But You Make It Look So Easy

Chapter Two-

Seven Years Ago…

In a small poorly lit chamber room were at least a dozen men. Half a dozen were sitting on the encircling chairs as the other six stood with their backs touching the chamber walls. One of the six that were standing against the wall- one told not to interfere- was Uzumaki Naruto.

The blond had an unusual solemn countenance. His bright blue eyes were narrowed and unreadable for perhaps the first time. He was staring at the chamber doors as such were all the other occupants of the dome-shaped room. Finally the tall, golden-colored chamber doors opened to reveal three figures entering.

It wasn't until the large doors closed behind them, the light that was spewing from the hallway retreating, that Naruto could tell who they were. The one in the middle, with his back straight and his hands cuffed at the front of him, was undeniably Uchiha Sasuke. The other two who flanked him were ANBU guards, their masks hiding their identities and any facial expressions they might be conveying.

With a nod from the man in the center chair, his silver hair gleaming in the faint light from above, the two ANBU Guards stepped back. They were still in range to prevent anything unplanned to happen but they were far enough away to give the illusion of an unguarded Sasuke. A Sasuke who stood before them on trial.

With a gaze that seemed dark and inhuman, Sasuke looked up to the council that was before him. The charcoal eyes seemed to flicker crimson as the raven looked at every member of the room. The only one whose his gaze lingered on for more than a moment was on Naruto.

Uzumaki Naruto suppressed a shudder when they had locked eyes. Sasuke's eyes were lifeless and unrecognizable. This Uchiha Sasuke was not the one he knew from before.

Naruto was interrupted from his thoughts as the silver-haired Hokage, named Hatake Kakashi, stood up. The wooden chair that he was sitting on made a horrible and evident sound as it skidded across the reflective surface of the floor.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he said, the steady voice resounding throughout the small chamber. "You are hereby sentenced to five years in the High-Security Penitentiary located just beyond Konoha."

Naruto's eyes darted between the Hokage and Sasuke but neither of them betrayed a hint of emotion. Neither of them seemed the slightest bit fazed. Naruto's hands unconsciously fisted, the burst of his own emotions becoming hard to control. The blond reminded himself of the words Kakashi parted with before the ruling.

'For turning himself in, complying, and confessing to his crimes: Sasuke is sentenced to the minimum of five years. That's the best I can do and that's all you should hope for.'

Naruto's eyes locked onto the Uchiha's form. For years Sasuke had been a missing nin. During that time Sasuke had killed Orochimaru, his brother Itachi, and lastly Danzo.

Now Uchiha Sasuke was back in Konoha. It was as if he just went in a circle. A circle of death, destruction, and revenge. But Sasuke had came out of it alive. Though seeing him here now,… Naruto found himself thinking otherwise.

The meeting was quick and clean and when it was over Sasuke was escorted out of the room. The chambers doors closed with an deafening sound that left Naruto feeling empty.

Present Day…

"Why am I dreaming of the past like I'm some kind of old man?" Naruto mumbled as he sat up from his makeshift bed. Across the small bonfire was Uchiha Sasuke's own makeshift bed- except Sasuke wasn't in it.

Naruto gave a small sigh as he looked up at the night sky. The air was crisp and the stars bright, he mildly wondered just how long he was asleep for. With a grunt, Naruto got up to his full height and went to look for Sasuke.

Today was Day Three in their travel to Grass Valley. Once there they were to go undercover at a town called Meadow. Their mission required them to go undercover as Husband and Wife and make contact with a Underground Ninja organization that had been terrorizing the border of Fire and Earth.

Naruto's wandering mind came to a halt as he found a recently traveled trail that led into the dense woods. Naruto followed the trial and found Sasuke. The dark-haired ninja was leaning against a tree, his dark eyes gazing at nothing in particular at a clearing that lay ahead.

The blond casually stood beside him, his blue-eyes watching as a rabbit hopped through the clearing and back into the woods. With a disarming-calm voice that Naruto learned to perfect over the years- after having to deal with Sasuke, he said: "Having nightmares again?"

Sasuke's whose arms were folded across his chest, gave him a glance before returning to stare at nothing.

Naruto let out an annoyed sound. "Look, I'll keep watch and you should get some sleep."

Again Sasuke said nothing. Feeling his anger raise, Naruto quickly put himself in check. It would do no good to get mad when Sasuke was like this. If Sasuke didn't want to talk then he won't talk Naruto knew that all to well.

With his blue-eyes returning to the clearing he watched as a gust of wind blew by. The blades of grass all moved to one side as though it was a living thing. Seconds accumulated to minutes and minutes into nearly an hour.

Sasuke shifted his feet and Naruto knew that his patience was rewarded. "It wasn't a nightmare." Sasuke said softly. "It was a memory."

The blond turned to fully face Sasuke. The raven and him were about the same height. Naruto towering over him by only a few centimeters- Something Naruto prided himself on and pointed out whenever he got a chance. With a toned and slim figure Sasuke resembled a fallen angel. As to where Naruto's broad shoulders gave him the presence of a Protector.

Sasuke's dark eyes momentarily locked with Naruto's bright blue before he closed them, a gust of wind caressing his pale moonlit face, calming him enough to continue. "It was the day when I returned to Konoha."

Naruto gave a terse nod of acknowledgment, not using his voice since it might make Sasuke retreat.

"Kakashi gave me five years… I deserved more time than that."

This time Naruto did speak. "Don't say that." The blond had taken a step forward but he slightly turned his head away. "Five years was enough time. Prison won't heal you and Kakashi knew that. You would heal better if you were back in the village."

"A village that was responsible for the death of my clan?"

"Konoha was wrong and corrupt back then…" Naruto's hands fisted at his side. After he had heard Sasuke's full story,…he was lost and more determined than ever to become Hokage. "Once I become Hokage, I'll make sure nothing like that happens again." Naruto said, his voice slightly raised in confidence.

Unknowingly Sasuke's body had relaxed. Hearing Naruto speak the same words that he used a decade ago was more refreshing than he wanted to admit. Plus the confidence that Naruto radiated…he couldn't help but feed off it.

With an inward smile that didn't quite reach the surface Sasuke gave a scoff. And at the raven's prediction Naruto reacted predictably. "Just you wait and see, Sasuke!"

"I can't believe this town doesn't have a ramen stand." Naruto angrily mumbled.

After three days of traveling the first decent town they had come across was far from suitable. Sasuke made a sound of fleeting acknowledgement, his dark eyes combing the overpopulated area.

Naruto puffed out his cheeks childishly. Here he was immorally suffering and Sasuke couldn't give a damn. Didn't Sasuke care that their was no source of ramen for miles in every direction?

"This is the last stop before Meadow. Deal with it." The raven said as he took a sharp turn- maneuvering between the crowd.

It took Naruto a second to realize that Sasuke had disappeared. His despair of having no ramen stand turned into anger as he swiftly located Sasuke and made his way toward him.

"What the hell, Sasuke! You can't just disappear on me." The blond said as he now stood beside Sasuke in front of a building.

Sasuke scoffed. "Shut up. I finally found a Hotel, lets go."

Looking up at the building, Naruto realized that it was indeed a hotel. "Thank goodness!"

Entering the Hotel Naruto wanted to take back his words. This crappy town that had no ramen stand had an even crappier Hotel. The blond groaned. He had hoped that he will finally be able to sleep on a decent bed. Plus, preparations had to be made because tomorrow they were going to be in Meadow, they needed to be in their disguises.

Sasuke didn't appear the slightest bit fazed as a rat crossed his path while he went to the front counter. But perhaps Sasuke was used to it. The prison that he was in for five years wasn't exactly homey.

Naruto let Sasuke do all the talking to the man behind the counter and was startled a minute later when the raven passed by him and went up the wooden stairs. "Wait, Sasuke!" The blond yelled as he followed. The stairs making loud creaks the whole way up. "You gotta stop leaving me in the dust. If we are to act as husband and wife you gotta be there for me, honey."

Sasuke replied with a narrow glare as he put his room key in the door in front of him. "Shut up," the raven said as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"That's another thing," Naruto began. "You can't talk to me like that. It's not exactly loving, you know."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he dropped the bags on the floor. "Shut up." He was beginning to feel like a broken record.

Naruto gave a lazy shrug as he dropped his own bags on the floor. His blue eyes moved to the single queen sized bed on the far side of the room. "Hey, why is there only one bed?" Naruto asked his hand pointing at said bed.

From his bent over position, Sasuke replied as he emptied out one of his bags. "They only had single bed rooms. You would know that if you were paying attention downstairs, idiot."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes narrowed as he watched Sasuke pull out a very familiar black wig. "Where are you going to sleep, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, his tone challenging.

Sasuke looked up and stood at his full height. "The bed's mine, Uzumaki." He stated.

"Ohh, I see. Using my last name and all…So, sorry, Uchiha. But the bed's mine."

Sasuke took a step forward his head titling up ever so slightly to look at the taller man.

Naruto scoffed, a smile on his tan face. "Is that supposed to be imitating, bastard?" The blond leaned over. "Doesn't quite work when your shorter then the other." Naruto grinned. His mood returning to carefree. "Besides it's big enough for us both to sleep in, right?"

Naruto made to turn around but Sasuke's voice stopped him. "No. The floor's all yours."

Naruto didn't bother to withhold his complaints from his position on the floor. The hard wooded floor and the flimsy blanket wasn't at all comfortable. Mr. Sandman didn't even see it fit to visit him. "Stupid stuck up, Sasuke." Naruto muttered.

A small -purposeful- snore filled the room from the comfy Sasuke on the Queen sized bed.

"Bastard."

Sasuke stared with annoyance at the bathroom door. Steam was pouring out of the door seams and Sasuke knew that Naruto was deliberately using all the hot water. But then again since Naruto was the first one up he got the privilege to shower first. A dark eyebrow amusingly arched up when the horrible singing that the blond was emitting took a horrible turn to much worst when a high note was attempted.

A smile ghosted Sasuke's lips. For years Sasuke hadn't been able to smile or laugh but Naruto's everyday, juvenile, idiotic tendencies always got to him. How Naruto did it, he had no idea. But he made it look all to easy, that was for sure.

The door finally opened and out stepped a very wet Naruto with only a towel hanging low on his waist. Sasuke unknowing let his eyes travel the revealed body.

Naruto sure had grown from that once dainty kid he used to be. The natural tan seemed to glow and the firm muscles from his broad shoulders was arousing…

Sasuke choked on nothing and repeatedly coughed into his hand. 'That came out of nowhere' He thought.

"How does it look?" Naruto asked excitedly.

Sasuke looked up above Naruto's neck line for the first time and was surprised to come face to face with a black haired Uzumaki Naruto. "You dyed your hair."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Duh, my disguise calls for it." The formerly known blond stood up a bit straighter. "So how do I look? Like Hayashi Haru?"

Sasuke quickly recalled the picture of Hayashi Haru. The man that Naruto was supposed to impersonate in this mission. Before, the two looked remarkably similar, and now with Naruto's hair dyed black and his whisker markings covered up, they could pass as twins. "Acceptable." Was all Sasuke said.

Naruto huffed in exasperation and walked across the room. "Whatever. The showers all yours, Sasuke."

Sasuke stood up and went to the shower. Naruto waited for the telltale sign of cold water hitting Sasuke's skin. Naruto smiled. 'That'll teach him to make me sleep on the floor.'

Looking at the picture in his hand Sasuke couldn't contain his groan of misery. The picture was of Hayashi Mai. Wife of Hayashi Haru. This husband and wife combo were infamous Ninjas along the Fire Country borders. They weren't loyal to any hidden village but they were originality from the Hidden Village of Cloud. After leaving Cloud they became missing nin and worked for anyone with money.

They were the perfect cover- that was after the Fire Country Border Police killed them. Luckily word didn't get out that they were killed so Naruto and Sasuke were to take their identities and infiltrate the Underground Ninja Organization to settle the unrest between the Earth and Fire borders.

Sasuke flung the picture to the other side of the desk he was sitting at and look up at the mirror that was posted before him. The resemblance between himself and Mai was there, unfortunately. Just put a long black wig on him a tight cherry colored top and a mini black skirt and voilà.

"Shit," Sasuke said. He wished that he could just use a jutsu or some kind of genjutsu, but that was impossible. There was some high level ninja's there and they would immediately spot any jutsu used to alter their appearance. The safest way was to use conventional disguises.

The sound of the door opening made Sasuke turn in his seat to come face to face with an excited looking black-haired Naruto- now Hayashi Haru. "Look!" He cried as the door closed behind him. "I got you a dress!"

Sasuke could feel the vein on his forehead forming.

-End of Chapter Two-

A/N: Hope you liked this chapter. Grass Valley and Meadow as well as the FCBP (Fire Country Border Police) are places and things I made up myself. As well as the ninja couple Hayashi Haru and Mai. If you have any question just ask and I will elaborate in the next chapter. -NHT