Early this year–11/14/10

Written a looooooooooooong time ago, and recently re-edited to be published.

–Blue

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 1:

Uzumaki House: The Golden Trio

by Rachel Poulson

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The two boys wandered across the lawn, their bottle–happy female companion hanging between their shoulders.

"Sasuke! Naruto! Are we home yet?"

The blonde boy laughed and answered in the affirmative. The eldest of the three merely shrugged and sighed, fishing the keys out of his jacket pocket as they approached the wrought iron gate. The lock clicked opened and Sasuke held the door as Naruto carried Sakura into the yard.

The house was stifling, the summer heat finally setting in after weeks of cool rains. Naruto deposited his pink haired friend on the nearest couch, and then went to help Sasuke open windows. An electric fan was dug out of a closet to help air movement.

Eventually, all three sat in the living room as they cooled down. The minutes seemed to drag by, no relief in sight.

With a sigh, Naruto slipped his t–shirt over his head and Sasuke reluctantly unbuttoned the satin shirt he wore. Sakura merely smiled in her drunken stupor and pulled off her jeans, stepping neatly out of them and resuming her cross–legged position, simultaneously ignoring the stairs of her friends. Naruto was openly gawping, but Sasuke did his best not to mentally undress her. However much their hormones might be affecting their thoughts didn't matter; friendship came first.

Sakura leaned back, resting her head on the cool hardwood floor and stared up through their skylight. The boys followed her line of sight, and everything was silent for a moment.

"The moon's beautiful tonight," Naruto commented, and laughed quietly when his only answer was a snore from Sakura.

Sasuke stood and silently slung the sleeping girl over one shoulder, picking up her jeans in his other hand. He exchanged exasperated looks with Naruto and carried her down the hall in a fireman's hold.

As he set her down in bed, her bleary eyes flickered open for a moment. "Sasuke?"

Still leaning over her, frozen, he nodded. She exhaled slowly, brushing her fingertips over one of his pale cheeks.

"You know I used to love you."

Again, hesitating slightly this time, he nodded.

Sakura's bright jade eyes filled with tears as she smiled up at him. "Thank you, Sasuke." She let her eyelids flutter shut as her breathing slowed.

He glanced back at her as he left, knowing what could have been his, and knowing that he'd blown it all in the pursuit of revenge. He grimaced.

Their silences held so many words.