A/N: As Tangency began at a certain part in the manga, thus bypassing a ton of info we now have about Madara and his abilities, so does this fic. I guess it's AR. Regardless, Madara isn't the focus of this story, so hopefully it won't be that big an issue.

Enjoy. ^^

Expectancy

Chapter 1

Sakura down, Kakashi down, and the shit down to the wire now. Just him and Naruto, as he'd known it would be.

Plus side: Madara couldn't use that Rinnegan anywhere near as well as Pain had; they had him by the short and curlies now, seeing as how Naruto had taken a huge chunk of Madara's chakra and nearly his entire left side; his ability to phase was becoming infrequent and erratic at best.

Not-so-great-side: He and Naruto were hanging by a thread. A fucking thread. He could barely see, his eyes were killing him so bad. Overused his Doujutsu. And Naruto was fading fast, even full of Kyuubi as he was.

Rain, thunder, and lighting rocked and flooded their gorge. Fight had been going on for hours. He could scarcely stand, couldn't remember anything before the fight even. His entire mind, his whole being was drawn to a narrow point of focus: who had more juice left, him or Madara. Impossible to tell. Whatever happened, it would all be decided with the next move.

The three of them stood weaving with fatigue in the downpour. Gauging each other. Calculating. Trying not to fall in the mud.

A slight movement behind Madara, by his foot. Hardly more than another shadow in the darkened day. He saw it at the same time Naruto did, a split second before Madara himself became aware. He was already moving when Naruto shouted-

"Sasuke, now!"

-was already throwing himself forward, putting everything he had into the move, shoving the last of his chakra into his sword as Naruto dashed forward from his right-

He brought his sword down as Madara was twisting from the bite Moose had given him. Brought it down through Madara's retaliatory katon, a jutsu of staggering proportions. He saw his wide and horrified eyes when he burst through the flames, saw him bringing his hands up, already phasing…

Madara's skull parted with a hollow thwok sound just as Naruto landed with Rasengan. They kept at it though the body fell, kept hacking, kept slamming that spinning sphere, mud and blood flying, until a weak hand landed on Sasuke's shoulder and stopped his screaming hysteria. Kakashi dragged him away, telling him that it was over. He had to hear it several times before he was able to understand the words. Was so numb in mind and body that he didn't even react to the fact that Kakashi's mask was torn and ripped away, exposing his face.

He lurched around, and Naruto was there, falling into him.

It was really over. They knelt in each other's arms with the rain cascading over them, coming to terms with that fact.

-oOo-

Only hours before the deadline of a year was up, he and his exhausted team made it to Konoha's gates. Tsunade, the other Kage, and several Jounin were waiting. The rain was now snow, and they stood in it, still as death, as Team 7 arrived in a flat out run, too spent to call up the chakra to summon a toad, which would have been quicker.

The remains he and Naruto carried between them were taken immediately to Tsunade's lab, a restricted room in the hospital, where she and Shizune got to work. The body was set on a stainless steel table. The Kage stood by with the Jounin and Team 7, watching.

It was grisly work, but a little over an hour later Tsunade pulled off her surgical gloves and met the eyes of everyone in the room. "DNA confirms it. Uchiha Madara is dead. Sasuke is hereby cleared of all charges. His life is his own."

A collective sigh of relief swept around the lab. Naruto turned to him with a tired grin, but he was in the process of quietly passing out.

Five months later…

"It's all there in the scrolls," Tsunade said quietly. "My correspondence with them, Shizune's DNA tests –I sent her to them to investigate. They are well and truly who they say they are. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter."

Sasuke heard her, but didn't look up from the sheaf of scrolls he was leafing through. Snatches of words kept leaping out at him. Seven in all. Family of four. Two retired Jounin and their elderly aunt. They were letters. Correspondence Tsunade had been engaging in with these people for the past couple of months. One letter in particular caught his eye and he read.

'Our daughter, Sachi, has expressed a keen interest in meeting Sasuke. She's very dedicated to the clan, always has been. I'll spare you the tedium of outlining the many campaigns she's tried to start over the years, campaigns to bring justice to the Uchiha, and simply say that she's eager to meet Sasuke. We've been away from home, in hiding, for a long time. With your permission, Hokage, we'd like to return to Konoha permanently.'

It was signed Uchiha Mamoru, presumably the girl's father. He stared at the letter for a long time, until he became aware of the silence in the office. Looking up, he found Tsunade and Shizune staring at him. Tsunade raised her brows.

"I didn't…" He had to wet his lips to go on. "I didn't know there were any survivors."

"Neither did I," Tsunade said. "I don't think anyone did, or that anyone remembered them being out of the village. They left the night of Kyuubi's attack, and only decided to come forward now because news of Madara's death is still making its way across the world. As soon as it reached their tiny village, they contacted me."

"I'm not the last one," Sasuke mumbled.

Tsunade smiled kindly. "No. It seems you're not. Though I find their existence to be a bit on the fantastical side. I'll be investigating them further, I assure you."

A sense of unreality washed over him, so that he stood and made his bow all in a disconnected state of confusion and distraction. He turned to go, but Tsunade stopped him.

"I've given my consent," she said. "They'll be here before the month is out."

Sasuke only nodded.

By the time he got home he was thinking clearly again. All sorts of ideas were spinning through his mind when he entered his house. What would they look like? Were they fighters?

Naruto was waiting. It was Sasuke's turn to cook dinner, or order it as they so often did. He went down the hall as Sasuke was locking the front door, and draped himself on his neck. "Food."

"Hello to you too," Sasuke grinned. He toed off his sandals, one arm around Naruto.

"Food. Now."

Sasuke shoved the scrolls he'd been given down the waistband of his pants and grabbed Naruto in turn. He hefted him with a grunt. "You eat too much. I can barely lift you anymore."

Naruto locked his strong legs around him and made a show of chomping down on Sasuke's neck. "Guess I'll eat you then. What'd Granny want? You were gone for hours."

The ticklish sensation of Naruto speaking against his neck had Sasuke hunching a shoulder. "You'll never guess." He began walking toward the back of the house.

"So tell me." More biting.

"No, guess."

"I want food."

"You always want food."

"Food and you."

Sasuke dropped Naruto on the kitchen table, which nearly snapped the poor thing's legs. It wobbled, but Sasuke steadied it.

He liked hearing how much Naruto wanted him. Especially since Naruto wasn't one to say the L word often. In fact, he hadn't said it since the night before they'd left for that mission. He leaned in now and kissed him, moving his head lazily as heat bloomed between them.

Naruto leaned back and dragged him down, but Sasuke broke the kiss. "What do you want to eat?"

There was a sigh of disappointment as Naruto affected a pout that looked ridiculous on him. "You have to ask?"

"Ramen it is, then." He straightened up, pulling the scrolls out of his waistband. "Same kind as last night?"

Naruto nodded, now reclining on an elbow.

"Back soon." He took the backdoor that led into the garden.

A second later, Naruto heard his feet land with a thud on the roof. He looked down at the scrolls Sasuke had tossed onto the kitchen table and picked them up. Sasuke's 19th birthday was coming up next week. He should get the bastard something. Maybe another rabbit, one to replace Moose.

Sasuke had taken Moose's death hard. It had been a sacrifice worthy of a ninja, he'd said. Naruto was inclined to believe that Moose had simply been miffed at having to spend so much time in the rain, and had opted to take his anger out on someone. Once back in Konoha, Kiba's sister Hana said differently. She'd said that given the nature of the symbiosis Sasuke'd had with Moose, it was likely the creature had been in possession of some understanding of what was going on, and had chosen to contribute in the only way he could.

The Society had given Moose a burial worthy of a Kage. One of their member brought flowers to his gravesite every week.

Smiling at the thought of another pet, Naruto opened the scrolls. He wasn't really interested in them, but he was bored, and Sasuke always took forever when he ordered ramen. He'd barely begun to read when there was a knock on the front door.

As usual there was a crowd in Ichiraku's. Sasuke was ushered to the head of the line and given Naruto's customary free quart of ramen, but he still had to endure people stopping him and greeting him, asking how he was, congratulating him on the good news. It never ceased to amaze him how quickly news traveled from the Hokage's office to the rest of the village, especially if the news concerned him or Naruto. He liked the attention, but resented the intrusion into his privacy. He had to stand and respond, return bows, answer polite questions, and thank people for their congratulations. It was an hour until he was able to extract himself, and by then the ramen was getting cold.

He warmed it on his way home using his chakra. Calling up that kind of heat in the muggy July evening had him sweating. By the time he got home, he was irritable, hot, and sticky. He went directly to the kitchen, yelling for Naruto.

Naruto was sitting in one of the two chairs at the table, slouched back, wrists stacked on his forehead. The way his blue eyes settled unblinkingly on Sasuke's face had him pausing in the doorway. "Hey."

No reply. Naruto gestured to the scrolls on the table with his chin. "Big news."

Sasuke cautiously entered the kitchen and set the soggy bag of ramen on the table, near the scrolls. "You read them?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Well…I guess it is big news." That didn't explain the hostility and nerves he sensed coming from Naruto.

"So…now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean now that you're not the only Uchiha, what does that mean? For us?"

"What would it mean for us?" Sasuke repeated. "Nothing. Why would it mean anything?" But he suddenly remembered the congratulations he'd received, and the little note Tsunade had written at the end of one of the letters from the family of four.

The chair legs Naruto had been rocking back on thudded to the floor as he folded his hands on the table. He stared at them, speaking in a would-be casual tone. "Oh, let me think. Seems those Uchiha are really happy to know they have a kinsman. Especially the family. Yeah, Granny wrote down there something about the girl being interested in a meeting with you." There was less anger now, and more nerves; Naruto's voice shook the faintest bit. "Why does she want to meet you so badly?"

Sasuke felt a line of sweat wend its way down his spine. "Naruto, look-"

"Sakura stopped by. Wanted to ask if it was true. If you were really planning on hooking up with some girl. Seems the talk in the village is that you're about to get married. Funny. I didn't hear any such talk. Did you?"

Carefully pulling out the chair opposite him, Sasuke sat and rubbed his hands on his pants. "Yes. But so what? People are going to think what they want to think, no matter what. I-"

Naruto looked up at him at last. "I don't give a shit what people think. I want to know if you're planning on rebuilding your clan. Was that an issue for you? Something you still planned on doing? Something you'd been thinking about? Because if it is, you never told me. And I sort of think I'd deserve to know something like that seeing as we're together, and making a family would involve someone else. Someone not me."

The look of pleading hope on Naruto's face was hard to look at, but Sasuke made himself look. He was starting to get angry. "I never said I was getting married or hooking up with anyone, so lay the fuck off, all right? I always intended to rebuild my clan someday, you knew that. I just hadn't thought about it lately."

He saw Naruto's wide, handsome face crumble apart. The blue eyes turned glassy.

A feeling of sick, hot betrayal settled low down in the pit of Naruto's stomach, making his balls ache. He got up, walked around Sasuke, and started to leave.

Sasuke stopped him by reaching for his wrist as he passed, and standing up behind him. "Come on, you know I would never have done such a thing without talking to you first. And I didn't say I was going to do it."

Naruto wrenched his hand away. "It shouldn't even be a discussion, Sasuke. You sleeping with someone else, giving her a kid..." He hiccuped without turning around. The feeling was starting to climb, rising like an incoming tide up his guts and gradually eroding his insides in the process. He put a hand on his stomach and pressed, trying to settle the pain. "What I know is that if I'd come to you and said I wanted to rebuild my clan, I'd be a dead man."

He finally stormed out of the kitchen and slammed the bedroom door hard enough to shake the house.

Sasuke flinched. Fuck.

Naruto paced back and forth for a minute, but eventually climbed into the middle of the bed and sat with his legs crossed. He shoved his hands into the pocket of space between his thighs and crotch and just sat that way, rocking back and forth in misery.

He couldn't even think at first. Sasuke going to someone else was just that…unthinkable. That he would need someone else, that Naruto wasn't enough for him and couldn't give him everything he wanted…

Sasuke had a right to a family. That was the worst part. He couldn't tell him, 'No, you can't go have kids, you're mine and that's it.' As much as it killed him, and the burn in his belly was only getting worse, Sasuke had a right to a family. Just as he himself did. But I don't want a family. I don't want anything but him.

He knew Sasuke. If the bastard wanted something, he found a way to go after it and get it. If he wanted a kid, he'd go to that bitch and fuck her, end of story.

-oOo-

Sasuke finally made his way to the bedroom, knocked, and poked his head around the jamb. Naruto was lying on his side and pretending to sleep.

The ringing of the bell was insistent. Neji, who happened to be closest to the courtyard, switched directions from heading to his room to walking toward the front gate. Whoever was out there was leaning on the bell. He sped up, then broke into a jog, then finally wrenched the gate open with his Byakugan blazing. He expected to be informed of an imminent threat to the village of some kind.

It was Naruto. He looked like shit, wheezing and choking on his own breathing, and his hair was dripping sweat.

"You said, back before that mission to kill Madara, you said that if Sasuke and me didn't work out, that if I ever got sick of him, that I could stay with you. You said that. You said-"

"I did, yes," Neji rushed to confirm. He'd said that before he and Sasuke had settled their differences, but the offer still stood. He leaned out past Naruto, looking up and down the road. He didn't see any sign of Sasuke. "Did something happen?"

"I need somewhere to stay. For tonight. Please." He was still breathing hard, making odd sounds in his throat, and his face was still shining with sweat.

Neji realized that the breathing and choking sounds were Naruto's struggle not to cry, and the wetness on his face wasn't all sweat. He stepped aside. "Of course. Come in."

"You won't…?"

"Sasuke will never enter this gate, you have my word."

Naruto seemed unsure of a sudden. "I know you guys are friends now…"

"So are we."

That settled it. Naruto ducked inside.

Sasuke waited all night, only to jerk awake soon after the sun rose the next day and realize he'd fallen asleep on the living room couch. He didn't need to move to know that Naruto wasn't home. The unease he'd felt last night solidified into full-blown fear. He sat up.

It occurred to him, with creeping certainty and no small amount of wonder, that he'd done something incredibly stupid. Unforgivably stupid.

The prospect of some young, nubile Uchiha mother for his children had been an attractive idea. Not the girl herself or sleeping with her, but that the possibility existed for him to actually rebuild his clan. He'd given up that dream a long time ago. And then Naruto had come along and he'd given in to what he'd felt for him. That had seemed to put the entire matter to rest. He hadn't mentioned rebuilding his clan to Naruto because he hadn't given it a thought.

But then suddenly the whole thing was possible, and it was such a shining concept, to have a family again, that he'd unthinkingly mentioned to Tsunade that the idea interested him. Especially since it seemed the family of four were having the same thoughts. It seemed like fate. What were the odds that Uchiha existed somewhere and that one of them seemed made for him?

Someone had leaked his response to people outside that office. And the news had spread. It was only later, after he'd woken up in the night and discovered Naruto gone, that he realized what utter bullshit the whole notion was. Fate was him and Naruto. Together. As tempting as the idea of a family was, it was not alluring enough to cancel out the abhorrence of touching someone who wasn't Naruto, or the sheer horror of hurting him so badly. He'd come to that realization too late, though; he'd already said to Naruto, quite carelessly, that he wouldn't do such a thing without talking to him first. As if the matter was up for discussion at all. He should have made it plain that the entire idea was impossible, as Naruto had stated, but he hadn't. He'd still been blinded by the prospect of a family.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

He got up now and made his way to the kitchen. The ramen was still sitting where he'd left it, now soaked through its thin container and leaking across the table. The scrolls were a sodden mess.

Sasuke abruptly lit ramen, scrolls, and table ablaze with a furious katon. He put the fire out before turning to leave, but honestly he was too pissed to care that he'd scorched the kitchen.

"Show him in," Tsunade said to Shizune's query. She set the report she'd been reading aside as Sasuke stormed into her office. "What-"

"I'm not interested in any arrangements with the incoming family," he said at once. "Make sure they know that. No arrangements, marital or otherwise."

Sitting back in her chair, Tsunade crossed her arms. "May I ask why?"

Sasuke was already leaving the office again, though. "Naruto," he threw over his shoulder.

He had a brief mission to Grass Country later in the day, but he spent the morning going to the houses of Naruto's friends, looking for him. Each one said they hadn't seen him. He wanted to explain things, to make up with Naruto and assure him that nothing was going to happen with that girl, but Naruto was nowhere to be found. He was forced to leave that afternoon without speaking to him.

Maybe it's best we have a little distance, he thought as he signed out of the village. Give him a chance to cool down.

He wished this thought sat comfortably with him. While walking along the road leading from Konoha's gates, he looked back. He didn't like the idea of Naruto being so mad at him, or the fact that he didn't know where Naruto was. He knew one of the people he'd asked had to be lying, which they'd only do if Naruto wanted them to. And that hurt. It hurt a lot.

Hinata made soft, soothing sounds as she combed the blond hair back from Naruto's cheek and jaw. His heavy head was pillowed in her lap, the same as it was for most of each day and night, and her pants were wet through with the tears he shed off and on.

He'd shown up two days ago, a wreck. She'd happened to be in the main room of her father's house where Neji led him. Naruto hadn't said anything to either of them, just sort of dropped onto the couch with his head in his hands, but he'd looked so lost that she'd sat beside him. He'd keeled over sideways into her lap without a word, and there he'd remained. Sometimes she had to get up, tend to her Genin team, or perform other duties, but he would always be pacing the guest room he'd been given when she got back, and ready to nose himself into her lap if she sat down in his presence.

She looked up now and saw Neji standing in the doorway. "He's asleep," she whispered. "But if I leave him, he wakes up."

Neji entered the room and quietly shut the door. He came and stood over them, staring down at Naruto with his hands in his pockets. "Sasuke's looking for him. Came back yesterday and is combing the village top to bottom."

Hinata sadly shook her head. "Something's wrong with him."

"Who, Sasuke?"

"Naruto! His chakra is fluctuating wildly, and sometimes it manifests itself. I don't know if he's doing it consciously or not, or if he's aware of it…I don't think he is, but I think we should tell someone. Look at him, Neji, he's not well." Her face puckered into a frown of concern as she gazed down at the face she cupped with one hand.

Squatting on his heels, Neji took a closer look. "I thought he was upset over some argument or other?" Which had really pissed him off once he'd seen how upset Naruto was.

Hinata shook her head again. "No. I think it's more than that. Did you hear some talk in the village about Sasuke taking a wife? New Uchiha discovered?"

Neji's brow cleared. "Shit. I swear, I'll kill Sasuke."

"He was so hurt that time we got him the house and Sasuke didn't show up. I can't even imagine how much more hurt he is now if Sasuke is planning on leaving him, but look at him. I've never seen anyone grieve like this, and his chakra-"

He needed his Byakugan to see it, but once he had it activated, Neji understood what she meant. "God…what the hell?"

"I know! That's why I think we should tell someone."

"Don't," Naruto startled them by muttering suddenly. "Don't tell anyone I'm here."

Neji saw that he was mostly asleep still, but he put a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You okay?"

"Fine."

"Not sick?" Neji pressed. "Your chakra is doing some odd things inside you."

Naruto forced his eyes open. It seemed like he lived in one big ball of pain and grief these days. The burn in his belly that first night had spread to encompass all of him, but after awhile he'd been able to tune it out. Sasuke. Every time he thought of Sasuke he felt even worse, and so tried not to think of him. He slept a lot instead. "I'm fine," he said again. He knew Kyuubi chakra was doing something in him, but he figured it was just a reaction from how upset he was.

Even though you mastered Kyuubi a long time ago? A voice said in his mind. Maybe you should get checked out.

He pushed the thought away. He didn't want to think, or feel, or do anything but lie in Hinata's soft lap, and feel her soft hands in his hair, and hear her soft voice whispering to him.

"Sleeping again," Neji said in disbelief. He straightened up. "We'll give him another couple of days. If he doesn't come around by then, I'll get the Hokage."

Hinata nodded, already stroking Naruto's hair once more.

"Yo! 'Sup?" Kiba said this as he tipped some kind of crunchy snack into his mouth from a small paper bag.

Sasuke privately thought the stuff smelled like dog treats. "I need your help."

"Shoot."

"I need to find Naruto."

"Easy. He's at Neji's." Kiba shook the bag as he chewed, peering into it to see how much was left.

"What? But…how do you know? And how come you didn't tell me that when I stopped here a few days ago?"

"Because you asked if he was here. He wasn't." At seeing the narrowed glare Sasuke gave, Kiba added, "Plus Naruto's my friend too. Didn't think he'd appreciate me giving him up if he didn't want to be found."

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. That means Neji's been lying to me. Thanks, Kiba."

"No problem."

"I want to see him," Sasuke said when Neji opened the gate to the Hyuuga compound. "I know he's here."

"He wants to be alone," Neji said. He stepped outside the gate and closed it behind himself, clearly demonstrating that Sasuke would not be receiving an invitation inside.

"Look, what happened is between me and him, so-"

Neji took a step closer to Sasuke, cutting off his words. "You'd better consider yourself lucky that you and I are friends now, or I'd be calling you out. I don't care what happened between you two; when a friend I value shows up at my door too upset to eat or stand or even talk, I take his wants and needs into consideration. Now, leave."

It cored Sasuke from within to hear how badly Naruto was hurt. "I'm not going anywhere until I make things right with him. It's been five days…how can I help him if you won't let me see him?"

"When he's ready to see you I'm sure he'll let you know."

Sasuke considered staying. He really did. But Neji wouldn't hesitate to call in family reinforcements if it meant removing him from the premises. They'd come a long way and were friends now, but they weren't so close that Neji would take his side over Naruto's. A fact Naruto knew, or he wouldn't have chosen Neji, Sasuke assumed.

He turned and slowly made his way home.

He felt loose and dreamy. Disconnected. His body hurt so much now that he was almost numb. Ignoring the pain so long, and Sasuke, had left his mind adrift. Conversation came and went around him, but he hardly registered it.

"...Naruto-kun?"

"Is he any better?"

"Oh God. Neji, I'm worried…he won't answer me now."

"His chakra is manifesting again…get away from him, Hinata."

"We have to tell someone."

"I agree. It's been six days. Sasuke was here yesterday-"

The mention of Sasuke's name had an extra sharp twist of pain knifing through him, and he heard himself moan. Sasuke…

"-Wanted to tell him that I have a three-day mission that I have to leave for. I'm already late. Will you sit with him while I'm gone, Neji? Please?"

"I'm not holding his head in my lap. And anyway I'm going to get the Hokage right now."

"But if we're both leaving, he'll be alone!"

"Only for a few minutes. For however long it takes for her to come back with me. Thirty minutes tops."

Then there was quiet. That sharp knife of pain was still twisting in him-

Sasuke

Pushing him from his half-conscious daze-

Sasuke

Forcing his eyes open so that he sat up with a gasp-

SASUKE

And now it seemed he couldn't keep from thinking of Sasuke at all, though he tried hard to recapture his previous oblivion. Every part of his mind, every atom in him strained toward that one thought, that one goal. It was every want he'd ever had, every need. An imperative-

SASUKE

So that he found himself exploding through the ceiling, through the roof, and bounding along other rooftops. He barely registered that it was night, or that people were turning their heads from where they walked in the streets to follow his progress. He stretched out his hand to yank himself to a higher roof and saw that his chakra was showing, just as he'd heard someone mention. He didn't care. The image of Sasuke, the idea of him, was like a great fiery hook in his loins, pulling him onward faster and faster. Something clambered at the back of his mind…

'stop…stop, you must stop!'

But the voice was so small. It didn't hold a candle to the elemental need to get to Sasuke now.

He'd finally conked out face first on the bed, lying across it in a sprawl of utter exhaustion. After leaving Neji's, he'd hoped that news of his visit would have somehow been passed along to Naruto, and that Naruto would then come to him. He'd waited. Already operating on days of sleeplessness, though, he'd ended up passing out not long after getting home. Now he was deep in dreamless slumber.

Nevertheless, his nerves twanged out an urgent alarm. It brought him to consciousness in seconds, and had him turning over, Sharingan activated, in search of a threat.

Naruto stood in the bedroom doorway. Hunched over, with one hand clutching his mid-section. He appeared to be in chakra mode.

Sasuke sat up at once, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Naruto?"

Naruto blinked at him. The need to-

-mate-

-get to Sasuke was still pushing him, still trying to override everything in his mind, but he resisted. Barely. He forced himself to speak. "You…you said you'd never break my heart. Sasuke…"

He was off the bed and across the room in a flash, gathering Naruto to him before the wail had properly started. Naruto clung to him. His enhanced strength all but strangled him, but he didn't let go. That blond head snuffled into his neck. Pushing, seeking. He felt small nips to his throat, but withstood it. Circled Naruto's head with an arm, and held him tightly. "I know. I'm sorry. I should never-"

Sasuke was speaking to him, but he didn't hear much beyond the fact that there were no plans to hook up with any girl. He glutted himself on Sasuke's smell, the feel of being in his arms. It was a while before he felt the pain he'd been living with begin to fade. That burn that had taken up residence in his innards dulled to a low throb. Something barely noticeable. And suddenly his chakra was tucked away again, sucked back into himself. He kept still, letting Sasuke soothe him and apologize, as he became more alert and aware than he'd been in what felt like ages.

"Naruto? Say something. Say you hate me, or…or that you'll never forgive me. Something."

Lifting his head, Naruto met his eyes. "Touch me. That's all I want. I don't care about the rest, just…just touch me, please. I want to forget."

Sasuke could agree. Wholeheartedly. Naruto was rank, but he leaned in and kissed him without hesitation.

-oOo-

For a wonder it wasn't great. Just okay. Naruto seemed distracted, and Sasuke was left inundated with guilt; if Naruto wasn't into it, then he wasn't doing it right. Or Naruto was still angry with him. Naruto rolled over once it was over, to leave Sasuke cold and afraid. He didn't respond to the hand Sasuke put on his shoulder, nor did he want to be cuddled. Sasuke thought they could reconnect now that they'd touched, but apparently he was wrong. Eventually he rolled over as well, so that they were back to back.

By the time sleep came, the sun was rising.

Naruto woke with uncommon clarity of thought.

Usually he muddled his way to wakefulness. He'd sit up half asleep in bed for a good twenty minutes, then shuffle his way to the bathroom where he spent another 30 minutes half conscious on the toilet. It normally took him an hour before he was able to be up and about and responding to people.

This time his eyes opened with none of the fuzziness he was accustomed to. He lay blinking at the window. The quality of light suggested it was late afternoon, nearly sunset. He could feel and hear Sasuke sleeping behind him…

Sasuke.

The thought of him called up a wealth of resentment. For a second he couldn't remember why, but then he did. Some long lost Uchiha family coming. A girl. Sasuke hooking up with her. There was more. Memories of going to Neji's, of having Hinata's soft voice and soft hands comfort him tried to surface, but they wouldn't quite come. That part was fuzzy. The rest, though… actually, he didn't want to think about it. "Fuck this." He swung his legs off the bed and went to the bathroom.

-oOo-

When he came out Sasuke was leaning against the wall beside the door. "Hey."

Naruto walked past him and into the kitchen without answering.

To see the table reduced to a pile of scattered ashes and scorch marks on the wall pulled him up short…but not for long. He banged the cupboard doors open and closed, searching for something.

Sasuke watched from the kitchen doorway. "Can we talk?"

"Nothing to talk about." He jerked the fridge door open and leaned in.

"Naruto-"

"Fuck, isn't there any food in this house?" The fridge door was slammed shut hard enough to rock the thing.

"Like I said last night…I'm not meeting her."

Naruto paused in the act of opening an overhead cupboard again, his back to Sasuke. He had no memory of last night, or anything that was said.

"I'm not getting married, or meeting her family, or making any babies," Sasuke said quietly.

Now Naruto turned around and leaned his ass against the counter, hands gripping the edge. He didn't look up. "I see."

"No," Sasuke said, taking a few steps closer. "You don't. And I told Tsunade."

"But-" Naruto rocked back and forth a bit, clearly trying to find the right words. "You deserve a family. I can't keep that from you."

"You're my family. Not these people."

"What?"

"Those people might be blood, but they're not family. They didn't fight for me or believe in me or chase me or drag me back from the brink of death. You did. So yeah, I'm not meeting them. Not if it hurts you like this."

Naruto raised his eyes by slow degrees until he was looking at Sasuke. "That's…I appreciate that. But you wanted to rebuild your clan. You've always wanted to."

Sasuke thought about it as he looked at Naruto's face. The blond brows were puckered in confusion or hurt, and Naruto's eyes weren't as vibrant as usual. "I'm coming to realize that a lot of things I used to want aren't important anymore."

"You're telling me your clan isn't important? Since when?"

"Since I gave it careful thought. Was forced to while you were gone. The Uchiha had their day. Time goes on. Nothing lasts forever. I don't want to rebuild my clan. Don't want the responsibility, or to deal with the knowledge that for as long as the Uchiha have been around, so has strife and hatred. Maybe they got wiped out for a reason. Don't get me wrong, I think what happened to my clan was criminal…but it did happen. And I don't think it's up to me or anyone else to try and resurrect what was."

If Naruto thought he'd been shocked before, Sasuke's latest words took the cake. He stood there, mouth slightly open, as he took in what Sasuke was saying. He felt certain that this wasn't a sentiment Sasuke could have had prior to the trial and taking Madara out. Sasuke had settled down considerably now that the wrongs done to him had been righted. He was truly at peace.

However.

"I just don't want you to change your mind somewhere down the road about wanting a family, and think that I was the one who prevented you from having one. I don't want to be the thing that killed the Uchiha return-"

Sasuke walked up to him and put his hands up as if he were going to cup Naruto's cheeks. He changed his mind at the last second and let them fall by his sides. "Are you kidding me? You saved the Uchiha. Saved the name from going out in complete ignominy by saving me. You redeemed me, Naruto. Allowed me to make sure that the last surviving Uchiha would leave a better mark on the world. That's enough. That's more than I can repay in a lifetime. The Uchiha are done. It's over. It was done when Tsunade banished the council. I say let sleeping dogs lie. This-" And now he did touch Naruto's face. Softly, with one fingertip. "This is all I want."

A tiny smile tugged at one corner of Naruto's mouth. "Yeah?"

"Yes."

"You're sure."

"Positive."

"So…no girl then?"

"No anybody. No one but you."

Naruto let out a great shuddery sigh. Looked down at his feet. Nodded. Sasuke touched a hand to the side of his neck in question and Naruto went to him. Went into Sasuke's arms and buried his face in one muscular shoulder as they closed around him hard.

There were a few blissful minutes wherein Sasuke did grab Naruto's face and they kissed. Naruto was only interested in Sasuke's mouth, but Sasuke kissed every part of that whiskered face he could reach. Naruto's eyes, his cheeks, his chin, his nose. Everywhere. Until the connection between them clicked back into place and he felt the anxiety he'd lived with all week finally unravel. He pulled back with a sigh and let his forehead rest against Naruto's. "I'm sorry," he said again. "For everything."

Naruto closed his eyes. "It's okay."

"Okay." Sasuke once again became aware of the fact that Naruto stank. "You okay?"

"Starving."

"Where were you? I mean you were at Neji's, but what were you doing? Didn't you eat?"

"…No. And nothing. I wasn't doing anything, I don't think."

Sasuke leaned back to see his face. "You don't think? What, you don't know?"

"No," Naruto said slowly, his frown matching Sasuke's. "I don't know. I think Hinata was there? And Neji a little bit. But I didn't eat, I know that."

"When's the last time you ate?"

"Last time I was here, I guess." He looked around the ruined kitchen.

"But why? What were you doing over there? Were you…were you that upset? That you couldn't eat?"

Naruto's brows came together in a V of concentration as he studied his bare feet. They were filthy. "I think I remember not feeling well."

"Sick? You're never sick."

"I know." The frowning blue eyes made their way to his face.

Sasuke remembered how Naruto had looked last night, when he'd woken up to find him in the bedroom doorway. "How do you feel now?"

"Okay?" Naruto shrugged. "Stomachache, but I'm starving, so." He looked around the kitchen again, as if maybe there was food lying around.

"But-"

Naruto suddenly pushed off from the counter, shoved past Sasuke, and made a beeline for the bathroom. Sasuke followed more slowly, still frowning at the knowledge that Naruto had been sick. So sick he hadn't eaten. When he got to the bathroom, it was to find Naruto thoughtfully flushing the toilet. "What is it?"

"Huh?" Naruto looked up at him, then down at the toilet again. "Nothing. Just…I think this was the first time I've used the bathroom, too."

"I see." Sasuke studied him. Naruto didn't look thinner or weaker. Just a bit grimy. "Want me to get Sakura so she can check you out?"

"Mmm….nah. I feel fine now."

"Sure?"

"Yup." Naruto bent close to the medicine cabinet and inspected his face in the mirror. "Can you get food, please?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll be back soon." He hesitated in the doorway, though.

Naruto sensed his concern and turned to give him a reassuring smile. Then he went to him and pecked his lips. Pecked them again, lingering longer this time. "I'll still be here when you get back. And I'm fine. Okay? Just hungry."

Sasuke took his word for it.