"Can I trust you two with this?"

Sasuke glanced over at Naruto, sending his friend a warning glare. He turned back to his mother and set his hand on the back of her seat. "Of course."

"Alright," Mikoto relented, using two fingers to hand him the grocery card. "Remember to turn the list over. I'll be back in an hour or two."

"Don't you worry about us!" Naruto said cheekily, giving her one of his largest smiles. "We'll handle it perfect."

"Perfectly," Sasuke said under his breath, opening his car door and placing his foot on the pavement in front of Target.

"No running over children's feet with the cart, Sasuke," she called, a small smirk curling her lips.

Sasuke grunted as Naruto bursted into delighted snickers, ducking his head into the car one last time. "Fine. See you."

He ignored Naruto as he yelled excessive goodbyes to his mother, leaving his proclamations of love behind as he strode into the store.

The sound of footsteps behind him became more prominent, so he took a step to the right when Naruto finally rounded up. The other had probably been expecting that, though, so Naruto turned slightly and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, looking overly pleased with himself.

"Slow down," he said, giving Sasuke a squeeze. Naruto smelled like something spicy and fabric softener.

"We're in," Sasuke said firmly, giving him a pointed look. "And then we're out. You got that? It doesn't include playing with the toys in the kids' section or taking a bike for a joyride-"

"Okay," Naruto whined, dropping the arm that he'd had around Sasuke. He smoothed out the collar of his blue henley shirt and regarded Sasuke warily. "I got it."

"Good," he deadpanned, tugging a shopping cart from where it'd been tightly packed against the others. Sasuke leant his elbows on it as he walked further on into the store, past the clothes and home sections and into the produce.

Naruto followed him obediently, a hand on the side of the cart. "It's pretty quiet."

Sasuke lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug. "It's Sunday. Everybody's resting."

"Yeah…" he trailed off, watching as a frail old woman hobbled past them.

Sasuke came to a stop, giving Naruto an expectant look as he watched that old woman disappear into the next aisle. "Well?"

"Well, what?" Naruto asked dumbly.

"You're an idiot," he mumbled, sticking his hand into Naruto's pocket and emerging with a folded paper. "Just behave and let me handle this."

"Jeez," Naruto replied, eyeing him sourly. "Sorry for bein' a little distracted."

He unfolded the shopping list and read the first few items. "Something I'm used to."

Naruto pursed his lips and grunted at him. "Asshole."

Sasuke ignored him and slowly pushed the cart over to the stand of avocados, taking a plastic bag from the table beside it. He carefully picked out five good ones, all under the scrutiny of Naruto.

"Why are you squeezing 'em?" he asked.

"To make sure they're not bruised," Sasuke replied. "If they are, they taste bad."

Naruto grunted. "I don't like them."

"You're just a picky eater," he murmured, setting the bag in the child's seat of the cart and moving on to the tomato box.

Naruto made a strange gesture with his hands. "I wouldn't call it that."

"You're right," Sasuke said over his shoulder. "You just choose to eat ramen for every course meal of the day."

"I do not," he countered, scrunching his nose at Sasuke. "'S just the way I was raised, eating all the things that my parents liked. Unlike you," Naruto poked him in the center of his chest. "eating nasty things all the time."

"Octopus isn't bad," he replied, pushing the accusing finger away from his chest. Sasuke pushed the ever-growing stash of vegetables aside to make room for the salmon he'd grabbed from the stands.

Naruto grunted. "Lemme push it while you go and grab all the stuff."

Sasuke wasn't given much of a choice before Naruto nudged him out of the way and took over pushing the cart. He gave the other a small glare but continued to check things off of the list, quickly grabbing chicken and extra bottles of seasoning from the shelves that they passed by.

"What the hell?" Naruto griped. "This is enough fish and soy sauce to last us twenty years."

"Most of which you eat," he growled, tossing three loafs of bread into the cart. "It's ridiculous that we have to have a different section of the shopping list for you."

Naruto laughed brightly, ignoring his jabs and crabby attitude. "What can I say? I love bein' at your house. If it makes you feel any better, we have a different section on the grocery list for you, too."

Sasuke spared him a curious glance, pausing in his sifting through the stacks of muffins that his father ate for breakfast. He knew that, once he had his back turned, Naruto would most likely put things in the cart that they didn't need, but he couldn't be bothered to care.

"We do," Naruto said, giving him a little smile. He shifted his weight onto one leg. "It's got your tomato soup, those healthy chips you like, and your favorite wasabi peanuts, even though they're practically on fire."

Although Sasuke ignored him, he felt something warm bloom in his chest; a sense of gratification that Naruto paid so much attention to him to mind his favorite snacks, and the smallest hint of affection towards him. It moved across him as slow as molasses, and settled in like hot tea in the middle of the winter. He offered Naruto a brief moment of eye contact before turning and leading him into the canned foods aisle, dismissing the feeling.

Sasuke grabbed the tomato soup he loved so much and a couple of chicken soups for the rare occasion in which someone in his family caught a cold. Knowing that Itachi would be dropping by soon, he took a few cans of the cream of mushroom variety. He thought about how Itachi had always had strange tastebuds before placing them in the cart.

"What's the next thing on there?"

"Cereal and granola bars," Naruto said. "Sucked we didn't have any this morning."

"Which is why we're shopping right now."

He sniffed. "Man. You really woke up on the wrong side of the bed today."

"I did," Sasuke agreed. "Because someone rolled over me last night."

Naruto shrugged. "Well, you wore me out, so I guess your pillow was softer. I can't really witness my own sleeping habits."

He sighed. "Cocopuffs or Fruit Loops?"

"Fruit Loops," Naruto said. "I really could eat some right now."

"Wait until we get home," he murmured, grabbing a few other boxes from the top shelf as well. Sasuke made sure he got everything from the aisle, checking the list over Naruto's shoulder. "Come on. We need chips now."

"Yay," Naruto grumbled. He followed closely behind Sasuke and they waited for a lingering man to walk through the aisle before going into the next one. "Will you peel this for me?"

Sasuke scowled and turned around, annoyed to see that Naruto had picked a mandarin out from the mesh sack that they came in. "Put that back."

"We're gonna buy it anyway," he persuaded, waving it in front of Sasuke's face. "Please? Or I'll just eat the thing whole and we can take a taxi to the poison control center."

Sasuke sighed and gave the other a hard glare, snatching the small fruit from his hand and digging his thumb into it. Quickly, he peeled the skin off in one go, handing the finished product back to Naruto.

"I like it when you do that," he said. "Thanks."

"Whatever."

Sasuke strolled through the aisle and held a hand out to stop Naruto from pushing the cart any further. He threw a few boxes of crackers in the cart and glanced around for the bagged popcorn under Naruto's portion of the list.

"What a good day," Naruto mused, chewing on a slice of mandarin. "It's muggy outside, your dad yelled at me this morning, you're in a bad mood, and to top it off, you leave tomorrow."

Sasuke regarded him impassively. "He didn't yell at you. He just told you to calm down."

"My life still flashed before my eyes," Naruto cried. "I just don't want you to leave without a good attitude. This is our first and last summer together, 'cause you just have to go live with your host family in Jersey."

He took a moment to let Naruto's words sink in. "Who says it's our last? I may not even be accepted into Princeton."

"Yeah, you are," Naruto said quietly, a dull look coming onto his face. His shoulders sagged slightly. "There's no way you aren't."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and approached him quickly, pushing the cart out of the way. "So what do you want me to do? Stay here?"

He saw Naruto's jaw tighten from where he'd fixed his eyes on the shelf behind them. A tense silence reverberated between them, and Sasuke refused to make eye contact with him. He already knew just how sentimental Naruto was going to get, and he'd have none of it.

"…A little." Naruto murmured. "I… you're my best friend. I want more than one summer with you, especially if things are gonna change after we head off to college."

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes. "Like they would."

"You can say that, but they are!" Naruto insisted, tapping Sasuke's cheek so that he would face him. Naruto's eyes looked too… sad, too taxed for it only being their first two weeks into the summer.

Sasuke searched his vibrant eyes for any sign that he would cry, but he found nothing. Naruto had tanned since the beginning of the year, and it only made his eyes that much bluer.

He sighed. "You've been thinking about this a lot, haven't you?"

"Course I have," he mumbled. "You don't like it when I try to say it, but I-"

Sasuke dug his fingers into Naruto's forearm. "Don't."

Naruto shut his eyes and took a deep breath, bringing their foreheads together. "You have to let me say it one day. And I will, even if you tell me not to."

Sasuke pressed his lips together and reveled in the warm feeling of Naruto's forehead against his, and the feeling of his brow furrowed against Sasuke's. It wasn't out of Naruto's character for him to overthink and worry this much, but every single damn time that he did it, it drove Sasuke crazy.

He leant forward and softly pressed his lips against Naruto's, not sure of how else to comfort him. Naruto let it linger for a few more seconds before Sasuke felt his fingers grip the hem of his shirt and his lips respond.

It started off as slow and tender, because Sasuke hadn't meant for it to get heated. He'd kissed Naruto with the purpose to offer him comfort, and partially because he'd been wanting to all morning. Even though he'd had plenty of kisses with Naruto last night, the shock of excitement that shot down his spine each time they kissed hadn't dulled since their first one.

But, like always, Naruto managed to sidetrack them.

Naruto nipped at his top lip, making him grimace at the sharp pain. Naruto took the opportunity to hold Sasuke's face in his hands as he traced his tongue over the curve of Sasuke's bottom lip. Knowing exactly what he liked, Naruto sucked on that lip lightly before giving it a gentle tug, opening his eyes to see Naruto's hooded ones.

Desire and want washed over Sasuke strongly, driving him to tug on the hairs framing Naruto's face while he held them back. Without hesitating, he pushed his tongue into Naruto's mouth, feeling his breath hitch as their tongues pressed together.

He alternated between sucking and pulling at Naruto's plump lips and lewdly sliding their tongues against each other. A small moan escaped Naruto's throat, and it made Sasuke's fingers tighten even further in his hair.

Naruto reversed their positions and pressed Sasuke against the shelves behind them, making a few of the chip bags crunch together. Their lips never left each other's, instead growing more frantic and moist as the seconds flew by. Sasuke's hands found the hem of Naruto's shirt and he slipped them under, pressing his palms against taut muscle.

A harsh tug on the hair at the crown of his head finally pulled them apart, and Sasuke panted as he glanced down at Naruto's slick and swollen lips. Registering that Naruto's grip wasn't letting up, he licked his lips and scowled at the other.

"What?" Naruto murmured. "It's no secret that you like a little pain." The corner of his lips tilted up as he tugged on Sasuke's hair even harder, making him let out a grunt as he neck was exposed.

"Don't," he growled, reluctantly waving away the sheath of lust that had clouded his thoughts. Sasuke pinched Naruto on the arm to make him let go of his hair. "We're in public."

"You never cared in the first place," Naruto said huskily. He pressed his lips against Sasuke's again, parting with a quiet, wet smack. "What were we talking about?"

Sasuke shut his eyes and responded to every small, sensual kiss Naruto gave him. "Me leaving."

"Yeah…" Naruto's tongue stroked his.

"Where are you going with this?" Sasuke pulled away and licked his slick lips again. "If you get hard, I'm not getting you off in the bathroom."

"Not the bathroom? What about the aisle?" Naruto smiled against his lips.

"You could only imagine," he breathed.

Naruto growled, tugging at his hair again. This time, he leant down to suck at that spot on Sasuke's neck, almost making him go weak. He gasped as Naruto nipped harshly and licked in apology, giving his ass a strong squeeze.

Sasuke bit his tongue, his eyelids fluttering as Naruto continued his work. "What makes you think you always have to leave marks on me?"

When Naruto pulled away, satisfied with the marks he'd left behind, Sasuke regarded him with hooded eyes. Naruto looked nothing short of challenging and predatory, but a spark of humor was in his eyes. "I still have scratches on my chest from the last time you topped."

Sasuke's brain did something that felt like short circuiting. From how ridiculously idiotic Naruto always acted, he never would have guessed that Naruto would have this sort of allure to him. His voice, his scent, his stamina… To dangle some sort of power over Sasuke that made him love being dominated, and then offer himself to dominate.

"Good," he rasped, voice gravelly from the assault Naruto had made on his neck. "Now you won't forget who you belong to."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Fuckin' hypocrite," he hissed, then smashed their lips together again. Sasuke was forced to release a quiet groan when their teeth clanked together multiple times, causing a sweet jolt of pleasure to wash over him. He sucked strongly on Naruto's tongue, making the other sag against him.

Naruto forcefully pulled away, using his hair as leverage. He tilted Sasuke's head back. "I also think we were talking about how much of a dick you've been lately."

Sasuke licked the back of his teeth and didn't even attempt to ignore the burning desire that sent through him. "What are you gonna do about it?" he whispered, feeling his vision go out of focus.

Naruto's jaw tensed as utter want swirled around in his eyes, a telltale that he'd caught on to Sasuke's implication. "Fuck…"

"You can't handle me," Sasuke snickered. "You can't even last long enough for it."

He snorted dryly. "That's not true. Who knows…" he continued, leaning forward to take his earlobe between his teeth and worry it lightly. Naruto's breaths were hot against his ear and his voice was infuriatingly rough. "Maybe discipline will really knock you out of it."

Sasuke felt his body temperature peak and he grabbed Naruto by the back of his shirt to yank him away from his ear, making their noses bump against each other. They immediately jumped into a messy, loud open-mouthed kiss. He didn't know why he hadn't gotten tired of the softness of Naruto's lips, or the way Naruto always had to have his hands touching everywhere.

Whatever Naruto was offering him, he would take that now; Sasuke didn't actively care who heard or who saw, and the only thought that was crossing his mind was now. He wanted all of Naruto right here, right now, and he couldn't bring himself to give a single damn to who witnessed it.

Sasuke grabbed him by the belt when he groaned into his mouth, slipping his fingers underneath Naruto's waistband and brushing over his hipbones. He tugged at his jeans a little before nimbly moving his hands to unbuckle Naruto's belt. It slapped loudly against itself as Sasuke rushed to undo it.

Suddenly, a high shriek startled he and Naruto away from each other. Sasuke started into the wide blue eyes before him and registered the young laughter that came from their left.

Sasuke watched as a toddler ran through the aisle, his arms full of toys that he'd managed to grab from a few aisles over. The irritated mother that ran past them paid them no mind, instead chastising the child escaping her.

Naruto let out a shaky breath and pressed his forehead into one of the edges of the cold shelves. Sasuke blinked a couple of times, noticing the lingering heat on his face, throat, and chest. He swallowed roughly and swiped his thumb over his lips, wiping away the taste of Naruto.

Sasuke ignored his growing hardness and took the handles of the shopping cart, pushing it forward slowly. It had already grown heavy, and Naruto's mandarin lay long forgotten at the bottom of the cart. "Let's go."

"Gimme a minute," Naruto mumbled, pushing himself off of the shelves.

Sasuke smirked dryly as he glanced down at the evident bulge in Naruto's pants, moving out of the aisle. "You already had one."

Naruto whined and jogged to catch up with him, nudging him aside to that he could have half of the cart to lean on. "Let's see. You need an entire set of sheets for the hotel."

"Hn," Sasuke glanced up at the aisle labels. "I hate the original sheets."

"You're so high maintenance," he mumbled. "Then there's a couple of more things."

Sasuke grunted and strolled with Naruto for a few more moments before they finally reached the aisle that held sheets and other items of the sort. He quickly picked out a set of dark ones that he was used to and, after tossing them in the cart, gave Naruto a tired glare.

"No more of what just happened," Sasuke warned.

"Hmph," Naruto replied. "You started it. How about I read the Bible to you just in case?"

Sasuke snorted. "We'd just ensure our definite position in hell."

Naruto frowned. "That's right. The Bible doesn't like us."

He regarded the other coolly as he took the cart from his hands. "As does its devoted followers."

Naruto sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "Dammit. They always try to reduce… us. You, me, and all the other people out there like us. How strong my feelings are for you—"

"Didn't I tell you to stop?" Sasuke snapped.

Naruto's mouth hung open as a shocked expression came over his face, shutting it and pressing his lips together. Then, his jaw tensed and his brow furrowed. "You know how I feel. It's never changing."

Sasuke sighed and gripped the side of the cart, lowering his head so that his hair hung over his face. Damn Naruto. Damn him and every single ounce of affection and redemptive emotion he brought with him. It was… starting to rub off on Sasuke, he'd begun to notice. Little things like his thoughts and every day actions actually had some sort of warmth behind them he hadn't had before, and it was sickening.

"You're too emotional," he grumbled.

"I've heard that before," Naruto replied quietly. "Someone named Sasuke once told me that."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at him as he turned his back, leading the cart out of the aisle.

"I'll miss you once you're gone, y'know?" Naruto blabbered on. "Even though you say, like, three words a day, you do all these really finicky-"

"Then come," Sasuke said before he had time to think about it. He stared at Naruto with a hard, angry look, but not directed towards him—he'd simply surprised himself.

"Huh?" Naruto stared at him. He licked his lips. "But you-"

"Or I'll-" Sasuke cut himself off with a quiet choke, most likely scaring the woman who passed by him.

Or I'll follow you.

Sasuke distantly heard the irritating ramble Naruto kept going behind him, but the only thing that he could process was his anger.

Princeton, law school, his first job and family—what did it all mean to him? Sasuke had fought and strived for his goals all of his life, had steadfastly fought for them like nothing else he'd ever had.

Ever since Naruto had stepped into his life and nestled in, things had irreversibly changed. His amount of free time, his weekend plans, the number of shirts in his closet. Naruto had marched right in and knocked the breath out of him without apology.

To make him want to change his ambitions… what exactly did he feel for Naruto? Of course, whenever the other was around, he felt a strange mix of contentment, affection, and irritation, along with something else he couldn't identify. But sometimes they all muddled together and it was too much for him, too much for him to even begin to think about the reasons why another human being could make him feel this way.

What in the world could make him want to give up everything for Naruto?

After he'd dragged Naruto through the store to quickly pay for his items, he still remained summered in his own thoughts. Before he could leave, though, Naruto grabbed him by the shoulder and forced him to turn around.

"Hey," he said. "We're… okay, right? Everything's good?"

"Yes," Sasuke said tightly.

"Really," Naruto sighed. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing."

He gave Sasuke an expectant look. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Just leave it," he mumbled.

Something akin to hurt flashed across Naruto's face before resignation settled in. "Fine. Be like that."

Sasuke watched him walk away to help his mother store the grocery bags in the trunk of the car, standing there idly for a few more moments.

He almost cursed as a wave of guilt crashed over him, stuffing his hands into his pockets and reluctantly helping them load bags.

Sasuke needed time. He needed time to sort through these conflicting feelings. He didn't even understand what they were, much less what they meant to he and Naruto. All that Sasuke knew was that he'd never felt this way before, and it terrified him.

He needed to be alone.

Sasuke sat on the raised deck of his family's rental cabin, letting his feet dangle before above the thick blanket of snow resting on the ground below him. The land in front of him seemed to stretch out for miles, an endless sheet of pure white only to be interrupted by spidery trees. It was cold, and he was convinced that it was near sub-zero. A smaller part of him was annoyed that he'd actually experienced winter just a few months ago, unlike when he'd lived in California.

More or less, Sasuke had grown up here. To entertain them as children, his parents had looked into a summer home in which he and Itachi could enjoy themselves in the snow that they never saw. On the wooden beam he was leaning against was multiple scarred indentations—the markings of he and Itachi's heights as they grew older. Shisui would occasionally tag along with them on the times that his parents let him, so a guest room was always warm for his cousin.

Sasuke didn't turn when he heard the sliding door shift open, figuring that it was Itachi rising to get a kick out of him. It slid shut with a quiet click and light footsteps closed in on him.

He was slightly surprised when his mother sat down next to him, careful to make sure that her snow boots didn't fall off. Mikoto glanced at him and then followed his sight to stare at the view in front of them, as well.

"You've been awfully quiet these past couple of days," she murmured, leaning slightly to study his expression.

Sasuke shrugged. "It seems different."

Mikoto raised one of her palms to press it against his cheek, and then his forehead. She lowered it slowly and gave him a concerned once-over. "Are you feeling under the weather? What is it?"

He hesitated for a few seconds, but knowing that Mikoto noticed that he had, Sasuke gave a resolved sigh. "Nothing. Naruto's just being…" he paused, searching for the write word. "Stupid."

Mikoto chuckled quietly. "Always something snarky to say about him," she said warmly. "Whatever it is, I'm sure the both of you will get over it."

Sasuke glanced at her out of the side of his eye when she tucked a portion of his bangs behind his ear. It was like when she took care of him as a child, compassionate and patient. "It's his fault."

"He adores you," Mikoto insisted, a small smile coming upon her lips. "It's impossible for him to hate you one day."

Sasuke swallowed and glanced down at his own knee. He knew that. He knew that Naruto adored him and everything beyond and in-between. He knew that Naruto was willing to go through too many things for him, and he witnessed it on a daily basis just how Naruto was to him. Naruto was too good for him, and he'd never be able to be up to the par with that.

And so it came with a painful surprise that since he was so caught up in Naruto, he'd lost the organization of his own thoughts and feelings. Didn't he? Wasn't that why he couldn't bring himself to admit that he understood what he was feeling?

After all that Naruto had done for him, had offered him, had showed him, and had given him without asking for anything in return—shouldn't he at least be able to process Naruto's feelings? And why was it so hard to do that?

From the ridiculously overt affection to the everyday banter between them, Sasuke had always understood that damn one thing. He didn't need to hear it. There was no point in doubting it because, like everything else Naruto did, it was incredibly obvious and undeniable.

It was too big a step for Sasuke to take alone. He was dense for leaving his relationship with Naruto so tense before he left. It was his fault, he was the one who made a mistake, and he was the one who had grandly messed up. For a moment, Sasuke almost laughed at how stupid he was. Naruto was the idiot who was always reminding him that he wasn't alone, and now where was he?

For the first time in a while, Sasuke felt truly alone.

"Gotcha, Sasuke!" Shisui laughed, wrapping his arm around Sasuke's head and bending him over to give him a rough noogie.

Not in the mood, Sasuke growled and pushed his cousin away, making him stumble for a few steps. "Knock it off, Shisui."

Shisui righted himself and stroked his chin with calculating fingers. "You kinda always greet me with something like that," he said. "Whataya think about that, Itachi?"

Itachi glanced up from his cell phone, pausing in his awkward tapping of the screen with his index finger. His reading glasses rode low on the bridge of his nose, giving both Sasuke and Shisui a condescending look without meaning to. "It may be so."

"It may be so," Shisui parroted, giving him a small smile and placing his hands on his hips. "So how've you been, baby cousin? Anything new going on in your life?"

"No," he grumbled.

Shisui blinked. "Always a man of few words," he mused. "Well, tell your big brother and I if you need anything. We'll be chopping firewood outside like the butlers your dad has made us out to be."

"It's a simple chore," interrupted Itachi, pushing his reading glasses upon his scalp. "Won't take us very long. Are you sure you're not hungry?"

"If I were, I'd make something for myself," he replied, scooting one of the rustic chairs out from underneath the table.

"This boy is in a mood," said Shisui. "Let's get going before we make it worse."

"How could we make it worse?" Itachi asked, standing from his chair and stretching his arms out behind him. "Family is the definite factor in our lives."

Shisui sighed and wrapped his arm around Itachi's shoulders, ruffling his hair so that his thin-framed glasses fell on the table. "You kids. I wish we had a dog to complete this great family scenario."

Itachi hummed and calmly unwrapped Shisui's arm from his shoulders. "Maybe one day."

Sasuke watched them quietly as they exited through the front door of the spacious cabin, shutting the door quietly behind them. Watching Itachi and Shisui's bond was like witnessing a strange, diluted version of he and Naruto's. He knew that Itachi had grown up with Shisui to look up to, which made them inseparable until he was born. Then, the bond between he and his brother had grown, and Shisui became like a third older brother to him. It wasn't inaccurate for him to admit that first-handedly seeing their bond made him feel like a third wheel. Maybe it was the same way Naruto felt when he hung out with Sasuke and Itachi.

Sasuke scowled and gripped the back of his chair a bit more tightly. He'd tried his best not to think of Naruto that much during his vacation, but it was like the idiot haunted him around every corner.

Having lost his appetite, Sasuke turned and stalked back down the hallway to his room. It was smaller than the one back at his normal home, but with a much higher ceiling. His bed was a downgrade as well, since only the master bedroom held a queen-sized bed.

Sasuke slowly sat on that bed, running his fingers over the fleece blanket that covered it. It was relatively early in the morning, and he hadn't been able to get that much sleep. Because the cabin was in a rural area, the night grew pitch black. He had been up for an hour or two, just staring at the light his small candle provided him.

A part of him was tugging at his conscience to go accompany Itachi and Shisui instead of secluding himself, like he usually did. Instead, he leant over and grabbed his phone off of the night table, unlocking the security screen and glancing down at the number of texts he had. Sasuke only had three, one of which was from Shisui, and the other two from Naruto.

Sasuke pursed his lips and let his finger hover over the messages app, considering whether or not he should see what Naruto had to say. He wasn't sure if he could take any more guilt if Naruto was angry or hurt by him.

He opened his messages and selected his conversation with Naruto, his shoulders slumping at the picture that sprung up on his screen. To make it larger, Sasuke clicked on it and clutched his phone with both of his hands.

It's always that damn cat, he thought, almost laughing outright at how ridiculous the photo was. It was a characteristically sloppy one that Naruto had taken with his front camera, on his bed with Kyuubi pinned to his side. The cat had both of his ears pressed back to his head in a clear showing of his irritation.

Sasuke minimized the picture and glanced down at the text he'd sent along with it. We miss you.

He tapped on the options button in the corner of his screen and stared at the small button he'd become too accustomed to. There was the simple outline of a phone in case Sasuke was in no mood to video chat, and then of a camera to FaceTime his friend.

No matter how much he tried to push it away, Sasuke couldn't deny that he missed the idiot. Their nightly video chats had become something to make time for and to look forward to. They hadn't spoken within the week Sasuke had been in the cabin, and he often found himself lying in his bed at night, bored.

Sasuke studied the picture again and took in the fact that Naruto didn't look at least one bit upset. Leave it up to him to find the best in everything, he thought.

Sasuke wondered if he should call the other that night, but then quickly dismissed the idea. What would he have to say for himself? He couldn't skim over the glaringly obvious issue that had wedged between them. He couldn't play his part in the rambling conversation that Naruto usually made, and he definitely wouldn't overlook Sasuke's attitude the last time he'd seen him.

Sasuke ran over a few ideas of what he would say should he talk to Naruto. He had to let Naruto know some of his thoughts, because that was what he deserved. Maybe he'd finally let the other know a bit of what he felt.

And what was it that he felt? Shame. The initial fear he'd felt once he'd realized just how deeply he cared for Naruto. The incredible pull he felt towards Naruto, and the obligation to save a spot for Naruto in his life.

Suddenly, he stood up, tired of his murky and inescapable thoughts. Sasuke wasn't being productive in any which way, and he's obviously brushed his cousin off within the first few hours he was here.

He tossed his phone back on his bed and peeked out into the hallway, making sure that he wasn't going to bump into his mother or his father. Sasuke padded back into the kitchen and brushed against the oven as he opened the closet that had been abandoned for too, too long.

He had an idea.

"When was the last time we did this?" Shisui called over the shrill screams of laughing children and yelling adults. He fixed his bright orange goggles over his crash helmet, squinting at Sasuke through the gently falling snow.

"A very long time ago," Itachi answered for him, not looking the slightest bit pleased. "Which is why I would prefer you two going down the bunny trail."

"Take it easy, 'tachi," he cracked his knuckles and crossed his arms. "We've got this."

"Unfortunately," Itachi said under his breath. "You remind me too much of Obito. Exactly how much has that man rubbed off on you?"

"Not very much," Shisui said pleasantly. "Now, are we getting on with this?"

Itachi sighed deeply and pulled his goggles over his eyes, sending Sasuke a scrutinizing look. "Are you sure that you remember how to do this?"

"Of course," he said simply, bending over to attach the latch of his snowboard to his boot. "The real question is, do you?"

Itachi snorted dryly. "I'm not senile, little brother. Since you've been so—"

Sasuke cut him off, leaning forward and kicking his board slightly. He hesitated when he felt himself lean from left to right slightly, but once he was steady, he let himself drift down the hill.

Sasuke furrowed his brow, concentrating on his balance as the snow shifted under him and the icy wind burned his face. He maneuvered carefully around the bumps and trees on the hill, craning his neck to make sure that there wasn't a dud tree stump coming up in his trail. Sasuke held his arms out as he picked up his speed, growing more fluid in his movements as he came down to the final curving spot of the trail.

He let himself drift for a few moments before digging his feet back and skidding to a stop, spraying chunks of snow on the people who hadn't bothered to move out of his way. Sasuke came to a steady stop and stood up straight, locking his knees as he felt the last surges of adrenaline shooting through his muscles.

Itachi followed closely behind him, coming to a much quicker and cleaner stop than he had. He removed his goggles and flicked away the layer of frost that had formed on the sides. "That was refreshing."

"It was!" Shisui agreed, skidding around them and grabbing Sasuke to stop himself. "Tell me that we're doing this for the rest of the day?"

"We can," he said. "I may stop to buy some coffee."

"We'll make some," Shisui ensured. "Just like we used to."

He couldn't help but chuckle as Shisui insisted that he remembered how to control his board, with his arms wrapped around Sasuke and Itachi's shoulders to be dragged by them. Shisui tightened his arms around Sasuke's shoulders every once in a while and launched into a story from his childhood, reminiscing about how cute he used to be.

Sasuke realized that, if he allowed himself to and opened himself up to it, he could have good days.

When Sasuke returned home, exhausted, jet-lagged, and temperamental, he barely had the energy to shrug out of his coat before he fell onto his bed. He didn't even bother to unpack his suitcase, like he usually did; he simply kicked his shoes off, shimmied out of his jeans, and passed out.

The next day, he woke up irritated with himself. He took to the cleaning he'd neglected to do once he returned home and sorted through his clean and dirty clothes. Sasuke washed away the remnants of the stale oxygen from the airplane on his skin, content to be back in his home.

Once he was done with his housekeeping, he wondered if he should check his phone for any texts from Naruto. Knowing the idiot, he probably had some "sense" that Sasuke had returned home, or he'd actually listened when Sasuke told him how long he would be gone. He prepared himself for any tension if Naruto had actually contacted him, and for the disappointment if he hadn't.

Sasuke turned his phone on and waited a few long moments for his cellular service to connect. Once he did, he gripped it a bit more tightly in his hands, preparing himself to see a few texts from Itachi and his mother—

But they never came. A text from Naruto that had arrived merely ten minutes ago popped up on his screen, and he swiped his finger to access it.

asshole ur home. Can i come over?

Sasuke felt something cold wash over him, but knew that he couldn't blow his talk off with Naruto forever. Yes, he typed back slowly, sending it before he could change his mind.

He knew his mother certainly wouldn't mind having Naruto over so suddenly, and his father and Itachi wouldn't bat an eye at it. Now, it felt different than any other day that Naruto would invite himself over. It was Naruto coming over after their first not-exactly fight, and he didn't know what to expect.

Sasuke had plenty of time to make his mind up about where his relationship with Naruto was going to go, and most predictably, himself. He only wanted the best for both he and Naruto. If he'd brought any unnecessary pain to Naruto with his silence, well… Sasuke wouldn't know what to do with himself. It had been a long while since the last time he was disappointed with himself, and it was hell to go through, to say the least.

He exited his room and headed into the living room, where he found his parents lounging in front of the TV. Sasuke made sure he wasn't interrupting a conversation before approaching them.

"Naruto's coming over," he announced, catching the attention of Fugaku.

"Already?" his father asked, frowning. "Well, that's fine,"

"He's always welcome," Mikoto said politely, resting her head on the back of the couch to see Sasuke properly. She gave him a small, encouraging smile.

Sasuke returned it with a surreptitious glance and retreated back into his room, wondering if he should let Itachi know. With his reasoning skills especially worked out, he slipped into Itachi's room without knocking.

"I'm getting pretty… impressed," his brother said, glancing up from the legal notepad in front of him. "By your bolder side rearing its head. What if I were indecent?"

Sasuke stared at him. "You do the same thing."

"And it's an unhealthy habit," said Itachi. "Have you come to let me know that lunch is ready?"

"I came to let you know that Naruto is coming over soon," he replied. "Just in case you were indecent."

Itachi sighed. "That boy is always over, and mom is always cooking for him," he shook his head. "At least he's in our culture."

"You're just traditional," Sasuke mumbled. "When was there ever a time you've dated someone who wasn't Japanese?"

"I've never had time for dating," he replied. "And I'm not grandly interested."

"Then why don't you tell Obito to stop signing you up on dating websites?"

Itachi shrugged. "Let him have his fun."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and then sighed. "Whatever. Just know that Naruto will be over soon."

"It's on my schedule," Itachi called as he shut the door.

He rolled his eyes and walked back down the dark hallway again, careful not to stub his toe on any unseen corners.

Sasuke slipped into his own room and immediately turned his back to check his phone, pausing soon after he'd unlocked his screen. He turned, registering the other presence in his room.

They stared at each other, unsure of what to say and curious to see which one of them would say something first. Naruto sat on his bed, looking much like an irritated cat.

"Sasuke."

His first instinct was to scold Naruto for attempting to sneak up on him, and partially succeeding. Looking at him sent Sasuke back to the emotions he'd experienced over his time apart from Naruto: frustration, confusion, and most grandly envy because the idiot was the one that was good with emotions, not him. "Naruto."

Naruto stood up and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his dark wash jeans, looking uncomfortable that he was on the spot. "You read my texts but you didn't reply."

Sasuke inwardly cursed. He'd left his read receipts on! After a few seconds of heavy silence and not knowing what to do with his hands, he nodded. "I know."

Naruto frowned and took a hand out from his pocket to rub at the back of his neck. "Are you mad at me?"

At that moment, watching Naruto in the middle of one of his most used gestures, Sasuke felt his chest fill with warmth. He felt the last true barrier against Naruto shudder and fall down.

All of this time he spent worrying… He knew that Naruto could do a world better than him, and he deserved it. He also knew that no matter how much he beat himself up about it, Naruto would never leave him because he was so achingly loyal like that. Naruto was the embodiment of passion and love, sunlight even, and Sasuke had no idea how he'd managed to make a bond with someone as heartbreakingly good as Naruto was to him.

"…No," he said quietly, glancing down at a piece of lint on the floor near Naruto's shoe. "I just… needed time."

Naruto was still for a few moments, his shoulders tensing slightly. Sasuke sighed and knew that the physical affection Naruto carried with him was ought to spill over one day, so he relaxed his posture a bit, letting him know that it was okay.

Naruto surged forward and squeezed him in a bone-crushing hug that left him sore—although it was short because he knew Sasuke wasn't fit for affection. Naruto pulled back and grabbed him by the shoulders, studying his face closely.

"What?" he asked.

Naruto thinned his lips and pressed their foreheads together. "Nothin'," he murmured, shutting his eyes tightly. "Just… I felt a little of what you felt. And it h-"

"Don't."

"But it did," Naruto whispered, sliding his hands over Sasuke's collarbones to squeeze his biceps. "And you know it did. I know it did."

Sasuke bit his tongue and shut his eyes as well, furrowing his brow against Naruto's. "Dumbass."

Naruto leant away from him only to press his lips against his forehead in a tender, lingering kiss. He kissed the area of skin next to it, and then the one next to that one, and the one next to it, making a trail to his temple where he pushed some of Sasuke's thick hair away.

"You're the stupidest fucking person I know," Sasuke murmured, tilting his head so that Naruto wouldn't miss a spot in his journey to Sasuke's opposite temple.

"I know," Naruto said under his breath, nonchalant. "I know."

"Blockhead," he insisted, shutting his eyes again as Naruto's lips ghosted over his eyelids. "You're reckless."

"I am," Naruto agreed, kissing the bridge of his nose. "But you are, too."

"Idiot." Naruto made a circle of kisses going from his nose to along his jawline, leading down to his chin. A couple of times, he grew painfully close to Sasuke's lips, which made him part them and drag in a shaky breath. "Don't leave," he rushed. "Stay the night. I have extra clothes—"

"So I can add to my collection of them?" Naruto asked, giving him a small grin. "I own have your closet, y'know."

"Then go home and bring them back to me tomorrow," said Sasuke.

Naruto broke into a full-out smile against his lips, finally bringing them together in a small, chaste kiss. It sent another blooming of warmth through Sasuke's chest, and seeing as that happened fairly often, he was beginning to grow annoyed by it instead of becoming accustomed to it.

Sasuke was well aware of just how stubborn he was. He knew that he held on to grudges with an iron-like vice and refused to give them up most of the time. Whether the incident be mundane or greatly impacting, from Itachi taking his pancake when they were little to enduring slurs from boys his age, Sasuke remembered them. He remembered every single one of them, and even if he didn't forgive them, it was always at the back of his mind whenever something reminded him of it.

But… the eight months he'd spent with Naruto had been an enlightening eight months. Naruto had taught him not only how to unscrew Kakashi's office chair when he was out of the room, but also how to open himself up to new opportunities and allow them to have an impact on him. Naruto himself had made a grandiose influence on Sasuke, and he was sure that it was one that was irreversible.

Even though Naruto brought the worst out of him, he also brought the best out of him, and Sasuke liked to believe that he did the same. Together, he thought they made a great team, even if Naruto was difficult to deal with sometimes. If Sasuke admitted it, he was somewhat tough to work with as well, but it wasn't something that couldn't be worked through.

"Promise?" he asked Naruto.

Naruto smiled again and nodded. "Promise."

A/N: That was gay. And too fluffy. You can't have this pairing without a side of terrible dirty talk, right. So we see more of Sasuke's inner conflict rather than between he and Naruto. I'd like to say he's at least surpassed a personal/emotional milestone.

Not sure how I feel writing one or two more sidefics for this universe, since I don't really have any ideas for it. If you have a request or idea, go ahead and let me know and I'll consider it. Thanks for reading.