A/N: Newest chapter. I know I practically let this story shrivel up and die it's been so long, but I got really busy and lost myself in life. However I'm back now and I'll try to update fairly soon.
I'm currently with a beta so forgive any mistakes you may notice. Speaking of this if you're interest, or have a recommendation, let me know. I'm looking a new beta, so help me out.
Disclaimer.
The words poured from his mouth before he could stop them, burning his tongue.
"You're jealous aren't you?"
Naruto knew instinctively that those words were too cruel, too close to home. He shouldn't have said them, but he had already committed to the bitter anger filling his chest. He suppressed the urge to collide his fist into the fellow mans face.
The cold black eyes of Sasuke seemed to darken as the taller man clenched his fists. "You're annoying. You think you know everything Naruto but the truth is, you're an idiot."
Naruto gritted his teeth. He hadn't been angry in months.
He and Sasuke bickered often, but this was different. The dark haired man before him was close to losing control of his anger. It was entirely possible that a fight could break loose and with Sakura delivering a mission report, not around to mediate, things could get out of hand.
"You're a coward Sasuke," Naruto snapped, "I can't imagine how it'd feel to be you. So cold and heartless because you're afraid of your own emotions."
Sasuke sneered. "You don't know anything about what it's like to be me." His shoulders were tensed and his fists shook at his sides.
Naruto bristled up. "Good! I'd never want to be like you."
There was a pop behind him that interrupted the argument. The two looked over their shoulders to see the familiar, pretty and equally red face of Hinata Hyuga.
"N-Naruto-kun." She sputtered, blushing fiercely. She gave a glance at Sasuke to acknowledge his presence but his annoyed expression made her look away in fear and embarrassment.
"S-Sakura-san wanted me to come to you," She began, pulling at the hem of her shirt in an worried fashion. "She said for me t-to tell you t-that the Hokage wants to see you." finishing her sentence appeared to put her out of breath.
Naruto sighed as if it was a bother and she jumped at the sound, looking incredibly nervous.
Finally the blond ninja gave her a tired smile. "Thank you Hinata."
At this the flustered girl gave a shy smile before popping away again.
Naruto turned back towards his companion to note that the Uchiha was already walking towards the door. He was quick to follow and heard the low, "We'll finish this later." It most certainly promise that the argument was far from over.
After an awkward walk through town the two arrived in front of the Hokage with a tense and dark trance covering their faces, weighing down their shoulders.
Tsunade took notice of this immediately, but didn't speak of it. Instead she laced her fingers in front of her nose and peered out at them.
"Naruto. Sasuke." She began, a serious tone and glare. "Sakura has business to attend to in Suna."
Naruto, who was glaring sulkily at the ground looked up at this.
"The Kazekage has fallen ill. His siblings suspect it's the result of a slow-working toxin that he possibly came into contact with during a battle with a group of sound ninja." Tsunade sounded tired and ill-at-ease due to this information.
Sand was a powerful ally. The two nations had proven to be a strong pair and their friendship was growing stronger thanks to Gaara's willingness to stand by their sides. She would not allow harm to come to him, and possibly break up their strongest alliance.
"Sakura is currently at the hospital getting supplies to properly assess his situation. This is a team 7 mission, yes, however I cannot stress how important Sakura in particular is. Only she can heal Gaara. You must make sure she can do her job properly. Keep her safe during travel and make sure to assist her in any way possible." Her grim expression was not missed by the males of Team 7.
"Sakura will meet you at the bridge when she's finished gathering supplies." She gave a loose smile that did little to lighten the worry on her face. "Good luck boys."
Packed and ready, Naruto and Sasuke waited for their female teammate to arrive in awkward silence.
Occasionally a fellow ninja would pass by and speak a good word with Naruto before heading off again, but otherwise the atmosphere between the two was a stream of uninterrupted negativity.
By the time they saw pink hair in the distance, Naruto felt the strain of the current day smothering him flutter away at the sight of her soft reassuring smile.
He ran to meet her, looping his arms around her shoulders, and hugging her tightly. She returned his embrace loosely before giving him a sour look.
"You hear about Gaara?"
It wasn't a question meant to be answered, but Naruto nodded gravely anyways. "Yeah, I hope he's okay." He said earnestly. He's always felt a connection to the red haired man. Maybe this was why Sakura looked so distressed. If Gaara's life were to be lost Naruto would suffer a heavy blow.
Sasuke's deep voice of reminder made Naruto's arms drop away from Sakura, and the two set in motion towards the gate. "Enough, we should hurry. The Kazekage's life depends on our haste."
Sakura nodded seriously.
Another mission so quickly after the last made her feel weary. Her muscles pulled and the soreness of her limbs made her dread the upcoming travel.
On top of the pressure to get to Suna before any extreme damage could befall the Kazekage, Sakura could feel the tension between her team mates.
They often argued, so the strain between them wasn't a surprise, but it felt like a cage around them, trapping poor Sakura in the middle.
She never knew how to approach the subject, only how to lighten the mood and dissolve the animosity when the fight breaks out. While it was in this stage; The in-between stage, filled with mostly silence and dirty looks, she felt helpless to intercede.
Such stubborn boys.
For all their faults, Sasuke and Naruto were very good friends, as such they knew exactly what buttons to push to really hit below the belt.
Sasuke watched quietly from the rear as Naruto glanced at Sakura every 5 minutes. She looked tired and nervous, and it was obviously effecting Naruto greatly.
Sakura sighed and the sound made Sasuke want to sigh too, but he refrained.
Lately he'd been having a hard time getting his emotions under control. Not externally of course, this problem never showed on his face, but inside his mind ran at incredible speeds. Cycling through so many thoughts and feelings it made him feel sick.
His team was his life force, this much he couldn't deny. They were all he had, however, recently he'd been thinking thoughts that could seriously break them up.
His eyes drifted over the petite frame of his beautiful female teammate. Lately he'd been thinking more than platonic thoughts about her, and the concept was frightening.
Worst part about it was that Naruto was his best friend, and it was hard to hid anything from the blond. Naruto gave him very pointed looks. Like the kid just knew.
That morning Naruto kept giving him that look, and without warning a confrontation broke out.
Sasuke squinted at Naruto as he remember the seething look he received from the Kyuubi container earlier that day.
It made him angry to think about it, the immediately after, he felt guilty. The two emotions came in waves.
Naruto.
Naruto loved her first.
Probably loved her more deeply.
Naruto's love was pure.
Sasuke felt a stab to his heart. He loved Sakura, that much he knew to be true, but did he love her enough to take her? To break Naruto's heart?
It would be relatively easy. Sakura still loved him as far as he could tell. She would come to him without much hesitation.
Could Sasuke do it to Naruto was the real question.
