[N O T E] Horrible. It was a spur of the moment thing, and it was interrupted in the middle. Personally, I think the second half sucks. Oh well.

[W A R N] SasuNaru. Shounen ai, strange styles.

[D I S C L A I M] Naruto, and all character within, does not belong to me. I am making no profit off of this fic.

[makes sense]

by rain-streaked

Slick flesh, heavy breath.

Never quite there, because both of them denied what was needed.

"You can never touch me," Sasuke would mock, and they'd start sparring again.

"Don't be so full of yourself," Naruto would snarl back, and then he'd go and do something so stupid - like laugh or leave himself completely unguarded (wait - they're both the same thing).

And Sasuke would stop and never touch him, because when Naruto is like that - so clear and bright and perfectly still - he doesn't know what to do.

*night

Sasuke was breathing. (And he doesn't do that too often.)

"Shut up," he snarls, because that is what he does. "Shut up," he repeats, glaring at the huddled boy at his feet.

And the sobbing won't stop; Naruto keeps on crying and crying and crying.

"Shut up!" he yells, losing all semblance of patience. "Why are you crying?"

And Naruto lifts his head and looks up at him, bright blue eyes squinted with tears. Sasuke sees Naruto, but never a Naruto he's seen before. He's so small and almost innocent (Sasuke shudders at the thought) and such a child.

Naruto's mouth opens and Sasuke dreads what he's going to hear.

"Because I'm lost."

Face streaked with sweat, Sasuke bolts up, throws off the covers and runs to the bathroom.

*the next day

Sasuke doesn't mention the dream to Naruto.

And Naruto doesn't ask him.

Naruto doesn't ask him why he's so quiet or why he keeps on staring - at nothing, at him, at the sky - and he especially doesn't ask why Sasuke is such a boring asshole.

Naruto walks up to Sasuke, grins his usual, confident way, and says loudly, "Let's fight." (He never has to ask, because Sasuke never has to answer.)

And Sasuke looks up (because he's sitting on a large flat rock - a rather comfortable rock, where the sun shines down on him and almost makes him look bright) and smirks in such a smug way that it infuriates Naruto. "You won't win," he declares, because that is just what he is supposed to do.

Angered, Naruto jumps back. "Today I will! Just you watch! You're going down today, Sasuke. You bastard! Always calling me names, being so superior and perfect and calm. Today you are going to taste defeat - by my hands!"

(and Sasuke knows laughing is taboo)

*fight

When they fight, it is anything but conversational.

It is deadly and fluid and fast, a never-ending stream of kicks and punches and leaps and throws.

Naruto is powerful and blind yet brilliant, never stopping from his constant barrage of attacks.

Sasuke is silent and ready yet calm, never letting Naruto have the last kick.

Sasuke flicks his shurikan out and holds them between his fingers, claws poised to strike.

Naruto holds a kunai clenched in each fist, crossed in front of him in an X.

With his sharingan, Sasuke can see everything in battle. Naruto is never readable, though. He is fast and clumsy and alive.

After a fight, Sasuke wonders if Naruto will always be this way: smiling and exciting and bright.

*dream

Naruto is running, but he cannot move.

He needs to run away - he understands that - but he just cannot move, and no matter what he does his feet will not obey him.

There is someone behind him, and maybe that person is the reason his eyes are wide and his breathing uneven and panicky.

"Go away!" he cries over his shoulder.

Naruto doesn't know why he's like this - heart beating wildly, trying to run away - any other time he would have turned around and kicked ass. But something about this - this situation - is so strange, and he can't remember who's behind him.

He opens his mouth to yell "go away" again but then he freezes, ceasing his struggle and urge to run.

Sasuke.

Behind him is Sasuke, calm and elegant and quiet, as always. Naruto turns almost shyly and their eyes meet briefly - Sasuke is unreadable, eyes blank and face emotionless.

Without a word, Sasuke turns his back to Naruto and walks away.

(And Naruto knows it's useless to scream.)

Eyes opening slowly, Naruto laid still, breathing heavily.

Everything was horridly silent.

*kiss

Sasuke has never kissed. Only once, and he remembers the soft feeling of something smashed against his lips and the taste of soft miso. Apart from that memory, he never thinks about kissing.

Naruto has never kissed. Only once, and he remembers falling and liquid black eyes, as well as the faint taste of citrus. Because of that memory, he often wonders what a kiss really tastes like.

*breaking point

They are fighting again, because that is the only thing they know how to do with each other.

This time there is no Kakashi-sensei or Sakura to stop them, and so they seize the opportunity fully, pouring all their frustrations out in a one-on-one, mess-up-and-you'll-get-seriously-injured fight.

They won't stop and they won't pause, because they know that if they do it means that they are so weak - too weak.

"Slowing down, Uchiha?" Naruto taunts, grinning smugly.

"You don't seem so well yourself, Uzumaki," Sasuke replies, smirking.

They collide again, arms and legs moving so fast they are nothing but blurs. Breathing heavily, they punch and block, kick and counter.

Then Naruto stops so suddenly, facing Sasuke.

His eyes are too brilliant, Sasuke thinks in a chaste manner.

"Why are you so good at looking away?" Naruto asks, voice calm and low.

Sasuke blinks. "Why are you lost?" he asks back.

They don't move.

*again

Sasuke doesn't know what he feels for Naruto. All he knows is that he doesn't hate him and he doesn't want to kill him (which is a good thing).

Naruto doesn't know what he feels for Sasuke. All he knows is that he wants Sasuke to look at him, to acknowledge the fact that he is worthy.

Sometimes Sasuke dreams about Naruto, and the dreams confuse him.

Sometimes Naruto dreams about Sasuke, and the dreams delight him.

Sasuke feels guilty, though, for wanting to touch Naruto (and get burned).

Naruto feels wonderful, though, when Sasuke calls him names and sighs (in a resigned sort of way).

*end

In the end, they will kiss. It will be slow and hesitant - clumsy, almost, and full of the emotions they never show on their face.

They've never kissed before, and so when they kiss it won't be perfect and it won't be pretty. But it won't matter to them because they don't know any better, and they'll improve the next time they try, anyway (and at that time they won't know that there'll be a next time).

In the end, maybe something will make sense.