---A.N.--- Hullo all. This is my first fic. Of course, being the rabid yaoi fanboy (yes, you read right, fanBOY), it's NaruSasu. This is just the intro to a very long story I have plotted in my head, but it can also stand alone as a one-shot in case I get lazy or if school starts getting really hectic or whatever. If I go with the long story idea, it will eventually be Naru x someone else who's not Sasuke. But it stays NaruSasu if it stays a one-shot. Read. Review if you want, I won't force you. Flamers are welcome. They can even stay for tea if they want.
---warnings--- shounen-ai, unbeta-ed, does not necessarily follow the original storyline/timeline, Naruto's too serious and hence a bit OOC, chapter starts off before the first Chuunin exams (they were 13 round that time right?) and they were already together (I'll shed some light on how they got together if I write more chapters) but I wasn't making them do anything naughty (yet) so maybe that wasn't really a warning...
Author's notes will be shorter in later chapters (if there will be any). I just had a lot to say this time around.
---disclaimer--- I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto does. I will someday take Naruto away from him.
KONOHA TRAINING GROUNDS
"Sasuke, do you still want to get your revenge?"
The two young ninjas were taking a break from training for the Chuunin exams and Naruto was sitting with his back to a tree, with Sasuke resting his head on Naruto's lap.
Sasuke lazily opened his eyes and regarded his teammate and sort-of-boyfriend. "Of course, Naruto. You know I won't stop until I kill Itachi. Same as you won't stop till you become Hokage. I can never be truly happy until I know my clan has been avenged."
"Aren't you happy now? Doesn't being with me make you happy enough to forget about revenge?"
Sasuke sat up and gave a sigh of frustration. "That's different, Naruto... I'm happy that I'm with you and that you love me... But I must fulfill my goals."
"Sasuke, what happens after you kill Itachi, do you think you'll really be happy?" Naruto asked, his normally bright blue eyes cloudy with emotion.
Sasuke just stared at him as if Naruto has just asked him if the sky is really blue.
"I don't think so, Sasuke. You'll be killing your last living family. And you'll just feel more miserable because you'll know that you have finished what Itachi started. You would have killed off your clan."
"Are you trying to talk me out of killing Itachi?" Sasuke asked with a dangerous growl. "Naruto, the bastard took away everything I had!"
"But what would killing him do? Will it give you back your family? Will it change anything? Sasuke, I'll say it to you straight, I think what you are aiming to do is stupid and that it will only serve to make you even more unhappy. And I won't stand by you watching you and supporting you while you set yourself up for even more misery." Naruto stood up and started walking away with tears starting to form in his eyes.
Sasuke stood up as well, reaching out to take Naruto's hand, but Naruto pulled his hand away from Sasuke's reach.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke."
"Naruto, what... Are you breaking up with me?"
"Yes," Naruto said, his voice cracking. "I can't ask you to give up your goals, but I can't be your boyfriend as long as you're an avenger." With that Naruto walked away, leaving Sasuke behind him crying silent tears.
KONOHA GATE
"But where are you going, Sasuke?"
"Orochimaru can give me power, dobe. He can give me the power I need."
"You idiot! He wants to use your body as his next vessel!"
"I don't care as long as I get the power I need to kill my brother!"
"It always boils down to that, doesn't it, you bastard? Fine then. Good-bye, Sasuke. You know I would never try to get in your way whenever you get all avenger and shit. But I'll tell you one more time that it's stupid. Stupid, Sasuke! Stupid!" His voice lowered a bit and his face became soft with deep sadness. "Just... Please, don't die, Sasuke. Because I love you still and I'll be mourning for the rest of my life if you die..."
Sasuke's heart clenched when he heard Naruto say that he still loves him, but he stiffened his resolve. However he couldn't just leave without telling Naruto how he feels. "I love you too, Naruto. But I have to do this... This is what I live for."
Naruto sighed and bowed his head. "If... If you need me, Sasuke... I'll... I'll still be... Shit. Fuck it. Just go!" And Naruto turned away and walked away from Sasuke again.
VALLEY OF THE END
"I'm sorry, but I have to kill you, Naruto. I have to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan. And to do that, I have to kill the one I hold closest to my heart."
"Is that really the only way to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan, Sasuke?" Naruto asked him, rain pouring down his face. Naruto is older now and they haven't seen each other in a couple of years.
"Yes, it is."
"And you're doing this so you can kill Itachi and get your revenge?"
"Yes."
"If you needed the Mangekyou for other purposes, or even if you just really wanted to have it, I would let you kill me and I wouldn't do anything to stop you. But If you're doing it so you can keep going on your hare-brained stupid quest for revenge..." Naruto turned and started to walk away again. "I'll never let you kill me. You can try, but you'll never get the Mangekyou as long as I can still fight you"
"Fine. You asked for it, dobe."
Sasuke woke up from his dream with his pillow drenched in sweat and tears. He looked around his room in Orochimaru's lair, it was cold and damp with stone walls. He felt a sudden wave of sadness take him over. "Naruto..." he whispered longingly. "We'll never be together, won't we?" And Sasuke started crying again. "I'm sorry, Naruto..."