Written for Kyuume whose art inspired the story. Contains spoilers up to chapter 551. An unedited version is posted on y-gallery (you must be a member to view it, which means being 18 years or older). NaruSasu.

"Are you sure a fire is a good idea tonight?"

Not looking quite as concerned as his traveling companion, Naruto lay sprawled out in the grass as the burning pile nearby crackled and shot sparks over the edge of the fire pit.

"Tch. You're paranoid, Sasuke. No one knows where we are."

"You're naïve, Naruto. We're not so far from Fire's borders that you should feel overconfident."

"Relax." Yawning, Naruto waved away Sasuke's worries with a fluttering gesture of his hand. "Tea Country is neutral and peaceful. Even Konoha can't just send scouts out to search for us. They'd be in trouble if they even stepped a foot over the border."

Sasuke didn't reply; Naruto closed his eyes, listening to the fire and breathing in fresh country air dotted with the not-so-far off scent of the sea. He could all but taste the salt on his lips as he dabbed at them with his tongue.

"Maybe tomorrow we can go to the beach," he said. "It's been a while since I've seen the ocean." He turned on his side to watch Sasuke and tugged at his pants. Sasuke glanced at the fingers.

"Maybe."

Naruto smiled and let out a contented sigh.

"There's lots of stars out tonight." He raised his arm and spread his fingers to observe the vast amounts of twinkling lights. "It's strange."

Sasuke humored him after a pause. "What is?"

"You and me here like this." Naruto sat up, shifting around as he crossed his legs and leaned back on his arms. "How it's relaxing and everything. I could pretend that we're two normal guys camping under the sky."

"You? Normal?"

Naruto glanced over and scowled when he saw Sasuke smirking.

"I'm trying to be serious here."

"No," said Sasuke. "You're not. We may only have a day or two before we need to move again, and you're talking about going to the beach, the stars, and being normal. We're - you and I - anything but normal."

Absorbing Sasuke's tone, Naruto deflated. He brooded a while, but, eventually, the silence was disturbed when Sasuke stood and went to retrieve something out of his pack. The dark outline of the treetops swayed together with the wind, and Naruto shivered.

Sasuke returned to his side. "How's your back?"

Naruto heard the question but didn't reply.

"Naruto."

"S'fine."

Sasuke crouched and, tugging up the back of Naruto's shirt, surveyed the wound.

"It's healing quickly."

Naruto scoffed and fought the urge to move away as the inspecting fingers dragged along his spine. "'Course it is. It's nothing. It'll be gone in another few days. You should be jealous. I'll never end up with any scars."

Sasuke ignored him, and before Naruto could protest, was applying some balm to the laceration.

Naruto hissed through his teeth. "That's cold! You could've warned me, asshole!"

Sasuke's touch became a little less delicate. "Where would the fun be in that?"

Naruto snorted but, gradually, he started to relax as the pressure became more gentle. "I hope this turns into a massage. My shoulders are killin' me."

"Don't flatter yourself. It'll only be a hindrance if your wounds slow us down. It was your carelessness that led to that rounin pulling a sword."

Naruto cursed as he felt the unexpected sting of highly-concentrated chakra on his skin. "Ah, bastard, cut that out! It will heal on its own! And don't give me that shit! That samurai guy identified you right away because you thought you were too cool for a henge! You attract too much attention to yourself! Shave your head or somethin', pretty boy."

"I told you I was going to take care of it."

"Yeah, well if we waited any longer he and that other gang of creeps would've gotten wind of that bounty. There were posters all over that fishing village! And while we're on the subject - "

Naruto was silenced by a brush of fingertips at the base of his neck, touching skin before running - only barely - through his hair.

Sasuke laughed near his ear. "Were you worried about me?"

"Cut it out." Naruto smacked his hand away and frowned, adding in a low voice, "I know you can take care of yourself."

"Then why did you follow after me like a love-sick puppy, ne, Naruto?" Sasuke sneered. "What about your dream of becoming Hokage?"

Naruto jumped to his feet. "I said cut it out!"

Dully, Sasuke looked up at him from his crouched position. "I've struck a nerve. Maybe there's some truth in what I said after all?"

Naruto glared. "Say that again."

Sasuke rose from the ground. "Maybe what you meant when you said I was your goal should be taken in an entirely different context. But I have to wonder, have you ever even been with a woman? Or did pining after me take up all of your time?"

Naruto glanced to the side. "Maybe you should ask Karin about that."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You didn't."

Stubbornly, Naruto crossed his arms and shrugged. "After the way you treated Karin, could you really blame her that she came looking for a real man and not just someone who'd sacrifice his comrades once they no longer had any use?"

"It doesn't surprise me that you'd be happy with my leftovers." Sasuke's voice had grown cold. "Or was it that being with her was the closest you could come to being with me?"

Naruto shook his head. "You're so full of yourself."

"This coming from you? Don't make me laugh."

"Laugh?" Naruto pointed a finger at him. "You lost all sense of humor years ago. It went with the last traces of your personality. Not that you had much of one to begin with." He spit on the ground, and it landed near Sasuke's sandal.

Sasuke stepped closer. "Then why are you here? Why follow me knowing what you'd have to sacrifice?"

Naruto's expression, though he remained determined, softened considerably. "Like I've told you before, because you're my friend."

Sasuke studied him as if suspicious. "We should get some rest."

Naruto snorted and turned up his nose. "Fine. Fine. Whatever you say."

Soon, they fell into their nightly routine - minus Naruto's usual chatter. He drew water out of a bucket to wash his face and quickly scrubbed other parts of his body. In the meantime, Sasuke spread out the bedroll beside the waning fire. Once Naruto finished washing himself, he left to gather extra wood. The fire snapped as he dropped in the broken branches.

Neither spoke as they went to lay beside one another on the bedroll. Naruto collapsed onto his back, closer to the fire; Sasuke was on his side, facing the opposite way. Crickets chirped, their incessant sound carried by the wind, and though late, the straggling colors of dusk clung to the night sky like a stain.

Naruto eyed the stars. "Why did you stab her? Why leave Karin behind?"

Sasuke remained silent.

"You could've still used her."

There was no response.

"Sasuke?"

"What sort of answer will satisfy you?"

Naruto looked over at him. "The truth."

"Your truth."

"What's that mean?"

"It means you've already come to your own conclusions. If not, you've come up with your own conclusions as to what is a right or wrong answer. Knowing that, there's no reason for me to answer you."

Naruto squinted at the back of Sasuke's head. "Why do you have to be so difficult? I'm here. You let me come. Why not trust me?"

Sasuke said nothing, though he rolled over and faced Naruto, the fire reflecting in his eyes.

"I don't know what truth is anymore," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"There are two truths. One is that I was desperate. I wanted Danzou dead. Karin was in the way."

Naruto rolled to his stomach and folded his arms under his head. "The other?"

The fire created shadows that danced across Sasuke's face. "A part of me knew that where I was going once Danzou was dead, I didn't want anyone to follow."

"You didn't want any more people to be hurt."

Sasuke looked away. "I told you. You always come to your own conclusions."

"Don't sound so bitter." Naruto shut one eye and scratched his cheek against his forearm.

Sasuke curled his fingers into his hairline. "You want to see the best in everyone. I can't guarantee the truth you want to see if you stay."

Naruto grinned a little. "I should be flattered you're sayin' I can think of such complicated things. But, to me, you're just Sasuke." His smile broadened. "Just you. Here. Whatever you think your truth is, it's mine, too. And speaking of honesty, you look like shit."

Sasuke glared.

"What?" Naruto made an attempt at looking innocent. "I'll take first watch, so why don't you get some sleep?"

Although he didn't argue, Sasuke shook his head. He rolled to his original position, with his back to Naruto.

As he watched the fire, Naruto's smile wavered. He turned on his back and started to count the stars, lost track, and then counted them again. Quietly, he got to his feet and crouched near the fire as he fed it twigs. He held his palms out to feel the heat and glanced at Sasuke's sleeping form. It occurred to him that he should have given Sasuke the side of the bedroll closest to the pit.

"I can't sleep if you're going to stare at me all night."

Naruto nearly jumped. "I wasn't staring." He scratched at the back of his head. "You can have my spot if you want. It's cold. You should get closer to the fire."

"I'm fine. I'll be better once you stop staring."

Growling, Naruto threw a twig at Sasuke, who of course caught it before it came anywhere near his head. Naruto went to the bedroll. He sat down and pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them as he rested his chin on his forearm.

"What is it, Naruto?"

Naruto buried his face into the crook of his arm. "Do you really care?"

Sasuke sighed. "I'm asking aren't I?"

Naruto rubbed the side of his nose with a finger and sniffed. "Was just thinkin' is all."

"Ah." Sasuke turned over. His bangs had flattened to one side while the other side stuck up in the air.

Naruto laughed and pointed at him. "So much for getting your beauty sleep, eh, Sasuke? You look awful!"

"I wonder whose fault that is," Sasuke said with a frown as he pushed the hair out of his eyes.

"Oh c'mon. You like travelin' with me. Otherwise you'd be wanderin' around by yourself, lonely and forced to talk to wildlife for company." He chuckled at the images in his head. "I can just picture you talking to squirrels and crap."

"You talk to toads."

"Oh. Yeah, well that's different." He pointed an accusing finger. "You talked to snakes!"

Sasuke rubbed at his left temple. "What's your point?"

Naruto opened his mouth to say something that he thought would be extremely profound and then closed it. "I forget."

"Idiot."

"Say, Sasuke." Naruto fidgeted, "Can I ask you something?"

"You're asking permission?"

"Heh, yeah. I guess I sorta wanna know, um. Well, why is it you don't mind having me around?"

Sasuke looked at him for a while without saying anything.

"What I mean to say is, you've been, er, I don't know," Naruto leaned back on his arms, "It's like I know you're trying to be okay with everything. And I'm okay with everything, and then you let me come with you. You haven't killed me in my sleep, not that I expect you to - "

"You're rambling."

Naruto sucked in his breath before blurting, "Tellmethisiswhatyouwant."

"What do you mean 'this'?"

"Maybe you'd understand it all better if I punched you in the face first. As that's about the only way we can communicate, am I right?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he raised himself to his elbows. "I see what this is about. You were only thinking of what you left behind. Of someone in particular?"

"Don't sneer. She saved your life, y'know."

"Which one are we talking about?" Sasuke asked. "Sakura or Karin?"

Naruto's face twisted in confusion. "Sakura-chan. Duh. Although yeah," he tugged at his ear and pulled a face, "I guess Karin did mention some stuff. The biting thing. That's pretty fucked up. She showed me the marks and - "

"That's enough."

Naruto glared. "What? I wasn't judging you!"

Sasuke glanced away. "I thought you'd been thinking of Sakura all these times I've caught you moping. But now Karin? Another of my leftovers. Your social life really picked up once I was out of the picture."

"Shut up, asshole. It's not like that! I liked Sakura-chan before you even left. It's just unfortunate that she was attracted to an emotionally stunted, arrogant prick. Karin, I don't know what the hell she saw in you. Took me a while to get used to her, but she's a pretty cool chick. Hey, did you two ever - ?" Naruto made a lewd gesture with his hands.

"No."

Naruto scratched his chin. "Really?"

"Really, no."

Naruto shook his head. "You're heartless."

"And you're pitiful." Sasuke's tone was angry and accusing. "You were thinking of Sakura, the one who chose to save me over you? And you're still thinking of her. Your sense of justice is as convoluted as ever. Pathetic."

Naruto's features went dark and his cheeks flushed red. "I never would have forgiven her had she chosen me over you! Never! If she had healed me and I lived, but you died… I…"

"I suppose if you can forgive me for trying to kill you so many times, you could have forgiven her that slight indiscretion of letting me die."

Naruto felt heartbroken. "Team 7 is our family."

Sasuke winced at the word 'family'.

"I know you're only saying all this because you haven't forgiven me." He turned sideways on the bedroll so that he could face Sasuke. "About Itachi."

Sasuke shut his eyes.

Naruto put a hand on his arm. "I told you I had no idea what he'd done. I didn't tell anyone about that. I never would've guessed the thing he stuck inside me would've had Shisui's left eye - "

"Shut up, Naruto."

Pulling away, Naruto blew out a breath of frustration. He lowered his head and covered his eyes with a hand, then ran it through his hair. "I know this is progress. That you let me get that far, that you even let me mention your brother's name - "

"I fucking said to shut up!" In an instant, Sasuke was clutching the front of Naruto's shirt and hauling him to his feet. "I am not like you. I do not need to talk about every fucking thing that enters my head. I don't sit around preparing monologues about my sordid sense of justice!"

Naruto made no attempt to get away. "You have every right to be angry, Sasuke. At me. But don't be angry at your brother."

Sasuke pushed him away, disgusted. "Why would I be angry? Because once again he chose you over me?"

"What the hell are you talking about? Are you an idiot? He always protected you, even when you thought he was the villain! We were all fooled, okay? It's not your fault. It's not anybody's fault!"

Sasuke's whole body trembled with rage. "It was the village's fault! It was the elders' fault! The Third, Danzou - "

"And they're dead now!" Naruto yelled. "They're dead, and after we fought, after Uchiha Madara was about to hand you over to Kabuto - "

"Naruto."

Naruto ignored the promise of swift death in Sasuke's voice if he continued. "I know you don't blame the village any longer, so fucking stop the angst routine. It's getting old."

"If you don't like it, why don't you run back to the village you love so much? With your beloved Sakura, who thought she could kill me?" Sasuke laughed, but the sound was empty and spiteful. "And Karin? She was no victim. You have no idea what she did under Orochimaru - what she did to me and others." He unwrapped the bandaging on his wrists, baring both of the summoning seals tattooed to his skin. "She used me first. I returned the favor."

"What the hell are you saying?" Naruto shouted. "Kabuto's out there somewhere! I'm not going back to the village until we find that sick fuck, and I'm sure as hell not gonna let him get his hands on you! So why the hell do you keep going on about Karin and Sakura-chan? I'm here with you! Because I want to help you, you ungrateful bastard!"

Sasuke turned his back on him and started to walk away. "I don't need your help."

"Oh, great. That's just wonderful. Walk away! It's what you're best at!"

Sasuke stopped, a fist clenched at his side. "I'm going to take a leak, you goddamn moron!"

Naruto's mouth opened in a silent 'oh.' "Well, uh, alright then. I'll stay here and man the fire."

He watched Sasuke disappear into the woods. It didn't take long before he began pacing, his arms crossed against his chest as he muttered to himself. Every few minutes, he glanced toward the trees, waiting for Sasuke's return.

"Bastard has spent too long on his own," he mumbled. "Probably bossed around those guys that followed him. Was always lousy at teamwork anyway."

Fifteen minutes went by, and Naruto had already rifled through his pack to count supplies twice. He'd gathered some wood and had contemplated trying out a katon to keep the fire going. For the third time, he had fluffed and adjusted the bedroll. He'd also gone to the nearby well to re-fill their bucket.

Another 15 minutes passed. Naruto got up and stomped toward the path where Sasuke had entered the woods.

"You better be taking a shit in there, Sasuke! Otherwise I'm gonna beat it out of you if you aren't!" His threat startled something out of the bushes, but it was only a young rabbit.

It didn't take long, however, for him to feel Sasuke's presence nearby. He stopped in his tracks, surprised at the overwhelming relief he felt. Once he regained his composure, he stared up into the branches of a tall tree with three deep gashes embedded in its trunk.

"Building a fort? At this time of night?" He joked as he traced the marks with his fingers.

"I needed some space."

"Funny that," Naruto said in a quiet voice. "Seems to me there's been tons of space between you and me for a very long time." He leapt up onto the first branch, a second, a few more until he was on the branch directly below Sasuke.

Naruto swung his dangling feet. There was a gap in the leaves that left room enough to see the moon. He caught enough of Sasuke's expression to know that he wasn't thinking about the birth of baby kittens, steaming bowls of ramen, or a harem of curvaceous women.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"If I wanted to talk about it, I wouldn't have gone off on my own."

"You do like to do that, don't you?" Naruto whipped out a kunai from his thigh holster and dug it into the branch with one swift move. He gathered his legs underneath him, carefully balancing himself, and began to meditate.

The natural energy around them was strong. As he absorbed it, his senses became immediately heightened - smells, sounds. He reached out through his chakra, searching many kilometers around for any traces of enemies, traps - or ANBU black ops.

But the night seemed calm. The only blip on the transcendental radar was Sasuke's troubled mood. In Sage Mode, Naruto could all but hear and feel the other ninja's thoughts and emotions as if they were his own. He sucked in a breath as the pain rolled over him in waves. The branch he was on trembled very slightly. Naruto opened his eyes to find Sasuke crouching in front of him.

Naruto's smile was faint. "You can't copy Sage Mode with your Sharingan."

Sasuke blinked and his eyes went back to normal. "I was just curious."

"Aren't my eyes cool like this?" Naruto grinned and pointed at his right eye.

"Not really." Sasuke smirked.

"Seeing you with his eyes is still sorta strange."

Sasuke frowned as he stuck his finger through the end of the kunai and pulled it out from where it was wedged in the bark. He touched the tip to his palm.

"You miss him," said Naruto as he lay his palms on his thighs.

"I do."

He cleared his throat. "When Kabuto used that jutsu to bring Itachi and Pain back, and Bee and I were forced to fight with them, one of the first things your brother did was ask about you."

Sasuke's only response was the lowering of his head as he continued to play with the kunai.

"I told him you wanted to take revenge on the Leaf and that you'd joined Akatsuki. He seemed really surprised and asked why you hadn't come back to the village." Naruto chuckled sadly. "Heh. How many times had I wondered that same thing? Why didn't you just come back, especially after you'd found out the truth about him. But it occurred to me that what you wanted to do made sense. Itachi placed you above the village, so you did the same. Actually," he grabbed the kunai out of Sasuke's hand with a challenging smirk, "I'm not sure why he was really all that surprised about you considering he'd anticipated you going crazy."

"I wasn't crazy." Sasuke's voice was calm. "I wanted revenge. For my clan and for my brother. I wasn't going to let anything or anyone get in my way." He took back the kunai in a movement so fast Naruto wouldn't have seen it had he not been in Sage Mode. "Not even you. You were always getting in my way. After the times we met, I would always hear your voice raised in anger echoing in my head. Then I'd have to tune it out and forget. Unlike you, I had no future. I'd cut my ties to the past. I had no goal but revenge."

Naruto nodded. "Jiraiya once said, 'Revenge is never a straight line. It's a forest. And like a forest, it's easy to lose your way. To get lost. To forget where you came in.' Of course, that old pervert also used to say, 'When a guy goes to a hooker, he's not paying her for sex, he's paying her to leave'."

"He sounds like a wonderful teacher."

"Hey, just because my teacher was more upfront about his kinks than yours. Mine never wanted to take over my body, if y'know what I mean."

Sasuke tilted his head. "No, I can't imagine. You are, after all, a master of subtle."

"Thanks!" Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, "That's, well, let's just say I've never heard you compliment me before."

Sasuke looked annoyed as he handed the kunai over to Naruto. "I'm amazed you've lived this long."

"Seriously, Sasuke. I'm gonna start thinking you're flirting with me, you sentimental homo."

Sasuke shook his head. "I see that stealing my fangirls has gone to your head."

He laughed hard at that. "I know, right? First Sakura-chan - "

"Naruto."

"Okay, so she was in love with you when she confessed to me, but let's just go with it - "

" - Sakura confessed to you?" Sasuke interrupted, sounding surprised.

"I thought you knew that! And then there's Hinata, who," a blush graced Naruto's cheeks, "Now that I think about it, I never even replied to her confession. Shit! I am such an asshole!" He slapped his forehead and continued rambling, "And then Karin? It all started when I promised this guy I'd take pork fried rice to this prisoner they were interrogating. I didn't know it was gonna be her obviously, and man was she a bitch. How did you put up with that?"

"She was more of a flirt than a bitch when we were together."

"Together, hmm," Naruto mused. "We might've gone on a date or two if there'd been time." He gave Sasuke a smug look and winked.

Sasuke didn't seem to share his enthusiasm.

"You look pissed." Naruto jabbed him in the chest. "Ne, ne. Jealous?"

He became a lot less smug when Sasuke grabbed for his wrist and held it, looking like he had something to say. Instead, he threw Naruto's arm away and jumped off the branch. Holding his breath, Naruto leaned over to watch him land gracefully on the ground. Without looking back, Sasuke stuck his hands in his pockets and started walking toward camp.

"Drama queen," Naruto mumbled and swiped his hand across his face, wondering why he felt embarrassed.

Having no clue as to what the hell that had been about, he remained on the branch, just thinking. It gave him time enough to have a one-sided conversation with the old pervert. Although Jiraiya was probably the last person he should ask about this sort of stuff. After all, the man had never thought very much of Sasuke. And well, he could ask his Mom and Dad what to do, but he had a feeling they'd tell him he already knew the answer.

Sasuke just needed more time. There was no point in rushing him.

In fact, Naruto felt content simply being by Sasuke's side. If he was still lost in the forest - not literally, as Sasuke had very much headed in the right direction of their campsite - then Naruto was going to have to shine the spotlight on the exit. Maybe then they'd finally be able to close the door on hatred and revenge for good.

By the time he was ready to return, the moon had succumbed to the clouds and the night had grown completely dark. The walk back to their camp was the loneliest he'd felt since he'd started this journey. Sasuke was sitting by the fire, sharpening the blade of his katana. Naruto stopped at the look of intensity on the other ninja's face.

He put a hand on his hip and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "What, you're not still mad at me, are you?"

Without a word, Sasuke continued sharpening the blade. Naruto watched him work for a while and then went to sit on the bedroll.

"Seeing you do that reminds me of the time Sakura-chan, Sai and me went to find you," he said thoughtfully, "I must've opened about a hundred doors and you weren't behind any of them. Then there was that explosion, and I don't really remember much but walking out and seeing you on the cliff."

"I remember," said Sasuke.

"I was so relieved, but I was so angry, y'know? You just stood there, and it felt like two and a half years hadn't gone by. I think I was most upset about how distant you were, but," Naruto bit his lip and played with his hands, "Then you came down, and it felt like you were the Sasuke I'd always known."

Sasuke stopped what he was doing to look at him. "Why are you telling me this?"

Naruto shrugged. "I guess I never know when I won't be able to be by your side like this. I have this fear that one day I'll wake up and you'll be gone."

Sasuke returned to his katana. "That's reality. We're only together until we find Kabuto."

Naruto set his hands in his lap, a lot of things on his mind, a lot he wanted to say, but the heavy pressure building in his chest made it difficult to speak.

Sasuke spoke again. "Keep your focus on the mission. Stop making it personal."

"You're probably right." Naruto's laughter came forced. "There's nothing personal going on with this mission at all, or why we're here together."

His comment went ignored, but it didn't bother him much as he'd become accustomed to Sasuke's mood swings. He shut his eyes and started to form some random hand seals.

"What are you doing?"

Naruto opened his eyes to find Sasuke standing over him. He repeated the last few seals he'd done. "Um. Ox, rabbit, monkey?"

Sasuke stared at him.

"What?" he asked, nearly snapping, "Don't you ever know how to use your words?"

"Hn. Not as much as you do. Here." Sasuke mirrored the seals and held his left wrist. "Chidori!" Blue sparks engulfed his hand.

"Oh," said Naruto. "I knew I'd seen that somewhere." He tried again, hands moving swiftly to form the series of seals. "Chidori!"

Nothing happened.

"Guess my body isn't made for lightning techniques, eh?"

"Your body wasn't meant for any skillful ninjutsu," Sasuke smirked, "Dobe."

At hearing the old nickname, Naruto's mouth quivered. He tried to hide his face, but Sasuke crouched beside him.

"Naruto?"

Naruto wiped at his eyes. "It's nothing. A bug got into my eye is all."

"There aren't any bugs."

"Dust from the fire then," he said and tried to fake a grin. "Whose idea was it to have a fire tonight anyway?"

"Let me see."

Naruto started to protest as Sasuke took hold of his face and made him be still. He tenderly pressed a finger to Naruto's eyelid; a tear rolled out from underneath. Naruto seized Sasuke's wrist and pushed him away.

"I-it's fine now," he sniffed. "All better, see?"

"Should I put it out then?" asked Sasuke.

Naruto had to blink a few times before he could make out Sasuke's face properly. "Huh?"

"The fire."

"Oh." He scratched his cheek. "No, uh. Just let it go out on its own."

Sasuke picked up his katana and sheathed it. He set it to the side and took a seat on the bedroll. "It won't bother you?"

Naruto shook his head and started to laugh hysterically. He laughed so hard that he had to hold onto his stomach as he curled in on himself.

Sasuke remained perfectly composed. "What's so funny?"

Naruto stopped laughing and his expression became deadly serious. "You. Me. This."

"Oh?"

"One minute you're insulting me, the next you're actually being a decent guy."

"And?" asked Sasuke.

"And, and - " Naruto fumbled around for the right words.

"How very eloquent."

Naruto looked up at the sky. "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

"Feel better?"

"I'll feel better after I punch that smug look off your face!" he shouted as spit flew from his mouth.

Sasuke's smirk grew. "You who can't even string together a simple sentence let alone basic hand seals?"

Naruto held a finger in front of Sasuke's face, shaking it at him. "God, what is your problem? Do you get some sick pleasure from pissing me off or is it that you're just looking for a fight because that's the only way you can feel better about yourself?"

"I didn't realize you had time to fit a lesson in pop psychology into your training," said Sasuke as he smacked Naruto's hand away. "But if you're offering, I'll be more than happy to take you up on your challenge."

Naruto sneered as he pulled himself onto his knees. "What, didn't you get any satisfaction out of the last time we fought? It wasn't enough that the both of us nearly died? Oh that's right, you did die, but Sakura-chan brought you back!"

Sasuke's glare was deadly. "Don't act like she did that for me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto leaned forward, not leaving much distance between them.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed further. "She knew she could no longer have me, so what would've happened had she tried to save you? She knew perfectly well you never would have forgiven her had she let me die!"

"Oh so that's what this is about? You think I'm runner-up to you in everything! Why are you so fuckin' petty? Why can't you understand anything?"

"Why can't you!" Sasuke roared. He shoved Naruto hard in the chest, making him lose his balance.

Confused, Naruto blinked at him as he lay sprawled on the ground. "Wait. Why are you so angry again?"

"Forget it." Sasuke started to get up, but Naruto took hold of his wrist.

"Don't keep running away from me. There's no where you could possibly go that I wouldn't follow after you."

Sasuke grunted and tried ineffectively to pull away from him. Naruto squeezed his wrist, holding him in place with a significant amount of his strength.

"Let go," warned Sasuke.

"No. Not until you explain why you get pissy like this when I bring up other people like Sakura-chan or Karin. Are you thinking that I stole them away or something? I'm not used to you being insecure - "

"You're an idiot."

"No, I'm not," argued Naruto, pulling Sasuke closer. "You've acknowledged me, but you still act like you're so much better than me. I don't get it. What do I have to do to get through to you?"

Sasuke looked him directly in the eyes. "I am better than you, Naruto. I'll always be better than you. You're nothing more than a dropout."

Naruto swung out and punched Sasuke in the face. Sasuke stumbled back a ways. He swiped his hand across the corner of his mouth.

"Defending her honor?" Sasuke spat blood on the ground. "When are you going to get it through to your head that she doesn't love you?"

"What?" Naruto lowered his fist, surprised. "I don't understand."

"Why are you even here, Naruto? Because you feel guilty? Because you pity me?"

"No, of course not…" Naruto scrambled to his feet and reached out a hand. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke backed away from him. "Don't touch me," he hissed.

"W-what… I don't…"

"Did you even bat an eyelash when they found someone to replace me as part of Team 7? Weren't you thrilled that you'd have a chance with Sakura? And when that didn't work out, now there's Karin? And the village," Sasuke laughed scornfully, "All those people that hated you, that detested you…they think you're a hero. You have everything you want so fuck off and go home!"

"That's not true!" Naruto shouted and took hold of Sasuke's shoulders, shaking him.

"How is it not? Tell me!"

"I don't have everything I want, you asshole!"

"What more do you want? To get me to come back? So that you can keep your promise to Sakura?" Sasuke clenched his teeth and shook free of Naruto's hold.

Naruto made a grab for his sleeve. "Would you shut up about her! You fucking idiot. It's you, okay? You're not there. None of that other stuff means shit to me if you're not around! Why don't you get that?"

Sasuke turned his face away. "You don't need me. You've done fine without me."

Naruto wound his fingers around Sasuke's wrist, feeling the rapid pulse against his own. "In what way have I been fine? Do you know how obsessed I've been about bringing you back? Not because of some fucking promise, not because you're some goddamn trophy, not because I pity you!"

"Then why?"

He put his other hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Because you're my best friend, asshole! Because you're my family!"

"I don't have any family. You are not my family."

"Fine, then you won't be opposed when I do this!" Naruto tugged Sasuke forward by the wrist and clumsily smashed his mouth to the other ninja's.

It didn't happen immediately, but seconds later, Sasuke struggled against him, pushing him off and wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "What are you…?"

"What did you expect me to do!" Naruto's face had gone bright red. "I didn't know how else to get through to you! You kept talking about Sakura-chan and Karin and acting like the last three years of my life hadn't been all about bringing you home with me!"

"Naruto…"

"Fine, fine. Hit me, but make it quick. I don't care. So long as you know how I feel, you can make fun of me all you want. But if I had to listen to you whine any more about how the idea of you with Orochimaru, you with Madara, and the very thought of Kabuto doing all kinds of perverted experiments on you didn't make me want to rip all their heads off, then - "

A breeze ruffled Naruto's hair. He opened his eyes, surprised to see Sasuke, his face uncomfortably close to his own.

"Sasuke? You - "

"Show me," said Sasuke.

"Show you?" Naruto repeated. "Show you what?"

Sasuke's hand went to his throat and squeezed. Naruto's hands flew to Sasuke's arm, but the grip on him loosened soon enough. Gently, Sasuke cupped his neck and his thumb moved in small circles over Naruto's throat.

"I don't belong to anyone," said Sasuke. "Not even you."

Naruto's eyes narrowed to slits and he grabbed Sasuke's hand on his throat. He squeezed Sasuke's wrist and dug his nails in hard. "The fuck you're not!"

He felt Sasuke's fingers toying with the button of his pants, and he growled.

"Sasuke," Naruto warned, nails sinking further into those black summoning seals that someone else had branded on that pale skin.

Sasuke smirked and leaned in, speaking low into his ear. "Show me."

Everything after that went hazy and it seemed like in an instant they were out of their clothes, and Naruto had pinned Sasuke underneath him. He managed to get between his legs despite Sasuke clawing the shit out of his arms, back, and chest. They rubbed and slid against one another like a couple of animals.

Sasuke moaned in his ear and pressed the heel of his hand to the small of Naruto's back. "Don't tell me you've done this before."

Naruto gathered skin at Sasuke's throat with his teeth and bit him hard. "It'll work out better for you in the end if I have."

He slid down Sasuke's chest and flattened his tongue against an already hardening nipple. He suckled and nibbled it and then moved lower. Sasuke's skin was salty and hot. Naruto dragged his tongue to Sasuke's stomach, to the sharp line of a hipbone, across again, and ending at the top of Sasuke's thigh. He sucked hard for several seconds and lifted his head, grinning proudly after he'd left a large red mark.

Sasuke glared. "I think you're off by a few inches."

"Eager much?" Naruto licked a long stripe up Sasuke's inner thigh.

"I'm eager to know what it'll be like to have your mouth occupied for a while."

"But then how will I be able to say dirty, dirty things to you?"

Sasuke's answer to that was to push Naruto's head in between his legs. Naruto laughed, opened his mouth wide and swallowed as much as he could, thinking that after having an entire crow shoved in there, this was like child's play.

"Yeah," Sasuke grunted and arched his back as Naruto took him in further.

Naruto pulled his knees up underneath his body and hooked an arm around Sasuke's right thigh to keep him in place. The small noises Sasuke made, the harsh breathing, the musky smell. It was surprising to Naruto just how excited it made him. He sucked harder and reached between his own legs. He stroked himself as Sasuke's fingers tangled their way into his hair. Whenever his tongue slid against the vein, he received a hard tug that made him groan around Sasuke's length.

He lifted Sasuke's leg over his shoulder and let his other hand wander up Sasuke's body. His nails scraped up Sasuke's stomach and pinched his nipple. Naruto raised his gaze to look at Sasuke's face. Sasuke's eyes were hooded, but they were on him, intense and challenging and Naruto couldn't look away. His mouth was parted enough to reveal a hint of pink tongue and teeth. Because Naruto had always been impulsive and it was his nature to act on those impulses, he gave Sasuke one last suck before climbing on top of him and pressing their mouths together.

At first, Sasuke didn't react, but when Naruto held both of their cocks together with one hand and started rubbing them off, Sasuke's mouth opened wide. It was wet and sloppy, but Naruto sucked Sasuke's tongue into his mouth and that felt fucking fantastic. Sasuke must have thought so, too. He wrapped his legs around Naruto's waist and pushed at the back of his head, taking control of the kiss. It distracted Naruto so much, his hand had slowed and he'd resorted to humping - which also wasn't that bad. It wasn't exactly how he'd pictured his first time, but God knows why he hadn't.

Sasuke must've tired of being humped because he managed to get a hand between them and pushed Naruto off of his chest. When they looked at each other, Naruto had a fear that Sasuke might've come to his senses and he was about to die a half-virgin right on the spot.

"Why'd you stop?" he asked in a shaky voice.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Do you even know what you're doing?"

"I can't say it was in the ninja training manual, but yeah, I have a good idea. I don't think I've done bad so far." He smirked and leaned in for another kiss, but Sasuke's hand on his chest kept him at a distance.

"It's a little too late for a no kissing rule," he said with a frown.

"If this happens," said Sasuke. "It's just sex, and that's all."

Naruto snorted. "Like hell it is, bastard."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that," he angled his head so that he could speak with a low voice in Sasuke's ear. "You started this. You wanted to hear me say I need you, and, well, I definitely cannot do this without you."

"Naruto." Sasuke inclined his head toward him.

Naruto pressed his body closer. He put his hands on each of Sasuke's cheeks and tipped his face up. Sasuke was already lifting to meet him as their mouths came together again and Naruto lost every inclination to make a smartass comment. He just let himself feel - Sasuke's powerful thighs clenching around his body, the hard cock pressed against his own, the calloused hands that scraped harder than nails all over his back. Their hips were grinding. Sasuke's hand gripped his waist and directed their movements.

Naruto pulled away but not very far. "Always have to be in control, don'tcha?" he said against Sasuke's lips.

"Always," Sasuke breathed and kissed him so hard and so passionately that Naruto was lost again, and the next thing he knew, Sasuke's legs were both up over his shoulders.

"Wait, wait a sec," Naruto broke their kiss, panting. He wiped his hand across his forehead where his bangs had been sticking to his skin. "I know what I'm supposed to do here, but, like, er, with a guy it's a bit different?"

Sasuke arched his back, rubbing his hard-on against Naruto's stomach. "What gave you that idea?"

Naruto had to bite his lip to keep down what would've been a very embarrassing moan that would've come out sounding a lot like Sasuke's name.

"I mean, ah - " Sasuke's thighs constricted more tightly and he wrapped his fingers around Naruto's cock. Naruto's head fell forward against Sasuke's shoulder as he started thrusting into the other ninja's grip. "Yeah, that's it. Yeah."

"You were saying?" Sasuke whispered into his ear.

Naruto could only grunt. He felt himself leaking into Sasuke's fingers.

"Shit, stop," he sunk his teeth into Sasuke's shoulder, "You're gonna make me cum. It's too much!"

"Is that supposed to dissuade me?"

The hand on him squeezed and tugged. Naruto lifted his body to give Sasuke more room between their bodies. His abdomen was shaking with the strain. He was close, which made it near impossible to smack away the hand edging near the crack of his ass. He nibbled Sasuke's jaw just as a finger slid over his hole and, shuddering and shaking, came in Sasuke's hand with a growl. Naruto rocked forward, and Sasuke didn't immediately let go. He held Naruto possessively.

Naruto had his face pressed into Sasuke's neck. He licked his tongue across his teeth and then decided he'd prefer to be licking Sasuke's throat, so he did.

"I don't suppose Handjobs 101 was a class prerequisite they taught at Sound?" Naruto chuckled breathlessly at his own joke, expecting a smack to the head, which he received immediately.

"Not officially, no."

Naruto stopped laughing and searched Sasuke's face. "He didn't…?"

Even Sasuke looked disgusted.

"I didn't think so, but nothing would surprise me when it comes to Oroch - "

Sasuke, whose hand still remained on one of Naruto's most precious parts, squeezed a tad too hard. "Could you not mention that name when I have your dick in my hand?"

"What about when I have my dick in your mouth?" Naruto waggled his eyebrows.

Sasuke nodded in the direction of his hand and what it was holding. "I thought you always bragged about your stamina, but you've already cum once and I'm still hard."

Naruto laughed again and pressed a kiss to Sasuke's cheek. "Don't worry. I could do this all night. Give it another little squeeze, and I think I'll be good to go in a sec."

Sasuke appeared skeptical, but he did begin to stroke his fingers up and down Naruto's shaft while they kept eye contact.

"You've gone quiet," Sasuke said after a moment. "Have I left you speechless?"

Naruto glanced between their bodies, watching as Sasuke's fingers tightened around him more fully. He was almost completely hard again, but he realized - and although Sasuke did seem extremely skilled - his excitement had more to do with just who it was that was jerking him off. He raised his eyes and looked at Sasuke with wonder.

Sasuke's hand stopped. "What is it?"

Suddenly, Naruto slumped on top of him. Sasuke slipped his hand out before it got squashed, and Naruto put his arms around him in a clumsy embrace.

"Naruto?"

The feeling was so intense, Naruto was afraid to speak. Sasuke bit firmly at his earlobe, and he was forced to open his mouth into a silent "ah."

Sluggishly, Naruto propped himself on both arms. "You know I care about you, right? This isn't some random fuck for me, Sasuke. It's not 'cause we've been wandering around for the past few weeks without a lot of time to find relief."

He studied Sasuke's face when the other man said nothing.

"Sasuke."

"I never said you should get your hopes up."

Lightly, Naruto traced Sasuke's jaw with his finger. "But now that I feel like you're mine, I don't want anyone else to have you."

Sasuke snorted. "You've never wanted anyone else to have me."

Naruto tilted his head. "True. I always knew that, but I didn't know what it meant 'til now."

"It's sex, Naruto."

"It's sex with you, Sasuke." He leered a bit. "Wait, we're gonna have sex?"

Sasuke slapped his asscheek hard. Naruto winced.

"And you're gonna let me...?" Naruto, very maturely, thrust his pelvis into Sasuke one or two times.

"What? You don't want to?"

"Uh, yeeesss, very much so or else I'm gonna start humping your thigh if you'd move it just so." Naruto grinned and shifted over so that Sasuke's thigh was between his legs.

"Selfish idiot. Do you think I'll let you cum twice before I even cum once?"

"Hey, I can't help it!" Naruto cried defensively. "I have a lot of practice so I can shoot it off like 12 times in an hour."

"That still doesn't bode well for me getting off. Here's an idea," Sasuke spoke mockingly, "Why don't you go look for that balm I used on your back?"

"For what? Oh. Oh.." Naruto's face reflected several different emotions in the span of a minute. He got off of Sasuke in a rush and started digging through both of their packs to find the medicinal balm. When he found it he gave a whoop of joy. However, as he walked back to Sasuke and saw him naked on the ground with an erection, it occurred to him just how this was going to have to work.

With a little less eagerness of his movements, Naruto sat down on the bedroll beside Sasuke and uncapped the balm. He dipped his fingers into it; it was cold. He put some in his palm and rubbed it in his hand, thinking it might feel a little better warmed up.

Sasuke sat up, eyeing Naruto closely. Naruto looked over at him.

"Do you want me to do it?" Sasuke asked and, in a surprisingly intimate gesture, kissed Naruto's shoulder.

"Do what?"

"This may come as a shock to you, but I've never had sex with a man before."

"Wait, you've had sex with a woman?" Naruto frowned, registering the slightest twinge of jealousy.

"Haven't you?"

Naruto didn't answer. He took some of the balm and coated his length.

"I'll prepare you," he said in a strange voice and pushed Sasuke back down. He covered the ninja's erection with his mouth, this time touching his balls and massaging the skin underneath. It wasn't shocking at all that when he inserted the first finger inside Sasuke that there was no word of complaint.

Naruto closed his eyes, his body trembling with restraint. With only a finger, the hole was tight and already clenching around him. Sasuke grunted and moved, impaling himself on his own over and over again so all Naruto had to do was keep sucking. Dark pubic hairs had started tickling his nose as it pressed against Sasuke's lower stomach.

Then it happened, probably without the one meaning to have done it and the other one having been in no way prepared for it. Sasuke had groaned Naruto's name. Naruto hesitated only a fraction of a second as he came up for more air and started licking the sticky slit and along the sides of Sasuke's penis. He didn't try to make eye contact for fear that Sasuke would rip his head off, but shit that made him so painfully hard. If Sasuke said his name like that one more time he would be cumming again with nothing even stimulating him.

To distract himself and because Sasuke had loosened up, Naruto worked in another finger. Sasuke's hands were running over his shoulders, up his neck, through his hair - not pulling hard - just massaging. Sasuke was leaking heavily and every time Naruto sucked him, there was a loud slurping noise.

It was about all Naruto could take. "I think we better get a move on or I won't last."

The way Sasuke looked at him made Naruto's breath catch. His eyes were barely open as he licked his lips and bared his throat.

"Shit," was all he managed before he grabbed Sasuke and flipped him on his stomach. Sasuke had the grace enough to get onto all fours. He spread his legs apart and Naruto nearly choked.

"What a view," he said.

Sasuke glanced at him over his shoulder. "What's taking you so long?"

In a heaving, sweaty heap they lay tangled together, too spent to speak. The fire had grown so low it was nearly pitch black around them. Naruto's eyes had become accustomed to the dark, and Sasuke's held a faint red glow that made him snicker even though he was exhausted. He held onto himself as he carefully pulled out of Sasuke and rolled onto his side.

"That was..." he said. "Better than expected."

When Sasuke said nothing, Naruto turned his head the other way to look at him.

"Hey? You didn't pass out, did you?"

"No," said Sasuke. He hadn't quite recovered his breathing. One hand rested on his chest, the other was on the bedroll, close to Naruto's side.

Naruto hesitated but then snuggled closer. Or at least attempted to; Sasuke's eyes had narrowed in warning.

"Oh what, like you didn't expect me to be the type to cuddle after sex?"

"I never had any expectations of you and sex," replied Sasuke.

"Oh ho, good one." Naruto reached over and fingered Sasuke's bangs, moving them out of the way of his eyes. "Were you using your Sharingan so that you could copy my moves?"

"As if I would." Sasuke smiled, a small smile, but a smile nonetheless.

That odd gooey feeling came back again and hijacked Naruto's ability to breathe. It perhaps could then be explained what the lack of oxygen to his brain caused him to say next. When the three words slipped out, the effect on Sasuke was obvious. But, so what. Naruto had never been good at hiding his feelings or keeping his mouth shut. And if it scared Sasuke off, well, there's nowhere that he could run and hide that Naruto wouldn't be able to find him.

Naruto leaned in and kissed Sasuke with all the feelings he knew he couldn't quite communicate otherwise. It was enough that Sasuke kissed back and his fingers curled around Naruto's neck, with a thumb sweeping the underside of his ear. Naruto shivered and held onto him, burying his face in the crook of Sasuke's neck. He kissed his skin, content and couldn't imagine a place he belonged more.

"You realize you're never gonna get rid of me now, right?" Naruto's breath on Sasuke's neck caused the hairs to rise.

"Yes, well that was all part of my plan for world domination, the most powerful jinchuuriki is now under my control and ready to answer all of my whims."

Naruto chuckled tiredly as he draped an arm across Sasuke's chest. "I always was. All you had to do was ask."