Hello everyone! I'm StrwbrryChoco, but I am known for being called Thaena. My friend encountered many of my saved stories I never let anyone read xD, and she thought it was absolutely terrific in terms of an emotional rollercoaster. Haha..So I decided to make a new story and she told me to post it on here. It's my first 'published' story, so please let me know if there is too much...too little...idk and idc! Express yourself!

There will soon be a lemon in this...so don't click out too quickly if you're disappointed! It'll be not too lengthy..more like only three chapters that will consist of about 2k words, so don't freak out! LoL! But please...I can't change anything if you don't leave a review!

Thank you readers!

By the by...:

Sasuke (OOC); Naruto (more mature)

NaruSasu (yes...*Naru*); KakaIru (OOC)

Thoughts will be in 'Italics'

Emphasized words will be in Bold

Chapter One: Gaining an Understanding

'I thought you would never come back.'

Uzumaki Naruto watched his best friend, Uchiha Sasuke, in amazement as he entered into the blond's apartment.

Hatake Kakashi, their past sensei, walked in behind Sasuke, "Naruto, Sasuke needs to be under watch for the next couple of months. Until we can find a place for him to stay, we are going to have to place him under your care with the help of ANBU members to make sure he is stating the truth about why he is here. The Council Members and the Hokage want to trust him, but they are a little skeptical, so I volunteered you to take watch over him."

Naruto ran his fingers through his blond hair, over-processing his emotions, "Um, Kakashi, I don't think I have enough space in here..."

"Well, of course you do," Kakashi responded, closing the door softly behind him, "You have a couch, and around that little wall, you have a bed. That's plenty enough space."

Naruto heard Sasuke sigh.

'Why the hell do I have to do this? There's Sakura, Kakashi himself, and the Uchiha's fuckin' mansion! Why here of all places!?'

"Kakashi, can I talk to you privately?" Naruto asked with all seriousness. His past sensei nodded and opened up the door. Naruto and he stepped out of the apartment, leaving Sasuke to roam the mostly clean space.

Sasuke stood in the middle of the room, rubbing his chest softly; the area where his heart his. It hurt him to see the face of Naruto when he walked in.

'He doesn't want me here.'

He laughed quietly to himself, looking down at his feet as he rubbed his chest harder, trying not to let his emotions fly. He only came back for one reason and for that reason only:

For Naruto to accept his everlasting love. If only he could let him know...

But seeing as it was, Naruto was far from doing such a thing, and it killed Sasuke to see it on his face. He didn't want him there and obviously didn't want to be around five inches of him. Sasuke pressed as hard on his chest as he could, trying to focus on other pain outside of the pain he felt.

'Tsunade promised that Naruto would accept me to being here. Why isn't he happy?'

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Kakashi, I can't have him here!" Naruto harshly whispered.

"And why not, Naruto? You have chased him for years, months, days, hours, and you are going to stand here and tell me that you can't accept him being here?" Kakashi calmly responded, "Let me tell you something, Na-ru-to. He is here for one reason and for that reason only. He told the Hokage, he told the ANBU, and he told me. It's for you to understand why he ran away in the first place and it is for you to understand why he decided to return."

"There is nothing to figure out! I don't want him here!" Naruto yelled.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sasuke instantly looked up when he heard Naruto yell that he didn't want him here. He needed some type of support. He leaned up against the wall behind the couch that separated the family room from the blond's bedroom. He could feel his knees buckle under him as he slid down to the floor.

'Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. He still cares for you. You know he does! He woudn't have chased after you if he didn't.'

Sasuke's eyes started to water as he let the doubt flood into his mind.

'What if he hates me, what if he truly hates me? What then? What will I do then!? I came back for you, Naruto. Please, don't do this to me!'

He rubbed the water out of his eyes as soon as he heard the door click open.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Kakashi, I don't think you understand. I cannot be around him at this time. I am working on completely detaching myself from him. I'm tired of caring, I'm tired of doing pointless actions, and I'm tired of my mind always being filled with if he going to stay or not. I am mentally and emotionally done with it! I'm so tired of being hurt, of being pushed around like I'm some type of toy because I care too much. I'm hurting too, ya know!" Naruto growled at the end of his rant. He was so done with living with such pointless emotions

His sensei patted Naruto on his shoulder, "Well, Naruto, I have been in the same situation as you. When I first met Iruka, it was always pain in the beginning. He never accepted me, he never even liked me, never even considered me a friend. Though, every time he was going through a moment in life where he was feeling all alone, I was there for him. In the end, he started to see me as someone who will always care and love him. My mental and emotional instability was gone knowing he was starting to trust me. Maybe, that is the same way with you and Sasuke."

Naruto sighed, "Kakashi, I don't understand."

"Maybe you two are destined for each other. You both mentally and emotionally kill each other because you both have not realized it yet. Notice how quickly you two became such good friends, even though you two are polar opposites. You two accepted each other even though you knew there were others out there you could have become close friends with."

"Please, Kashi! Just stop. I was the reason we became good friends, I was the one who started the friendship, and I was the one who consistently chased after him to get his approval! That's exactly why I am tired of playing these games and that is why I don't want him around. I am done searching for his acceptance and I am done with getting him to even consider me as a friend back!"

Kakashi was shocked. 'Wow, he really has matured! I didn't even know he was capable of thinking! Ha…I just cracked an inside joke.'

The past sensei laughed quietly to himself. Naruto just watched him, bewildered, "What?"

"Naruto, I was the same, the only difference is that I was, and still is, in love with Iruka. I don't think you understand that you are in love, Naru. You convince yourself day in and day out that you are just friends with Sasuke, but in reality, you have just tired yourself out from being in the…I dare say…friendzone," Kakashi laughed instantly as he said that. The more he laughed, the more he realized how red Naruto was becoming. He could see the gears churning in Naruto's head; it just did not have enough lubrication on the lovers gear for it to process all the way through.

The blond coughed and ran both his hands through his hair in a ferocious manner, turning around, and screaming, "Fuck!"

Kashi felt as if he was going to die how hard he was laughing inside. He never had so much amusement. The only time he had it was when Naruto and Sasuke were together, fighting each other. It has been a while since he had fun.

Naruto turned around, facing him with the most serious look he can ever give, "You really think so?"

"Oh, trust me, I know so." Kakashi responded. "Maybe, the unrequited love you thought you always had for Sakura was probably for him this whole time, you were just unable to recognize it. You have always searched for his acceptance, his forgiveness, and his true personality. You have always wanted him to come to you with his problems, no matter how lonely and depressed you truly were inside. That's the power of love, my student. And, fortunately, this is your chance to fix that broken mindset he has and then, you can get on track for showing him how much you care for him in all actuality. Iruka always had it and I broke it after two long years of trying. With Sasuke, he is a special case, so maybe it'll take a little more of a push. Just try, that's all I ask of you."

Naruto patted his face softly, "Well, why now!? Why should I try hard now when all I have done is try?" He was starting to become depressed.

Kashi smiled, even though Naruto couldn't see it, "Because he is the most vulnerable at this moment. He is officially tired and broken. He wouldn't have come back if he wasn't. All he needs now is you. All he needs is for you to pick him up, put the pieces back together, and change him. Right now, every action, every statement, every breath he takes will show everything about whom and what he truly is. But the matter of the fact is: will you accept him and everything that he is?"

The blond was amazed that Kakashi could sense all of this. The sensei waved at Naruto, told him good luck, and disappeared without a trace. He turned to the door and opened it, walking into the apartment quietly.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He spotted Sasuke on the ground, with his head turned toward the bedroom. The blond smiled a genuine smile to himself…

"Sasuke," Naruto called as he walked closer to the raven. He crouched down and grabbed hold of his right wrist. The raven was hugging his knees tightly, not wanting to feel the blond's soft, large hand on his wrist on the other side of his body. The blond pulled and finally got a hold of his right wrist, holding it close to his body, "Sasuke?"

He shook his head back and forth, wanting not to give into temptation. He knew once he did, Naruto would ask him a butt load of questions and curiosity will literally kill this cat.

"Sasuuu~"

The raven jumped when he felt the blond's soft lips on his wrist. He tried to pull away but was forced to stay in his position, "You can stay here."

Sasuke turned around and looked at Naruto in the face. The blond was in shock for a second because Sasuke's eyes were red and puffy, like he was…crying? Naruto gave him the most genuine smile he could ever give, hoping that it would melt Sasuke, "You were crying?"

"No, I was not!"

"Yeah, you were."

"No, I was not!" Sasuke stated again, trying to pull his wrist away. All the crying made him weaker than normal. Naruto grabbed his other wrist and went in for a kiss, giving all of his passion into it.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's shoulders and tried to push him away, not wanting to give into it, "No! Naru, please, stop!"

'You're not doing this out of love, just pity.'

Naruto pulled back and smiled softly, "Sasuke, I'm sorry for what I said earlier and I hope you can forgive me. That was wrong of me."

Sasuke winced in emotional pain, not wanting to accept him because it was only going to get much worst in terms giving himself into the care of Naruto. What made him all of a sudden care anyway…?

"Why are you doing this!? You were just treating me like trash earlier!" He pushed Naruto down and stood up instantly, running into the small apartment bathroom and shutting the door, locking it in the process.

The blond frowned and sighed, 'Kakashi, this better work.'

To be continued!

Review if you may! If you are on your mobile in the middle of the night (like I usually am) and you don't feel feel like logging in..that is okay as well. lol.

Thanks!

Next chapter: in about a week or two! Maybe closer than you think!