Disclaimer: Somehow, I don't think I own Naruto, but it could be my imagination...

warnings: slight shounen-ai, very slight. you have been warned.

A/N: I'd like to dedicate this story to two people first off to Suicidal Skies 'cause she read my story for me and told me it was worthy of posting ( which is something I really needed to hear) and second toImbrium Iridum, even though she doesn't know me she's an amazing author and inspired me to write this. So if you haven't read her story SelfReliance, go do it!

...ok, on with the story...

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Never Complacent

Sasuke rolled in his bed, twisting the blankets around him like a tightly buttoned jacket. His mind ached, protesting at his state at semi-conciseness. Lifting his feet from inside of the warm covers, he set upon his daily routine of getting ready.

In the back of his mind his first thought played like a broken record.

"No, not again…"

And without knowing why, he laughed, like the thought was something of a morbid joke. But the more he looked at it, the more he realized it wasn't funny. His body ached with a type of heaviness on the inside; something that felt like it was tearing him apart. And as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, a feeling like a weight dropped to the pit of his stomach, making him want to turn back to his bed and never rise again.

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The suns bright rays shown through the wholes in the rugged blindfolds hanging on the window. Closed eyes twitched as an annoying presence was felt upon them, beating down like heavy rain on a tin roof. The blond moaned and turned his head trying to avoid the inevitable.

"No, not again." He croaked as he lifted his sore body from his sleeping post at the hard wooden desk. He was tired and his body screamed at him to stop, stop everything and fall onto the wonderfully soft bed that was only a few inches away from him.

Naruto sighed, as he walked by his bed, thinking of how nice it would be to never have to wake up again. Maybe then he wouldn't have this empty feeling in him. He'd feel more upbeat and would never have to deal with the problems of the world again.

He laughed at himself and his foolishness as he tied his hitai-ate to his forehead. As he walked out the door he took one last look at the supple haven lounging there, almost taunting him, and with one last shake of his head and slammed his door shut behind him.

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Sasuke walked across the bridge leading to team seven's normal meeting spot. The sun played transversely over the early morning fog that had collected, making it appear as though he was walking on clouds. It was peaceful and serene, like walking on a bridge to heaven.

In the distance he noticed a brilliant spark of yellow against the dark browns of the trees. Sasuke was startled to see Naruto there so early, he thought for sure, that he would be the first one to stumble upon their meeting place and enjoy some peace and quiet.

Now he could kiss that dream goodbye. Naruto and quiet never went in the same sentence together. He could already imagine the blond blabbering away, nonstop and awaiting the headache that would surly accompany it.

But none of that happened.

As he grew closer to the blond he instead found the boy's sky blue eyes deep in thought, his forehead wrinkled from the amount of concentration he was putting into his thoughts. He didn't even notice Sasuke walk up to him and sit down next to him. A small laugh from the dark haired boy could be heard upon looking at the wide-eyed face of his companion.

"Oh, it's just you Sasuke." Naruto said, not adding any of his usual insults to the boy's name.

"Hn. Dobe." Sasuke mumbled, watching as Naruto went back to his thoughts. He was just about to ask the boy if everything was ok when the other opened his mouth and looked to him.

"What's the first thing you think in the morning when you wake up?" It was such and odd question, but for Naruto it somehow made sense. It was dripping with meaning, meaning only the bright haired Kyuubi holder could understand, but meaning nonetheless. Sasuke was almost afraid to give his answer, for some odd reason he didn't want to respond in fear of letting the boy down.

After a long while the Uchiha heir finally opened his mouth to reply. "I think 'No, not again.'" And after a minutes more thought he added, "Strange, huh?"

"Ya, Strange." Naruto muttered, "Except I think the same thing." He said and both boys turned to look into the others eyes, as if searching for some divine answer to their unspoken question. Finding none, Naruto took the opportunity, "What do you think it means?"

"Hn." Was the only muffled response from the Uchiha.

"Sometimes I wonder," He begun, his eyes still dark with thought, "I mean, I don't have the best life for sure, but it's not that bad either. I have friends, and people who acknowledge me. I'm a decent ninja and I'm going to become Hokage one day! Why is it that I feel like something is missing?"

Sasuke felt something inside of him squirm as he listened to his friend speak. It all sounded so familiar, with minor changes here and there, but familiar. The uncertainty he felt was all there, and the missing peace he felt was missing was there too. All from the blond haired idiot, sometimes life could hand you the things that you want the most and you still wouldn't know what to do with it.

"Ya know, I used to think that my childish ambition to be acknowledged would fuel me forever, how wrong I was." Naruto chuckled despondently, his eyes focused tightly on the ground, not daring to look at his companion. "But now, now there's something there that's eating away at me, and I can't figure it out."

Sasuke squeezed his shut, trying to sort out the haze of thoughts that were swimming through his brain. These feelings, these uncertainties were just like his. Something inside of him was telling him to move this was his chance, to take it now, or be forever lost in the emptiness of his soul.

"Sometimes, sometimes I…I just want…" Naruto voice cracked, fear of rejection evident in the sound of his weak voice. "I just…"

Sasuke's hand reached out and grabbed Naruto's with his own. He intertwined his fingers with the other boys, and he could feel the coldness start to disappear from both of their palms and form a comfortable warmth between them. Their eyes met, and Sasuke could see the darkness start to fade, but knew it would be awhile before they would be the bright blue again.

The sudden sound of voices snapped them out of their musings, their hands quickly separating, the warmth slowly fading acting as a reminder of their unspoken agreement.

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The sun slowly played through the curtains, playing across the sleeping form on the bed. They turned, hoping to avoid the blinding rays, but instead bumped into another occupant of the bed. As Sasuke opened his jet-black eyes, he was meet with those the color of the sky.

"Good morning," the blond whispered, burring his head into the shoulders of his semi-conscious partner and snuggling into his warmth.

And for the first time in a long time the first words to cross the Uchiha heir's mind were not 'No, not again." but rather yet,

"Yes, it is."

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A/N: uh. hello everyone. This is my first Naruto fanfic ever, and I am very nervous posting this. First off 'cause I haven't written sasuxnaru before, and second because I haven't been able to write in forever and a day. So be gentle...