DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters or the show (if only D;), Sasuke and Naruto belong to TV tokyo and Masashi Kishimoto 3 First fic on this account! :O I wrote this for my girlfriend's eighteenth birthday c': Happy Birthday beautiful x
I think there will only be one more chapter after this, maybe 2 at the most and I'll upload that tomorrow.
Enjoy~! -Ami
"D'ya hear anything?"
"…No. I think we've lost them."
Naruto sighed with relief as he slumped against the cold stone wall behind him. Sasuke cautiously peered round the door to ensure the coast was clear and then paused to examine the sky. He frowned, it was getting late.
"Naruto do you remember how we got here?"
"Huh? What d'ya mean?"
"Directions. Would you be able to find your way back in the dark?"
"Uh.." the blond scratched the back of his neck idly as he thought for a moment, "well… it all looked the same to me.. and I was kinda busy, y'know, running from those maniacs?"
"Didn't think so." Sasuke replied in an irritated tone. "We're going to have to stay the night here then."
Naruto let out a cry of objection as he looked around the abandoned building they had stumbled in to.
"Can't we find somewhere nicer? It's freezing in here!"
"I'd rather not. It's getting too dark, we don't know the area, the enemy could still be about and besides we don't even know if there is somewhere nicer dobe. You're a ninja, suck it up. It's just until morning."
Naruto pouted and folded his arms.
"I bet Sakura and Kakashi have set up camp somewhere nice, built a fire, have got nice food to eat.. this isn't fair!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes at his team mate and unrolled his sleeping bag.
"Whatever. At least we have something to sleep on."
"I'm hungry!"
"Shut up Naruto."
"No!"
"Ugh. Why did I have to team up with you."
"Hey you're not exactly my favourite choice either!"
The darker haired teen didn't bother to respond and focused on sorting his bed while there was still enough light to see.
"Dobe make your bed."
Naruto pulled a face and mumbled something about Sasuke acting like a parent, but did as he was told. Just as Sasuke was finishing, the louder teen gasped.
"What now." he sighed.
"Umm… I don't have a bed…"
"What? Where is it?"
"How should I know?"
"You're such an idiot."
"Fuck off! It's not my fault!"
"Whatever, have fun sleeping on the cold floor." Sasuke replied, smirking.
"Tch! I'm gonna go look for somewhere nicer to sleep, away from you."
"Like I care."
The blond got up angrily but just before he stormed out of the door Sasuke grabbed his arm.
"Stop it."
"Why the hell should I? I don't wanna stay here with you!"
Sasuke sighed in frustration.
"It'll just be a lot harder for both of us if we split up."
"I don't care! I'm fine on my own!"
"Naruto."
Why was he always stuck with the most difficult member of their team? Then again, he supposed he wouldn't really want to be alone with Sakura for a night either.
Naruto tried to tug his arm out of his friends grip but Sasuke pulled him away from the door roughly.
"Get off asshole!"
"Stop acting like a child."
"Stop acting like a parent!"
"Ha, how would you even know what a parent acts like?"
…Too far.
Sasuke regretted it the second the words had fallen from his lips. Naruto's expression suddenly went blank and he gently pulled his arm from Sasuke before walking away in silence.
"Fuck.." he said quietly and got up to follow his comrade. "Naruto come back."
"Leave me alone." he replied, walking slowly. It didn't take long for Sasuke to catch up to him.
"I'm sorry." the taller boy said softly.
Naruto didn't respond.
Sasuke placed a firm hand on his shoulder and they both stopped.
"You can have my bed, I don't mind."
Naruto looked at him but Sasuke couldn't quite decipher the emotion in his eyes and decided to avert his gaze. His voice was barely audible when he next spoke.
"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it, you know I say stupid shit when I'm angry."
Naruto opened his mouth to speak but paused and then remained silent. Instead, he began to walk back towards the building. Sasuke watched him for a moment, confused, but followed him anyway.
When he entered the building he waited for his eyes to adjust to the slightly darker setting and found Naruto curled up on the opposite side of the room, facing away from him. Sasuke sighed, guilt settling uncomfortably in his stomach. He quietly walked towards his team mate and knelt beside him.
"Naruto," he said, his voice soft, "I said take my bed. You'll be cold."
"No. I'm fine."
"But-"
"I said no."
Sasuke frowned, unsure of what else to say. He got up, hoping his friend would cool off by morning and laid down in his sleeping bag.
He wasn't sure how long had passed, it felt like a long time, maybe a couple of hours, and he still couldn't sleep. He was angry at himself for saying something so hurtful and the idea of his friend, hurting, because of him, sleeping on the freezing cold stone floor really didn't sit well with him.
Suddenly a tiny muffled sob pulled him from his thoughts and he listened carefully, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. A few minutes later he heard a similar sound and identified its source. He felt a sharp stab in his chest. He did that.
Without even thinking Sasuke rose from his sleeping bag and unzipped it fully so that it resembled a blanket and heard a sharp intake of breath as Naruto realised he was awake.
Sasuke made his way through the dark room to the still figure and gently wrapped the material around him.
"Please don't cry." he whispered.
Naruto wiped his eyes, frustrated that he was caught crying. Great. Now he felt hurt and pathetic.
He didn't say anything.
Sasuke pulled him in to a sitting position, it was hard to make out anything in the dark at first but he saw that Naruto was looking down and gripping the sleeping bag hard. Sasuke shifted uncomfortably, not really knowing how to handle the situation.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"I know." Naruto interrupted, he didn't really want pity.
Sasuke remembered how his brother used to comfort him when he was upset. Ignoring the anger that rose within him whenever he thought of Itachi, he shyly put an arm round his friend.
Naruto's eyes widened at the gesture, he didn't think Sasuke was the kind of person to ever show affection, especially not to him. Too tired and fed up to care anymore, he allowed himself to rest his head on the raven's shoulder, the occasional tear still escaping his bright blue eyes. After a few moments Sasuke pushed himself back a little so that he could lean against the wall for support and pulled the covers up to their shoulders. Naruto's breathing was lighter and he found being with Sasuke like that surprisingly comforting rather than awkward.
"You do care really, don't you?" the blond said quietly. Sasuke smiled.
"Yeah, I guess I do." he replied softly, feeling more comfortable with the situation. He raised the hand that was resting on the younger boys shoulder to gently stroke his hair and couldn't help smiling a little more when he felt Naruto snuggle closer to him.
"We should get some sleep." he murmured. Naruto nodded and watched as Sasuke pulled away from him and set up the sleeping bag in front of them.
"Come on." Sasuke said, pulling Naruto's arm gently and indicating that they share the bed. He was thankful for the darkness because it meant that the small, faint blush on his cheeks went unnoticed.
Sasuke laid down first and was surprised when Naruto went to rest his head on his chest. The Uchiha pulled the covers up over Naruto's shoulders and zipped the sleeping bag up to the top at the side of him, he then began to softly stroke his friend's hair once more. It wasn't long before the two boys fell asleep.
The next morning, after packing up their stuff in an almost awkward silence, the two ninjas had eventually found their lost team mates. Their sensei and Sakura had set up camp in a small clearing in some nearby woods, and after reuniting with the boys in the foreign town they had stumbled across the team steadily made their way back to the village.
It was early evening when they finally arrived at the gates of Konoha and Sasuke had noticed that Naruto was strangely quiet the whole journey back. The sky was slowly turning orange and pink as the sun set and the usual noises of day to day life had softened to a peaceful hum. Suddenly Naruto seemed to cheer up.
"Kakashi sensei! I think you should treat us to ramen at Ichiraku's! Seeing as it is YOUR fault we got split up and had to sleep in some horrible old building!" he complained.
"How was it his fault, baka Naruto! Don't be so rude!" Sakura scolded.
Somehow their teacher did end up buying them all a bowl of ramen, most likely just to shut them up.
As they finished, Naruto was oddly quiet again. Kakashi paid for their meals and they said their goodbyes. Their teacher went to report the details of their mission to Tsunade-sama and Sakura (after giving an excited high-pitched goodbye to Sasuke) was walking home. Sasuke was just turning to leave when Naruto stopped him,
"Sasuke." he said in a strange tone.
"Hn?"
"Walk with me."
Sasuke's heartbeat picked up a little, Naruto sounded so serious and it worried him. Ignoring the fact that they lived in opposite directions, Sasuke complied and they walked at a leisurely pace.
"What is it Naruto?"
They continued to walk for a while longer and Sasuke didn't want to pressure him in to telling him and possibly make whatever the situation was worse. He had an odd feeling.
Naruto stopped abruptly, causing Sasuke to jump a little. It was just starting to get dark but the sun shone brightly against the horizon, making them both squint a little.
"Naruto?" Sasuke pressed softly.
Naruto looked up but avoided eye contact.
"I… was thinking about last night."
Sasuke looked confused.
"What about last night?"
"What do I mean to you?" Naruto said, almost sounding demanding.
"Huh?"
"What am I to you? Am I important to you?"
Sasuke paused thoughtfully, trying to work out where this was leading.
"You're my friend."
"…And what does that mean to you?"
"I don't understand what you're asking me, Naruto." Sasuke was growing concerned now; the look in his friend's eyes worried him. A few minutes passed before the shorter teenager responded, his tone much softer now.
"Do you care about me?"
Something in the way that he said that gave Sasuke a weird feeling.
"Yes."
"How much?"
"A lot."
Naruto smiled and looked away.
"Like a best friend maybe?"
"…Yeah."
"Best friends stay round each other's houses." Naruto stated.
"…Um"
"I've never seen your hooouse!" Naruto whined, his eyes suddenly playful.
"Are you inviting yourself round?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow.
Naruto folded his arms.
"We're walking in the wrong direction then."
Naruto gave a satisfied smile and allowed Sasuke to lead the way.
