashi seated himself on the corner of the nearest couch and looked directly into Sasuke's eyes. "Your wish is loud. Your soul is crying out like a siren and no matter where I go I can still hear it. I thought that if I ignored you- it would drown out. But here we are…. a year and a half later and your cry is as strong as ever. "

Sasuke didn't tear his gaze away from Kakashi's multi-colored eyes. The silver-haired man's voice grew more sincere.

"I've lived hundreds of years and you're the first to call out so strongly. But, I'm sorry your wish …can not be granted." Kakashi snapped his fingers and he seemed to grin again as a piece of paper materialized out of nowhere. "Not entirely anyway."

The piece of paper was handed to Sasuke. After a moments hesitation, the raven set the kitten down and reached for the paper. Once it touched his hand, the paper glowed and the writing on it seemed to jump out at him.

"I know what your wish is, Sasuke." Kakashi continued. "It is in my power to grant wishes….but at a price."

"Twenty years…." Sasuke mumbled. The scroll that he held in his hand explained everything. For his wish to be granted- Twenty years of his mortal life must be exchanged.

"Exactly," Kakashi replied.

"You steal years off people's lives to stay immortal." Sasuke accused, his dark eyes raising off the document to lock them with Kakashi's.

"How rude." Kakashi exclaimed in mock hurt. "I exchange. Exchange! It's a written deal." He snapped his fingers again and another piece of paper materialized. "You must sign this. -with your blood mind you- it is all very formal and professional, I assure you."

"Wait," Sasuke whispered uncertainly, reaching out and taking the offered document nonetheless. "Didn't you say my wish couldn't be granted entirely. What does that mean?"

Kakashi sighed. His demeanor changing almost drastically. "And this is why I didn't want to answer your call…" Sasuke frowned and Kakashi sighed again. "Your wish can not be entirely granted. I can not bring Naruto back to life."

The Uchiha clenched his fists. "Then why are you here?" he hissed.

"Like I said- I can hear you calling out and I can't ignore you anymore. I may not be able to bring Naruto back to life but…I can arrange something else." For once, in a very long time, hope shined in Sasuke's eyes. "I can take you back in time-"

"and stop it from ever happening?" Sasuke interrupted. The blood in his veins running rapid with possibility.

"No. Don't misunderstand, Sasuke. There are rules and consequences." Kakashi's voice grew hard and firm. It made Sasuke recoil back, the hope in his eyes dying away. "I'm sorry but a person's fate, once it's already decided, can not be changed."

"Then…Then what is it you are offering?"

"I'm giving you the chance to relive that day."

"Y-you want me to relive the most horrible day of my life?"

That almost nonexistent shrug was back. "I'm offering you the chance to spend one more day with your departed lover…"Again, Sasuke stood speechless, not being able to find anything to say or ask. "…If that day happens to be the worst day of your life- then I'm sorry. It's all I can offer you." Kakashi stood up, his hands brushing imaginary dust off his clothes as he spoke parting words. "I will give you time to think about it. There is no expiration date on this offer so there is no need to rush. When you are ready, just call my name." Kakashi snapped his fingers and disappeared into thin air.

….

-One Month Later-

Sasuke sat at the edge of his dark-blue couch, his shoulders hunched as he leaned over the coffee table before him. He peering down at the many papers scattered upon the glass top running a frustrated hand through his raven locks and letting out a sound of frustration. "There has to be a way…" He whispered tiredly to himself.

It had took about a week for the offer that Kakashi had presented to actually sink in. Kakashi's words repeating over and over again in his head and then even in his sleep. Automatically the thought of relieving that horrible day, the day he lost Naruto, was enough to make his stomach twist and his heart wrench.

It was on one uneventful afternoon, where Sasuke was sitting silently, the kitten purring quietly in his lap, did Sasuke start to think about the offer in more depth. "What if the day I want to relieve isn't the day Naruto died? Why can't it be any other day?"

Before the question fully left Sasuke's wondering mouth, a piece of paper snapped into existence and landed right on top of his glass coffee table. Sasuke, with a raised eyebrow and a quick look around his apartment, grabbed the document. There typed on the document was his answer.

Apparently going any further back in time was forbidden and extremely dangerous. Any change, no matter how small and seemingly meaningless, could do serious damage to the timeline. Going back on the same day of Naruto's death however would decrease those risks. As long as Naruto's time and place of death stayed the same, there would be no problem.

"If I do relive that day…What would happen if I decide not to take Naruto back to that place where I know he is going to die?"

Another text materialized. Sasuke hesitantly reached for the paper and read it silently. In this situation, it stated, Naruto will die in a completely different way. It could be environmental or simply by heart failure.

- 'A person's fate, once it's already decided, can not be changed.' -

Sasuke recalled Kakashi's words and anger sprouted. It was so unfair! No matter what, no matter what he did, Naruto was still going to die! Sasuke's fist slammed down onto the table in frustration.

Two months later…

He had asked every possible question he could think of. Tried to discover loopholes in hopes of finding a way to keep Naruto alive if he was going to take the offer and go back in time….but it wasn't possible. Naruto's fate couldn't be changed and Sasuke was crushed. It felt as though he lost his blond all over again.

He had even gone as far as to asking Kakashi if his life could be exchanged for Naruto's. Or if years off his life could be given to Naruto instead.

"Why the hell not, Kakashi!" Sasuke had screamed. The silver-haired man stood across the room, his arms crossed with an air of calmness that irked Sasuke to no end. "The offer requires twenty-years of my life! I'm just asking for you to take five more years and give them to Naruto."

The immortal shook his head in the negative. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. It just doesn't work that way."

"Why the hell not?"

Kakashi sighed. "You see, Sasuke…life is just energy. I have the ability to take that energy and accumulate it into my own. My energy supply never depletes- so I will never meet my fate. But where as, people like Naruto, they had their energy supply abruptly cut. Once it is cut- it can not be restored."

Sasuke stood rigid, the last hope, that he held onto to save Naruto, dying from his eyes. Kakashi chose to say nothing more as he snapped his fingers and disappeared.

So now, two months since that time, Sasuke has come to a decision. He was going to take the offer. He would lose twenty years of his life but he was fine with that. The thought of growing old and wrinkly wasn't that pleasant to begin with. Plus, ever since Kakashi appeared, Naruto's voice no longer echoed in his head. That last connection that he felt with Naruto was gone. It made him feel empty and unbearably alone.

"Why," he asked Kakashi one day, "Why did you let me hear Naruto's voice?"

Kakashi was digging through his refrigerator, his mouth presumably filled with food since Sasuke was unable to see. "That's easy," Kakashi responded without looking up at him. "Sometimes people need a little push. Or they need to behold some of my magic in order for them to believe me. I figured that if I let you hear his voice, that you would miss him all the more and would therefore increase my chances of getting you to make a wish."

Sasuke frowned at the blunt and callous answer but he couldn't exactly fault the man. "You figured correctly." was all Sasuke said.

…

"Are you sure you want to take the offer, Sasuke?"

The raven glared impatiently. "Of course."

Kakashi nodded in his head in understanding. "Just so we're clear: You understand the rules?"

Sasuke nodded.

"You understand that you are to relive the day exactly the same way? That Naruto's death must be in the same time and place?

Sasuke nodded.

"Okay then…" Kakashi said suddenly sounding professional. "You must sign this."

Once all the papers were signed, six in total, Kakashi stepped forward and placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "You might feel a little lightheaded…" Kakashi's hand glowed and Sasuke felt as though the energy was being sucked out of him. His knees buckled and threatened to collapse until Kakashi lifted the hand off his shoulder and stepped back.

"Now Sasuke…I want you to go to sleep. When you wake up… you will be with Naruto…"

Sasuke nodded distractedly, trying to will the dizziness in his head away, as he found his bedroom door and opened it. He fell on the crisp clean covers, well aware that Kakashi was standing a few feet away, and felt the bed move when the orange kitten, Naruto, curled into his side to sleep with him, as the kitten always did.

…

When Sasuke woke light was spewing through a small opening in the curtains and it made him groan and toss in his bed. In a spark of panic, Sasuke sat upright, and in his sleepy daze searched for the kitten that he feared he rolled over on. "Naruto…" He whispered as he flipped the covers. "Where's that dang cat…?"

Finally the sleepy-haze was broken when Sasuke concluded that the cat had woken up earlier and left, therefore was in no danger of being rolled over on. His ebony eyes looked off to the side to find that the small playground, that he had purchased for the cat and where he usually found her perched on, was gone. Instead in it's place was a long-sleeved dark orange shirt.

Sasuke stared at the material of clothing. Transfixed at how casual and normal it appeared on the carpet. It was Naruto's favorite shirt…When Naruto died, Sasuke had put all of his clothing in boxes, including what was his favorite shirt. What was it doing laying out here now?

A series of sounds flowed through the bedroom door and it made Sasuke's chest quake. The crash of a pan hitting a tiled kitchen floor resounded including a colorful string of curses from a very familiar voice. Sasuke felt his heart stop and his lungs seize. He was paralyzed on the bed, his eyes wide, and his fingers clutching at the covers. Naruto!

With blood rushing and pounding in his head Sasuke flew out of bed and threw open the bedroom door. Entering the living room, Sasuke spotted Naruto's jacket that was sprawled out on the couch, Naruto's shoes were underneath the coffee table, and beside the entertainment center was the billboard cutout of Michael Jordan that Kiba had given to the blond as a birthday present years ago. All were things that were put away after the incident but now they were sitting there as though they had never been moved…like nothing ever happened.

"Oh, you sonofabitch!" Cried a frustrated voice that echoed from the kitchen. Sasuke felt his chest quake again. That was undeniably Naruto! Sasuke swung the kitchen door open and came face to face with a surprised looking Naruto.

"Sasuke…" The blond said, his blue-eyes wide and then giving a sheepish smile. "Damn it, I was hoping to get breakfast done before you woke u-" Naruto was cut off when Sasuke threw himself toward him. The blond barely catching the raven before they toppled over and landed harshly on the floor. " What the hell-"

"Naruto." Sasuke whispered, his arms enclosed around that familiar body and breathing in that scent that he lived far too long without. "Naruto. Naruto."

Naruto, unsure what was going on, gave a chuckle. "Yeah, that's me…"

Sasuke hugged him harder. He could feel the back of his eyes burning and his throat threatening to close up on him. "Fuck. I missed you so much…"

Naruto frowned at the odd statement and his frown deepened when he realized that Sasuke was shaking. Naruto sat upright on the tiled kitchen floor and Sasuke continued to bury his face in his shoulder with his arms firmly around the blonds neck. "Sasuke, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

When Sasuke didn't reply Naruto pulled back so that he could look at Sasuke. "Baby,…" Naruto began uncertain, "why are you crying?"

Sasuke choked on a sob as Naruto's bright blue eyes stared into him. He felt hands cup his cheeks and thumbs were wiping away the tears that had unknowingly flowed. Naruto was here. Naruto was right in front of him.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked again.

The raven sniffed and tried to composed himself. "It's…nothing." He reluctantly removed his arms from around Naruto's neck and stood up on shaky legs.

From the floor Naruto shoot the raven another bewildered, worried look. When Sasuke glanced away Naruto only sighed and stood up to his full height. His blue-eyed gaze caught Sasuke looking at the stove where the breakfast he was trying to carefully prepare only looked like a pile of ash. Naruto chuckled. "Fish is not my specialty." the blond said lamely. "I was hoping to surprise you. I wanted this morning to go perfectly-"

"It's perfect." Sasuke interrupted, his voice soft but firm. The raven turned his back to the stove and gazed Naruto in the eyes, reaching out and gripping his hand. "I love you, Naruto."

The blonds' cheeks noticeably tinted red and he spluttered. "Where did that come from?" Even though Naruto was clearly confused on what brought on such a confession, a confession that was rarely made between the two, unless it was a special occasion or during a bout of passionate sex, Naruto easily smiled and tugged Sasuke closer by their connecting hands. "What's with you this morning?" He asked teasingly, his other hand going up to cup Sasuke's cheek. "You act like you haven't seen me in years."

Sasuke sighed at the contact and moved closer. "You have no idea…" He whispered as he attentively placed a kiss on Naruto's lips. Sasuke sighed again and moved in for another, he felt his lover, his whole world, place his hands around him and he felt… at home. He felt the unrest, that had seemingly raged forever in his chest, subside.

As always the numerous kisses that he shared with Naruto grew heated and needy. Sasuke kissed desperately and he felt a wetness on his cheeks and he realized that he was crying again. Naruto must have noticed also but the blond didn't say anything, he simply held on tighter and kissed more passionately. "Skip breakfast?" Naruto muttered between kisses, "to the bedroom?"

Sasuke nodded, linking their hands together and leading the way. They stumbled down the hall, through the bedroom door and landed on the bed. Looking up into Naruto's clouded lust-filled eyes made Sasuke shudder with a happiness that he had forgotten could exist. Naruto was here. Naruto was kissing him.

They removed each others clothes. Reveling in the skin to skin contact that made them burn from the inside out. Naruto smiled that smile that Sasuke would see in his dreams. Those love-filled smiles and adorning touches that kept him awake and would make his chest ache horribly in the morning. But right now, Sasuke wanted it, needed it. Naruto was here.

"What's going on, Sasuke?" Naruto asked as he let his hands slide down his torso. "I've never seen you act like th-" Naruto concerned question was cut off by a desperate kiss.

"Naruto." Sasuke only said that one word. Only said his name and Naruto knew that he shouldn't ask anymore questions. Sasuke wanted him and Naruto was going to deliver.

A moan resounded throughout the room, Sasuke's cheeks were flushed and his body was burning as he let the love of his life pleasure him. Sasuke needed this. Kisses were spread from his jaw to his nook of his neck and he moaned again as Naruto grinded against him. When Naruto finally entered him, he relished the wave of pleasure that coursed through his veins. His pale hands and legs wrapped around the body above him and held on tightly. Chants of Naruto's name unknowing fell from Sasuke's lips and his head felt heavy but heavenly.

They reached their climax together. Both their bodies trembling and slick with sweat as they moaned and whispered words of love and adoration. "I love you, Sasuke. You know that, right?"

Sasuke nodded tiredly, the afterglow of their lovemaking thick in the air and known by the lazy smiles on their faces.

…

-End of Part One-