The World of Ninjas and Wizards, It's Closer Than You Think

By: Faithful Cherry Blossom

Disclaimer:I do not own, even as much as I wish to.

Hi everybody! Thank you so much to all those who reviewed. About updates... they will probably be irregular because I'm the type of writer who writes spontaneously so I don't have any deadlines or plot details planned out. It all just kinda flows along... P I'll try to update within a month however and I do plan on finishing this story, don't worry. I made a promise to myself to never be the kind of writer who writes stories and quits halfway... I hate it when that happens when I'm reading so yeah... I hope you enjoy this chapter and yes, I know not much is happening right now but I'll try my best to start adding in the plot and action soon. Oh, and even though this story is rated M there probably won't be any limes or lemons in it... I shudder to think what my parents responses would be if they found something like that on my computer!

Faith

Chapter Two – Preparing and Departing

"Itadakimasu!"

Everyone around the table in Sakura and Rock Lee's apartment smiled and dug into the delicious meal Sakura had prepared for them.

"This is really good Sakura-chan!" Naruto praised around a mouthful of rice.

"Dobe, don't speak with your mouth full." Sasuke admonished after chewing and swallowing his own mouthful, as if setting an example for Naruto. Naruto looked as if he was contemplating sticking out his tongue but deduced that since he was eating it wouldn't be very appropriate and settled for a glare at the dark haired shinobi instead. A glare that was cheerfully ignored by said dark-haired shinobi.

Nothing more was said for a while as everyone enjoyed the dinner, surrounded by the company of friends. For someone such as Naruto, who had never had a family to share meals with like that, it was a touching moment. He gazed around the table, at Kakashi, his team leader, Iruka, someone akin to a father who had looked out for him ever since they met in the Academy, Sakura, a girl like his sister and her boyfriend, Rock Lee and then he glanced beside him to Sasuke. The Uchiha looked serene and untroubled, a small smile on his face as he ate and that sight made a bright smile break out on Naruto's face in response. I'm lucky to have such a great family, he thought happily.

Sitting at a table and enjoying a home-cooked meal with close friends, Sasuke was strongly reminded of dinners with the rest of his family when he was younger. With all his little cousins running around and laughing and their parents chasing after them to get them to eat, his parents joking around with aunts, uncles and friends and his older brother, Itachi, sitting quietly eating but glancing up once in every while with a peaceful smile. Unknowingly, the smile on his face turned sad and melancholy. He'd loved his brother the most and then to find out he was the one to kill the rest of the family…

"Sasuke?" A soft voice spoke out in worry and broke Sasuke out of his reverie. He looked at the speaker and his gaze softened. He smiled at Naruto, knowing that while he would always miss his family, he now had a new family, and a lover who he knew would do anything for him, as he would do for them. "I love you, Naruto."

Naruto was confused, but his boyfriend looked happy now so he decided to put it aside. "I love you too, Sasuke."

Over their heads, knowing smiles were exchanged and all was silent until Rock Lee broke out with happy, over dramatic tears in his eyes. Kakashi and Iruka wisely shifted their seat back, just a fraction of an inch, while Naruto and Sasuke were still lost in each other.

"Oh! The burning flame and passion that is known as young love! Wonderful youths who have gone through so much but have managed to overcome the obstacles to discover the one truly meant for them! An-"

"BAKA!" Sakura screeched, whacking her boyfriend on the back of his head. "Everything was quiet and peaceful until you decided to open your mouth-!"

Poor Lee gulped nervously and cowered, shifting his chair back, prepared to run. "Demo, Sakura-chan-" He started in a vain attempt to appease his rather hot-headed girlfriend.

"DON'T YOU SAKURA-CHAN ME!"

And off the Taijutsu user went as his girlfriend lunged at him, intent on strangling him to death.

Naruto blinked wide eyes in confusion. "Ano, why is Sakura-chan chasing after fuzzy brows…?"

Kakashi and Iruka exchanged wry glances.

"Or do we not want to know?" Sasuke interjected dryly but with an amused tone in his voice.

Iruka smiled comfortingly (although a bit nervously, cringing at some rather spectacular crashes) at him and Naruto. "You don't want to know… really."

Naruto and Sasuke nodded in understanding and the four men turned back to their meal, doing their best to suppress the winces as they heard cries that sounded suspiciously like "GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" and "Gomen nasai Sakura-chan, but nooo way!"

Everyone sweatdropped.

And so, this was how the evening meal passed in the house of Haruno Sakura and Rock Lee with their guests Hatake Kakashi, Umino Iruka, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto.

The next day dawned bright and early. Birds were chirping excitedly, the sakura trees were blossoming (finally) and all was peaceful.

"SASUKE-TEME!!"

Okay, maybe not so peaceful after all.

The blonde who had just shouted his lungs out at his smirking boyfriend scowled, his eye twitching. "Why the hell did you throw that freaking cold water on me for, huh?!"

"Well, I did try waking you up using other methods but they didn't work." Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly, acting as if he didn't have a furious blonde doing his best to death glare him in front of him.

Naruto glared even harder. "Bastard," he snarled, now beginning to shiver slightly from the cool morning air hitting his drenched skin.

Sasuke immediately felt guilty.

"Sorry Naruto." He murmured, walking over to wrap his arms around his boyfriend who scowled but relaxed into the embrace.

"You're forgiven." Naruto sighed in defeat. He really couldn't resist it when Sasuke showed him his rare emotional side.

Sasuke smiled lovingly as if he knew what Naruto was thinking. He raised a hand to caress the blond strands adorning the dobe's head. Naruto closed his eyes at the relaxing movement and they both stayed there, Naruto with his head on Sasuke's chest and eyes closed and Sasuke absentmindedly patting his boyfriend's hair.

Until it was broken by Naruto's sneeze and Sasuke began to shiver. They both finally noticed that the window was still open and they were kneeling motionless in their wet clothing, the water having seeped onto Sasuke as well. They laughed, and Sasuke stood up, holding out a hand to help the other boy to his feet.

On impulse, Naruto darted forward to hug Sasuke again. "I love you."

Sasuke smiled. "I love you too… and Tsunade-sama's going to have our heads if we're not there soon." He added with a smirk which widened as the blond began to panic.

Naruto cursed. "This is all your fault teme!" He accused the dark-haired shinobi as he darted into the bathroom and started stripping off his clothes. He grabbed a towel and tossed one to Sasuke who was already dressed.

A dark brow was elegantly raised. "And how is it my fault that we're going to be late, dobe?"

"Well, if you hadn't thrown that water on me then we wouldn't have to waste all that time!"

Sasuke smirked as he dried himself off. "But admit dobe, you enjoyed it."

Naruto flushed. "That's beside the point." He retorted hotly.

The other boy laughed. "And exactly how is it beside the point, Naruto-chan?" He purred, making Naruto's breathing hitch.

"T-teme! We're really going to be late if you don't stop that!"

"Stop what?" Sasuke asked innocently, pretending he had no idea what his boyfriend was talking about.

"You know what I'm talking about!"

Sasuke laughed, finally relenting at the sight of furious blue eyes as the blond shinobi blushed violently. "Fine, fine, I'll stop… for now."

Naruto rolled his eyes but guessed that that would be the best he would get out of the Uchiha, though his glare promised payback.

Sasuke swiftly moved around, straightening their bed covers, realigning the pillows, gathering up all their traps, weapons and various instruments of torture, you know, the usual. Naruto finally exited the bathroom, dressed in his ANBU gear, black loose pants, form-fitting black tank and fingerless gloves. Sasuke was dressed identically to him, their clothing clean and fresh, after all, they did want to leave an impression on their future vict- I mean, future employers.

Naruto smiled at the clean room and their neat knapsacks on the floor. Sasuke was currently kneeling with his back to the blonde as he carefully packed away their various weapons. Naruto's gaze swung to their bed where their katanas were lying, still sheathed, before it swung back to the Uchiha's posterior, a sight which Naruto ogled and appreciated with a sigh, remembering the sight of said posterior unclothed as they made love last night, as- okay, getting off track here Uzumaki, he admonished, willing, not without a great force of power, the delicious images to go away.

"Naruto."

But, oh, he would love to feel that smooth skin underneath his hands once more…

"Naaaaruuuuttoooo…"

As their sweat-slicked bodies were tangled amongst the covers of their bed and crickets chirped outside their window…

"Naruto!" SMACK!

"ITAI! What did you do that for?!"

Sasuke shook his head and straightened from his place where he had been previously kneeling. "I called your name twice, dobe, and you still failed to answer. What did you want me to do? And what got you so distracted anyway?"

Naruto couldn't decide on whether to be embarrassed or press the advantage and unnerve the composed Uchiha. After a moment deliberation, he decided on the latter.

"Why, Sasuke," He purred seductively, looking up at the dark-haired shinobi through his lashes in a way he knew was guaranteed to get the Uchiha to melt. "I was distracted by thoughts of you and what we got up to last night, of course. It was very enjoyable." Naruto trailed a hand down Sasuke's side seductively and gave the other boy a short kiss on the lips before sighing in dramatic disappointment. "But, alas, as you said, we need to get to Tsunade before she throws a fit so we must continue this another time, my one and only love."

And before Sasuke could comprehend what was going on, his mind having gone fuzzy and blank the second the tanned hand of his lover met his body, Naruto had laced on his calf-high ANBU boots, grabbed his knapsack and his case of weapons and dashed out the door, cackling gleefully.

Three.

Two.

One.

"NARUTO!!"

Quick as a flash, Sasuke had laced on his own boots and grabbed his bags, also remembering to grab the ANBU masks that Naruto had forgotten in his haste and darted outside, hot on the tail of his insanely laughing boyfriend.

Naruto was currently zigzagging his way through the many buildings that adorned the Uchiha compound where he and Sasuke now lived, a maniacal grin still on his face as he led the incensed Uchiha on a merry chase. Villagers going about their daily business blinked in shock as a black blur sped past them cackling evilly and another black blur sped past in hot pursuit, a vast variety of curses falling from his mouth that made mothers cover their curious children's ears.

Naruto arrived at the Hokage's office, using the normal stairway for once, still laughing gleefully. Sasuke arrived a split second later, a glare on his face as he tossed Naruto his fox-shaped ANBU mask and strapped his own raven-like one on. As one, they turned to face Tsunade, Naruto still grinning underneath the mask and Sasuke still scowling underneath his. The Godaime resisted the urge to sigh and shake her head. Children.

Quick as a snake, she tossed them their mission debriefing folders which they caught with a deft hand, used to their Hokage's penchant for unpredictable movements by now.

Simultaneously, they slipped out a sheaf of paper from inside.

"Those are the papers pertaining to your target for protection and his profile and history, there is also information in there on the terrain and surroundings of your assigned location and some general information on the wizarding culture, as well as its status today." Tsunade nodded her head to the inch thick bundle of paper before smirking sadistically. "I want you both to memorise it by the time you actually meet your protection target. Which is in two days time." She pretended not to notice the incredulous looks she was receiving.

"NANI?!" Naruto yelped.

Tsunade gave him a Look.

It had no effect on Naruto who started whinging. "But baa-chan! That thing is freaking long! How are we supposed to read and understand and memorise everything in TWO DAYS?!"

Sasuke smirked. "Stop complaining dobe. It won't be that hard. Or perhaps you're brain capacity isn't strong enough to handle it?"

Naruto glared. "Teme, you're probably going to cheat and use your Sharingan."

Sasuke's silence was enough to confirm it. The Uchiha quickly recovered though. "Why look a gift horse in the mouth?" He said casually.

"Baa-chan! Forbid him from using it!"

Tsunade raised an amused brow. "How? Besides, as his boyfriend, isn't it your job to do these kinda things?"

Naruto reddened. "B-but, baa-chan!"

She smirked. Oh how she did love teasing Naruto and making him all flustered. "Does that mean that Sasuke's the seme in the relationship?"

"WHAT?! NO!"

"But Naru-chan," Sasuke purred seductively, reaching over to run his fingers through Naruto's hair sensually, "I am the one who always tops."

Naruto glared daggers at his boyfriend for the umpteenth time that day. "That's it! From now on, I'm going to top!"

"You mean you're going to try and top."

"I will! You just see!"

"But you know you prefer it when I take you." A flirty smile appeared on Sasuke's face.

"I do not!" Blush.

"Denial."

"Arrogant bastard!"

"Uke in denial." This was said in an almost sing-song voice and Tsunade had to debate momentarily on whether to laugh or gape at the astonishing sight.

"Red-eyed bas-" Naruto started heatedly but was cut off by the Godaime.

"If you two are quite finished, I think your transportation has finally arrived." The Fifth Hokage interrupted smoothly, still not quite over the shock of seeing Sasuke act so, so human.

Sasuke immediately snapped to attention, his eyes fixed to the front while Naruto pouted.

"Don't."

"I wasn't going to do anything!"

"Don't stick your tongue out at me unless you want the Hokage to witness our make-out session, Naruto." Sasuke sighed, his voice gently chiding as if he was chastising a child for doing inappropriate things at the wrong time. Naruto kept pouting but stopped making a scene out of it as a man walked in.

He was very old (Naruto made a muttered comment abut how he looked even older than the Sandaime had and Sasuke barely refrained from rolling his eyes and settled for a dig in the blonde's ribs with his elbow), with a long white beard, half-moon glasses and he wore some of the strangest clothes the ninjas had ever seen. He was dressed in a bright green robe, and not your usual bottle or dark green either, no, it was a bright fluro green, so bright it hurt your eyes to look at it. He wore gold boots with a shiny silver buckle in front that matched his hair and beard. He also wore a tall, cone shaped hat decorated with moons and stars that somehow seemed to twinkle cheerfully and matched the smile on his face.

"Ah! Tsunade-san! It's been so long! I believe the last time I saw you was when you were still a hot-headed, temperamental teenager." He said fondly.

Tsunade scowled at the description but refrained from giving him one of her normal snide remarks or, better yet, punching his lights out with a swift fist. Too bad she couldn't, he was a client and one who was paying her a lot of money, more than the normal price but she certainly wasn't going to tell him that. Hehe, the powers of authority, she cackled inwardly.

"Are you Dumbledore-san?" Sasuke asked, interrupting before things could go out of hand as he saw the Hokage's expression darkening before turning evilly gleeful.

The old man nodded while Tsunade carefully concealed her scowl. Damn Sasuke for always ruining her fun! Just like that time when he'd barged into her office just as she was consuming her first cups of sake, dirty and beraggled, claiming he had been attacked by a horde of rabid bunnies while on a simple herb-collecting mission and, of course, he just had to be compensated for it so could she, the wondrous Fifth Hokage please give him his mission payment that instant? Really, shinobi were becoming more and more disrespectful every year! It used to be never like this back in her day.

"Yes, that is my name. I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which you will be attending for the coming year in order to protect the students, one boy in particular."

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged imperceptible glances. Was it just them or did the man seem a bit… eccentric? Their opinion was further reinforced when Dumbledore produced a squashed metal can which he tapped with a long stick he also managed to pull from somewhere in his robes.

"Portus."

The two young ninja betrayed no outward movement of surprise but inside they were frowning in confusion as they saw the piece of trash glow slightly before it faded. Frankly, they didn't see what the point of that was. Looking closely however, they saw a thin film of chakra cover the can that somehow seemed to spiral into nothing at one end.

Sharp-eyed Tsunade saw their looks of confusion. "That is the wizards' own brand of ninjutsu and genjutsu," she explained, "They, however, channel their chakra through mediums of enchanted wood which amplify the effect due to their lower chakra supply."

"There are a few in our world who are much more gifted than others," interjected Dumbledore, "including myself and the Dark Lord that is currently terrorising our world and who's sole ambition is to wipe out all those he deems 'unworthy' of living – in other words, those who have no magical background to speak of."

"He's a deranged lunatic, this man." Tsunade added. "If you two ever come across him, I want you to be careful. There's no telling what a madman like that can do. And if you don't heed these orders, I advise you to start running as fast as you can before I catch up to you and if you're already dead then I'll find a way to bring you back and then kill you myself. Is that undestood?" Her worried advice was veiled under a threat that made Naruto and Sasuke gulp. They knew that if anyone was capable, it'd be their Fifth Hokage who would manage to bring the dead back to life before sending them back to the underworld again.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." The muttered obediently.

Dumbledore clapped his hands together cheerfully. "Well now that's settled, we best be on our way."

He offered them the enchanted soft drink can. Naruto stared at it. "And what are we supposed to do?" He frowned in confusion. "Oh, it's easy," Dumbledore assured them, "Just put a finger on it and we'll be off."

Once again, Naruto and Sasuke exchanged quick glances, their eyes conveying to each other exactly what they thought of this old man. Tsunade seemed perfectly fine with Dumbledore's words however so hesitantly both shinobi touched the can simultaneously. They were unprepared for the sudden jerk around their navel and soon found themselves hurtling through what appeared to be empty space or a different dimension, if other dimensions were swirly places with bright flashing lights all around them. Ahem, yes. So anyway, the two famous (or infamous, depending on who you asked) shinobi were on their way for a mission of a lifetime and in the company of a mad old wizard who was currently humming to himself as he fished around his robes for some sherbet lemons.

Sigh. It was going to be a looooong trip, thought Sasuke, even as Naruto whooped at all the pretty colours around them.

So, what did you think? Did you like/not like?

Faith