title: Artificial

author: myinukoi

warning(s): shounen-ai, language, sexual references, unbeta-ed

pairing(s): sasunaru

disclaimer: I disclaim.

//summary;; When Naruto leaves for a year-long mission, he leaves behind a stable, competent kage bunshin. When the clone begins to develop feelings for Sasuke, how will the brunet react to these seductive advances when he believes his love for the original prankster is one-sided? SasuNaru.

Artificial

Prologue

"I am Naruto Uzumaki! I love ramen, especially Ichiraku's ramen! And definitely when Iruka-sensei takes me there and pays! I love Iruka-sensei! I also love cup ramen, but I hate waiting the three minutes for it to cook. My dream is to be Konoha's greatest Hokage! Believe it!"

"Wow, gaki! That's...that's amazing. Your bunshin skills are far above par. Above ANBU level, even." Tsunade complimented, greatly impressed.

The original Naruto smiled brightly at his bunshin, then his village leader, pleased that his efforts were receiving proper recognition.

"Yeah," he patted his clone on the back and received a mirrored grin in return. "He's just like me. He does the same things I do, with little difference. Perhaps he's a bit on the dimmer side though, this bunshin..."

"Dim?! You asshole!" The copied Naruto shouted angrily, his face red in rage and his fists clenched, prepared for a fight.

"Asshole? You little brat! Have you forgotten? I created you! I. Am. Your. God!" Naruto countered back, his own fist raised in power and authority that did not faze his duplicate in the least.

"Bring it on, Kami-baka!" The other challenged.

"Alright, mere bunshin. You ready for me? Here I cooooome!" Naruto was ready to shove his fist into his twin's face when the two were pulled apart, held by the collar in each arm of Konoha's Godaime.

"Naruto?" The busty blond growled.

"Hai?" The two answered.

"Naruto One?" She narrowed her eyes at the easy befuddlement.

"Hm...?" The original answered, still glaring angrily at his replication.

"Do not destroy your clone that's supposed to last a year, before you even leave for the mission!" She spat out the obvious.

"Hn." Naruto answered, then wondered whether or not the Teme's asshole factor was contagious.

"Jiraiya will meet you at the front gates. Do retrieve that scroll, Naruto. It's vital to the village. Konohagakure is counting on you."

The blond winked and held his thumb out and up in the signature 'Nice Guy' pose Lee and Gai helped him perfect during their spars.

"I know. Don't worry, I won't let you or this village down. I give you my, Uzumaki Naruto: Konoha's Next Hokage's, word. You all shouldn't miss me too much. I left a reminder of me behind." He smiled at his clone and his clone smiled back.

Naruto exited the door and the two blonds remaining in the Hokage office turned to the large windows to watch the yellow blur dash across the rooftops to the village gates.

"I'm going to miss that, brat." Tsunade whispered.

"Don't worry, baa-chan," the clone smiled kindly, "I'm still here. I'll make you smile."

"Aa..." the Godaime petted the younger blond's head gently, and the two bathed in the village's evenings glow. "That you will, Naruto."

"Naruto!" Sakura was shocked at the appearance of the blond, as was the remainder of Team Seven. "I thought you were supposed to be on a mission with Jiraiya-sama?"

"I am..." Naruto entered the warm restaurant. Mmmm... Ichiraku.

"Ah!" Teuchi smiled. "Naruto was your mission cancelled? Don't be down about it. I'll give you a bowl of miso, on the house!"

Iruka, who was by Naruto's side, decided to clarify.

"No, no, no. This isn't Naruto. It's a bunshin of him. He was kind enough to leave one behind for us, so we won't miss him as much," he explained to Naruto's team.

The clone smiled brightly and his blue eyes closed into crescents at the broadness of his grin.

Sasuke, at the corner of the ramen bar, smiled slightly though no one caught it. He stared down at his order of chicken ramen. It was difficult for him to eat, as he detested the food with unyielding passion, but always forced himself to consume it whenever he and the dobe would dine at the restaurant together. So when he thought the loser was gone for a good while, he decided to force one more bowl upon himself, in remembrance. But to think Naruto left an exact copy of himself behind...

Kakashi and Sakura were sitting together and Iruka quietly asked why there were two empty seats between two of Team Seven's members and Sasuke.

Kakashi responded, without bothering to lower his voice, "Sasuke concluded he wanted to be extra-emo today, now that his rival is gone," the Copy-Cat Nin ignored his prodigy's death glare.

"S-Sasuke...you can always train with me if you want, y'know..." Sakura mumbled, shy in front of her crush.

"Shut up," he uttered coldly, his eyes still focused on Naruto's bunshin.

"Oi! Don't talk to my precious Sakura-chan like that!" Naruto growled, resisting the urge to punch Sasuke in the face.

He's just like him... So much like him...

"Usuratonkachi." Sasuke then ignored the ramblings of the blond and focused a question to Iruka.

"This is supposed to last a year? How can Naruto's chakra uphold a bunshin for that long?"

"Ehehe..." Iruka nervously scratched the back of his head and sweat dropped as he tried to cover up Naruto's secret of the demon fox. He was quite aware of Sasuke studying his every move vigilantly. "You know Naruto's stamina... and he has so much chakra. He can hold it... for at least close to a year."

"Ah!" Sakura brightened. "What a great way to test the limits of your chakra!"

"Mm-hm..." Kakashi mumbled through his mask in agreement.

"Ano!" The energetic blond grabbed everyone's attention once again. His mouth already full of the miso he ordered while everyone else conversed. "But don't treat me like a clone! Treat me as Naruto! Your friend-'tebayo!"

"Aa," Kakashi nodded his head. "We will. But you do know that missions above C-rank will no longer be assigned to our team. If Naruto worked so hard to create you, the least we can do is keep you sustained."

"You know a great way to keep me sustained?" Naruto asked as he slurped down the last of his ramen broth and placed the bowl to the side; the foundation to a ramen bowl tower. "More miso!"

The group laughed while Iruka argued that clones don't need food and it's a waste of money and Naruto countered back that there's no price to happiness.

Sasuke was silent and his minuscule smile went unnoticed throughout the night. He pushed his ramen to the side. He didn't need it anymore.

He smiled at Naruto, or rather Naruto's clone.

He had everything he needed already.