Part two now up for your enjoyment (hopefully anyway)! Back to the start before we move on in the third (and final) section.

Naruto lay on his couch, eyes closed as he thought over all that had happened over the last couple of days. He knew that Sasuke never expressed his feelings directly, of course he knew that, but it would be difficult for anyone to never hear those three words, or even something remotely similar to them, from the person they loved. He had hoped that, after a time, the raven would open up to him; they had known each other since high school, after all, even if they hadn't started out on the best of terms. He had hoped that Sasuke felt comfortable enough with their relationship that he could properly express himself without having to worry about his self-imposed restrictions, but now Naruto couldn't help but feel that maybe he had been wrong. The fact of the matter was that they had never even officially asked each other to begin this relationship in the first place; it had sort of just… happened over time without either of them really noticing. It had just seemed so natural for them and they just wordlessly seemed to decide to let it to continue. But with nearly two years without a solid conformation from the Uchiha... Naruto knew that his feeling for the raven were real, but now he was forced to wonder if Sasuke had ever felt the same or if he had only gone along with things because they were already so close. But that wasn't something the brunet would do was it?

As doubt began to, once again, swirl the blonds mind, he was suddenly pulled back to reality as his cell phone began to ring. He slowly cracked his eyes open, debating whether or not to answer before reaching over and picking up the offending item from its place on the coffee table. Glancing at the caller I.D. he felt a slight smile begin to tug weakly at the corners of his mouth. He flicked the phone open, "Hey Hinata, perfect timing as always." Hinata and Naruto had known each other since grade school. Though the pale eyed girl had always been extremely shy, Naruto had gotten along well with her despite their drastic contrast in personality. He liked to think that he was the reason she had eventually begun to step out of her shell as they grew. Even though she would likely never be what most considered extroverted she could at least converse with others without the nervous stutter which had plagued her childhood. Though they now lived several hours apart, the two still kept in close contact. "You always seem to call just when I need someone to talk to." - "No, I'm fine but... I think things might be over between Sasuke and me," Naruto admitted sadly. "No. I don't think there's anything that I can really do. We've been together for a few years now, but..." Naruto paused, and then continued quietly, "he's never once told me how he feels about me, and I don't think that I can stay with someone that can't tell me that they actually care."

Hinata listened quietly as the blond spoke, and Naruto was glad for this. Of all the people he knew, Hinata was the one person that he could count on to listen to his problems without complaint, someone who was always willing to help him without expecting something in return, and that was just what he needed right now. "I told him how I was feeling. I let him know I couldn't keep going like this if he couldn't be honest with me- with himself... and he didn't say anything... I waited, but there was nothing... He just stood there as I walked away..." a single tear rolled down the blonds' cheek as he played over that moment again in his mind, Hinata waiting patiently for him to continue.

"I know that he's a proud person, and that's one of the things that I like most about him, but... I would have thought that maybe, just this once, he would drop that stupid mask of his and just be honest with me. I thought I meant more to him than that," another tear followed in the tracks of the first, "But I guess I was wrong."

Naruto swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. "Sorry Hinata, I'm sure you didn't call me to listen to me complain like this," he forced out a slight laugh. "What did you want to talk about?" - "No, no I'm fine really. Tell me what's going on with you." - "What? Really? Hinata that's great! That's what you've been working towered this whole time right? I'm so happy for you!" Naruto smiled slightly as he listed to his friend good news. The Hyuuga had been attempting to break into the world of professional writing as a novelist but had been largely unsuccessful aside from a handful of short pieces. The choice to follow such an unsure path had been huge for the girl as her father had strongly disapproved, but it seemed that things were finally falling into place. He was truly glad that things were going so well for her.

A nock on the door caused the blond to jump, sitting up sharply on the couch. 'Who could that be?' he wondered, glancing at the clock. He was about to stand when he heard his name being called and froze mid-action,

/"Naruto?"/

His hand inched towards the curtain, spreading the fabric hardly more than an inch to peer out at the dark haired figure on his porch, the voice on the other end of the phone calling his name at his sudden distraction. He let the drape fall back into place as his attention was pulled back to his previous focus. "Huh? No nothing, someone's just at the door that's all." He tried to ignore the waiting figure, ears listening for the sound of retreating steps which had yet to come.

/"Naruto, please, I need to talk to you. Please open the door."/

"Yes it's Sasuke," he replied, somewhat curtly, to the woman's question; really sometimes the girl was too perceptive for her own good, "But he didn't have anything to say to me earlier when I wanted to listen so why should I give him a chance now?" He curled into one end of the sofa, knees drawn to his chest, eyes clenched as the young woman replied, ~'I thought you said you still care for him?'~ "You know that I do, Hinata, but he needs to prove that he can make it worth my while and he just hasn't done that." Of course he still wanted to be with Sasuke, but he deserved to have a relationship where he didn't end up questioning whether or not his feelings where reciprocated or not. The wood creaked quietly outside.

~'Naruto… I think you should listen to what he has to say. You know I don't agree with his actions but I do believe that he cares deeply for you, I just don't think he knows how to express that properly. I you still don't see a reason for another chance then at least you won't regret never having giving him the chance later. I'll call you tomorrow to see how things are. I hope things work out for you two. Goodnight.'~ The blond sat in silence as the dial-tone played for a moment before flipping the cell closed once more with a sigh, arm dropping across his knees. He rested his forehead atop his newly positioned arm while his empty hand rose to run fingers through his already perpetually messy hair. A frustrated groan escaped his lips as the ravens voice reached him once again, slightly muffled through the sheet of glass separating them. ''Stubborn bastard, just leave already!' His silent demands quieted, however, as the others words made themselves heard.

/"Naruto… I'm sorry. I'm an idiot for what I said- what I didn't say. But please understand, after everything that has happened in my life…"/ Narutos fist tightened in his hair, eyes clenching firmly in an attempt to fight against the growing warmth building behind his lids. /"Please open the door."/

Was this really worth going through again? If things had turned out this way once, why would things end any differently a second time? Was it really worth it? Was Sasuke? The figure, which had been still throughout its dialogue, began to move away, slow steps crossing the short distance to the steps and beginning to descend. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe they were better off this way. Maybe…

"Shit." Naruto was off the couch in an instant, cell abandoned on the rumpled cushions. His face was dry as he opened the door. The cool night air caressed his still warm eyes, lessening the annoyingly persistent sting. A beam of light cut through the darkness, spilling over the pavement and the dark male before him as the figure turned back to meet the blonds gaze.

The red pen demolishes another section (though perhaps not quite as gruesomely as the first 'chapter') but hopefully you enjoyed. Leave a comment perhaps? Final part may or may not be up sometime late tomorrow night but I make no solid promise either way.