Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, and make no money from the writing of these fanfictions.


With Fates Entwined and Bonds Unbreakable

A collection of Naruto x Sasuke Drabbles and Ficlets

Author: ladygizarme

A/N: Happy Birthday, Naruto!! In honor of our dear Uzumaki's birthday today, I'm finally posting this thing I've been thinking about for a few weeks. I decided I needed a place to put my SasuNaru/NaruSasu ficlets and stories that don't otherwise have a place on their own. So, this collection was born! I'm still not sure how I feel about the title. It seems… heavy. And not everything in this collection will be that way. But it's the best idea I have for the moment. Suggestions otherwise are highly welcome in review. ^_^

Title: Marks Left Behind

Written For: queershinobi100, a new drabble community on lj. Challenge #1: vandalism

Pairing: Naruto/Sasuke

Word Length: 325

Spoilers: none really, I think

Rating: PG-13

Warning: suggested sexual situation

Summary: In some ways, Naruto's feelings about vandalism have changed. In some ways, they haven't.

Marks Left Behind

Time has passed since then, but Naruto still remembers the thrill of trekking to the top of Hokage Mountain, tying himself off, and dangling over the side to leave his mark on the faces of his village's great leaders. He still remembers the pride that built up in him as he painted spirals on Sandaime's cheeks and XO'd Yondaime's face and wrote, "Uzumaki Naruto-sama was here!" on whatever forehead he thought would be most visible from the village.

It wasn't exactly a conscious decision, but sometime between then and watching the Cursed Seal spreading over Sasuke's pale flesh—changing him; mutating him—Naruto changed his mind about leaving permanent marks behind. Maybe it was different on a real person. Maybe it was watching a strange seal paint itself across his own stomach while training with Jiraiya. Maybe it was seeing the marks on Neji's forehead. But Naruto had a better understanding of what marks left on another person meant, and watching a mark left by that bastard Orochimaru completely take Sasuke over had made his stomach churn.

Now, though, even that time is long past. Sasuke no longer bears that mark. But there are others. Reminders of the things he's done while he was away. Reminders of the things they've done together, so that Sasuke could return. Naruto simultaneously detests and treasures these marks. And for each mark that forever mars Sasuke's skin, Naruto finds a place to leave a new one. A better one. And for each one, Sasuke groans and bites back, scraping Naruto's scalp and skin with his nails in encouragement.

Afterwards, Sasuke always scowls, looking pointedly at Naruto with a growl in the back of his throat. Naruto just grins, though, feeling that pride he remembers from so long ago. It's a little different now, because Sasuke covers most of his marks with clothes. But now Naruto knows the power marks left on a person can hold. And so does Sasuke.

~*~*~

End

*heart*

~ lg