"You really don't have to do this Sasuke," Yumi said, as she and Sasuke walked they walked the streets of Konoha. They could feel others observing them. There were looks of surprise on the passerby as the two made their way through the town.

"Nonsense, I'm happy to walk you back to your room. The village is as safe is it comes, but still, you can never be too careful," Sasuke replied. He didn't look at Yumi or the people around them, just forward and careful to avoid eye contact. Yumi didn't say anything for once and just walked silently with the Uchiha. Their arms still looped around one another. They finally reached Yumi's hotel, one of the smaller businesses in town. All the lights were off, signaling close of business for the day and resting time for all the guests.

"My door is nine," mentioned Yumi. They walked over to the door Yumi pointed out. They broke contact as Yumi stood in front of the door and Sasuke stood opposite her.

"Thank you for walking me back here," Yumi said. She looked at him once over. "I still can't believe I got to see you again after all this time…"

"I'm sorry if I was as difficult as you say as a child," Sasuke brought up, "I didn't care for the attention of girls, still don't for the most part. But you, you're different."

"Oh? How so?" asked Yumi, coquettishly as she leaned against the door.

"Today isn't the first time we've see each other since we were kids," Sasuke said somberly, "At least not for me."

Gone was the playful Yumi from this evening. What replaced her was a serious young woman, who knew exactly what Sasuke was referring to. "Ah, I see. So, you know about my past." She leaned against the door.

"I only know what I saw," Sasuke stated.

"Was it you?" she asked quietly. "Were you the one who took them out?"

"I did no more than knock them out," Sasuke pointed out. "Afterwards, I heard worse happened to those men." He looked carefully at Yumi as he said it. He wanted to see her reaction but observed no nerves or guilt on her face.

"I know," Yumi replied. She inhaled before saying "I saw to that." She looked around the area, searching for eavesdroppers. Sasuke smirked, "You won't find anyone anywhere obvious like around the corner. There's no one around here anyways."

"How do you know?" questioned Yumi.

"It's my job to know," Sasuke said, revealing his ANBU tattoo. Yumi saw it and recognized it from years ago.

She looked at Sasuke once more. "Still we should talk inside." She turned and opened the door with her hotel key. Opening the door, she turned back to Sasuke. "Come in," she moved aside to make way for him to go in the room. It was a meager little room; there was a suitcase on the bed, clothes scattered about the furniture in the room.

"I know full well the things you've done in the past Sasuke." Yumi asserted. "For instance, I know you killed Danzo."

"Oh? How?" demanded Sasuke suspiciously.

Laughing dryly, Yumi says, "People talk Sasuke, especially about the famous last Uchiha. People have talked about you since you lost everything. I know about you fighting Gaara of the Sand, then leaving and working with Orochimaru, taking him down, fighting and defeating Deidara, killing your brother." She said the last one with a sad tone in her voice. "That one must have hurt you. I know how much you cared for him." Her eyes showed empathy. But then Sasuke noticed the sudden change in her eyes. No longer was the benign expression he was accustomed to observing but a new steely face, pupils brimming with something akin to wrath. The young woman stepped closer to the Uchiha until they were a breath apart, not breaking eye contact once.

"I have to know Sasuke," fully determined she asks, "did he suffer?"

He stared back into her equally dark eyes before responding, "Yes."

Yumi retained a passively blank expression until breaking into a dark smirk tinged her lips. "Good."

The surprise must have been evident to Yumi because Sasuke did not expect her satisfaction at his reply. "Why does it matter to you so much?"

Yumi turned away, walking over to the bed and sitting down, looking at the floor. She seemed lost in the memories of her past, painful ones by the look on her face. "Danzo Shimura ruined my life the way he ruined yours. He had my family killed too because of the business dealings between both our fathers. It was probably to make sure the truth of the Uchiha massacre was kept in the dark. My father respected your father a lot Sasuke, he would have tried to get justice for your family." She stopped to speak, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. When she opened them once more, there were tears in her eyes. "My mom hid me just in time before ninjas came in and slaughtered them, my sister, my mother, and father. They found me three days later and took me to a lord's estate. Shimura was there and made a deal with the lord, and the next thing I know I'm left there. I was forced to do things to that lord, and to others, men and women for many years. I couldn't fight back so I waited. I waited a very long time to strike, bidding my time. I almost thought I'd never get my chance. And then, you showed up, like an angel from God taking them all down. After you left, I went and finished them off, so no one would come after me ever again. I was fifteen when I broke free. I worked my way around, as a waitress, cleaning woman and even as part of a dancing troupe for a while. I came to Konoha a few days ago, but I never thought I'd run into you again of all things. But I am grateful I did." She finished explaining with a shy smile.

"I'm glad that I was able to help you," Sasuke replied. It was good to hear that his years with Orochimaru weren't just for training for power, that they did some good. He had a pretty good idea of what things Yumi was forced to do during those years of forced servitude. Her confession to murder was a bit shocking, but this woman was not the little girl Sasuke knew, no more than he was the young boy that she knew.

"What did bring you to this village?" Sasuke inquired.

"I actually just left the dancing troupe a month ago. We were last at Sunakagure, so I traveled back this way. I've been staying here on the money that I made. I haven't thought that far ahead in terms of what to do next." Yumi said sheepishly, running a hand through her hair. "All I know is that I can't afford to stay here anymore, or I'll spend all my money."

"You can stay with me," Sasuke blurted. He was taken aback at his own offer. Normally he didn't say things without thinking. That was usually the dobe's trait. Yumi was also surprised.

"That isn't necessary," she replied. "Honestly, I don't have any more family or ties to this place, I could just go on, find some other place to settle down."

"I know it's forward of me to do so, but I," Sasuke racked his brain for what to say, "I really don't want you to leave." He didn't even sound like himself. He spoke as if he were some other man. "I feel like if I let you leave now, it's a mistake. Like I'd be missing something but not giving you a chance to stick around."

Yumi just stood there, looking at him. Probably at a loss at what to say in response to such an odd request.

The Uchiha wanted to smack himself for acting like such an idiot. Since when did he act like this? For some girl he hadn't spoken to in nearly fifteen years. It was completely ridiculous. Was he actually nervous? He was never anxious when speaking with girls or even women. Mildly irritated by their unsolicited attention sure, but never nervous. Sasuke couldn't even think why he was asking her, as if she would actually accept his offer.

"Okay," Yumi uttered.

"What?" Sasuke said, eyebrows raised.

"I'll stay with you," the brunette repeated, accepting the Uchiha's haphazard offer.

"Okay," Sasuke nodded, running a hand through his raven hair. He turned, taking in the room in which he and his friend stood, observing for the bag full of clothes on the bed and meager toiletries lying about on the bedside table. "Are you paid up for tonight?"

Yumi nodded, "Yeah, I was going to check out tomorrow."

"Okay then, I'll come to pick you up tomorrow in the morning," Sasuke said.

"Alright," Yumi said, resting her hands behind upon her lower back. "I'll see you in the morning." The two walked towards the door leading out of the room.

"See you in the morning," repeated Sasuke. He grabbed the doorknob, turned it as he opened the door. He paused to look back at his long-lost playmate. "Good night, Yumi."

"Good night, Sasuke," Yumi returned in kind. She shut the door behind the raven-haired ninja gently. Sasuke looked off into the night as he breathed out a huff. What the fuck did I just do? He thought vexed at himself. He began to walk home.

Deep down he was aware of what he was doing. He wanted to keep Yumi around for what happened tonight at the restaurant. Naruto never looked so…angry. He has soon the dobe angry before, when they would engage in battle years ago, as rivals and as enemies. But this was a different sort of anger. Jealousy. The blonde was jealous of Yumi and how she was interacting with Sasuke was something he clearly was not comfortable with. What made it worse was that Sasuke let her get away with touching him, actions he wouldn't suffer for the other women in his life and hadn't in the past. Ino did many times when they were children, Sakura was more coy about it but had tried as well and Karin lived for the times when Sasuke would have to bite her to recover his strength, as well as boldly taking whatever chance she could to leech herself onto him.

But Yumi was different. She had grown into a rare beauty, that much anyone could see. A beauty so alluring it made Ino seem plain. It made her an equal to Sasuke in terms of appearance. But that wasn't what was retaining the Uchiha's interest in her. It was her eyes. Behind the friendly demeanor she demonstrated earlier in the evening, Sasuke observed something in her dark eyes that were like his own. A darkness that loomed deep within, caused by great pain and suffering. She seemed to be well versed in hiding that part of herself, unlike Sasuke. It was refreshing to meet a girl who he could relate to. A woman who matured over the years and despite the worldly horrors she was exposed to, she didn't break. She forced herself to become strong and do what was necessary to survive. Sasuke admired that in her. He didn't know anyone who could have lived through what Yumi did. He didn't know if he could.

Still, he wondered why she accepted his offer. Sure, he offered her to stay in the village for free, but there was so little that the woman knew about Sasuke. It must have occurred to her that he was not the same. The raven was a far cry from the little boy he had been years prior. Then again, perhaps she sensed he wasn't the sort to take advantage of a woman the way she had been in the past by others. If he had asked, she more than likely would have inquired in turn as to why the raven would even offer to let her stay with him in the first place. It would be an inevitable conversation, but he wanted to delay as much as possible.

These past few months were torturous for Sasuke, having to put up with the romance between Naruto and the Hyūga girl. Everyone was so overjoyed at their coupling. Tonight's talk of marriage wasn't the first time the Uchiha heard wedding bells in the pair's future. All the gossip and attention the two were generating was aggravating to Sasuke. He missed the days when it was just him and Naruto spending time together, as friends. They had so little time, as before Sasuke was hell-bent on forging a path of vengeance and justice on his own terms by isolating himself from everything and everyone, then Naruto began working in the Hokage office for several hours at a time after the blonde received a clean bill of health for being completely healed. From the hospital, Sasuke was taken into custody and would only see his friend when he was free and when the guards allowed visitors. At times, the Uchiha felt he took his friendship with the dobe for granted. Not that he'd ever admit of course.

So, it felt good, when for once the attention was taken away from the darling couple and people were talking about something else for a change. Where Sasuke didn't have to stomach the fact that Naruto was dating such a quiet, plain and passive woman. He wondered what occurred the blonde to even start going out with her in the first place. When the war ended and everything settled down, he figured Naruto would try to date Sakura. She was the only one Sasuke ever witnessed Naruto pay attention to and actively try to woo. Naruto didn't even talk about Hinata, much less acknowledge her feelings for him. As far as Sasuke was aware, the blonde didn't seem to know that much either.

As for the subject, Naruto and Sasuke hadn't spoken about his relationship with the Hyūga heiress. Neither was one to talk about girls like other boys, at least not with each other. Spending time together was getting to be a rare commodity these days. Today was the first time he saw Naruto in a week. Would the blonde bring up what happened in conversation? He'd have to wait and see.

After he said goodbye to Hinata, Naruto watched as his girlfriend entered the compound of her home and waited for the gates to close before he turned to head home. It was an opportunity to mull over what transpired over dinner just an hour before.

This Yumi girl, for some reason, he couldn't help but dislike her. Who just goes and sits on a man's lap like that? He couldn't deny that her face was beautiful, but so what? And what was Sasuke playing at, letting her sit on him? He hated girls, especially the ones who would always try to touch him. The Uchiha prodigy was never one for physical contact, much less for the sake of affection.

What the fuck was he thinking? The blonde thought angrily.

At that he heard a deep rumble of laughter deep inside him.

Oh great.

It's rather obvious don't you think.

I didn't ask for your opinion you know. He ran his hand through his head, trying his best not to look like a crazy person while engaging Kurama in conversation within himself.

As if I need your permission to speak, Kurama said, making a noise after he spoke.

What do you know about it anyway?

I've existed long before you or parents were even born. I've been stuck living in several humans over the years, suffering all their ridiculous emotions in the process. I'm more than familiar with the silly little feeling of jealousy.

Jealous? Me? Please.

Of course you are. You see this woman as a threat to your darling bond with the Uchiha brat.

Fuck you I'm not jealous! Fumed the blonde jinchuriki.

Oh yeah? Then why did you want to hurt her? Brought up the demon fox. Why did your heart race so fast when she sat on his lap? I felt that too.

I'm. not. Jealous, Naruto growled menacingly.

Liar, goaded Kurama calmly

"I'M NOT JEALOUS!" yelled Naruto wildly. He realized his outburst and frantically looked around him to find no witness to his screaming.

Poor little man, so desperate to have people like you, accept you. Have you ever tried accepting yourself? Suddenly Naruto felt a blip of disconnection, with Kurama hiding away back into the recesses of the jinchuriki's soul.

What the hell was he talking about? Naruto thought. The blonde shook it off and walked onward to his way home. He would definitely be speaking to Sasuke about what happened earlier tonight.

When Naruto finally arrived to his apartment, he navigated his way over his piles of trash. The Hokage-in-training was so wrapped up in his worries he paid no mind of the mess around the place like normal. Besides, it was something Sasuke always gave him grief for and then (seemingly out of character) helped Naruto clean up the whole apartment from top to bottom. Every time they would do it together, Naruto would initiate a playful match of who could throw the most trash at the other. Sasuke, despite himself, would always join in and best the blonde every time. The apartment never felt like home when Naruto was alone but always had a taste of it when his raven-haired friend hung around.

The blonde made it to his room, discarding his shirt as he took it off himself. As the shirt find its way unceremoniously onto the floor, Naruto took off his pants as well. Left in only his boxers, he made his way into his bed, unwilling to go and get his pajamas for the night. Naruto put both his hands behind his head and looked up to the ceiling above. He was far too restless to just go to sleep. He felt ridiculous for thinking so but couldn't help ponder over how complicated everything suddenly became. The jinchuriki had the childish desire to go back, before he started dating, before attracting women. When being friends with Sasuke was what mattered. It was always a question that lingered in his mind. Whether circumstances would be different if Naruto had gone the extra mile during childhood to become friends with the Uchiha. Perhaps, perhaps not.

It didn't really matter. What mattered was to maintain the friendship he had with the raven now. Sasuke never made it easy, but recently it was becoming more and more tense between them both. Naruto learned over time not to bring up Hinata while spending time with his friend. Everyone was overjoyed at the fact that the blonde had found someone to be with, but not Sasuke. He hoped, or rather assumed, that as Naruto's best friend, the Uchiha would have been happy for him too. But Sasuke would either joke, question or antagonize Naruto over his relationship with the Hyūga heiress. They almost came to blows over it a few times. So eventually Naruto just stopped talking about her, tired fighting with his friend over something so petty. He didn't want to jeopardize a friendship he worked so hard on recuperating for so long. Not over Hinata, and certainly not over this mystery woman that was so very taken with Sasuke.

Naruto turned over to look at his frog clock on the bedside table, it was getting pretty late. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to slumber. Eventually, it worked.

It was just after the Fourth Shinobi War. Naruto found himself back in the hospital room, recovering after the final battle with Sasuke. The raven himself was placed in the same room, his bed just beside a few feet away, nearby the window. The Uchiha was in just as bad as shape as the blonde. Sakura fretted over them both just as much as she did when she and Kakashi found them at the Valley of the End.

Many people would stop by; Naruto's friends, his former teachers, colleagues. Some would even engage Sasuke in conversations. After visiting hours were over, it was just the two of them alone in the room.

Naruto would stare at the raven for hours on end. It was as if he'd forget that Sasuke was present in the room, that he returned to the village after all this time. The blonde was certain he was bothering the Uchiha but he couldn't help himself.

Sasuke was home.

Sasuke never complained about the attention, he simply slept in peace. Typically, he would sleep facing the window, but other times, he'd turn over and face Naruto while he rested. Naruto never saw the last Uchiha look so calm. Sometimes, Sasuke would awaken and stare at Naruto in return. The two would just lock eyes, refusing to utter a single word. It sent chills up the blonde's spine every time. All he would hear is his blooding pumping in his ears. The exchange continued well into the dawn.

After two weeks of the same ritual, Sasuke finally began to speak.

"Are you really going to keep staring at me every night?"

"I don't stare at you that much," Naruto denied shyly, pulling the sheets up to his chin. Sasuke simply stared at him.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Naruto apologized. "It's just – you're finally here after all this time. Sometimes I can't believe it's real. Sometimes I have to look at you to remind myself you're not a fantasy."

Sasuke bore an expression of guilt at that.

"I'm sorry," the blonde apologized again. "I didn't mean—"

"It's I who should apologize Naruto," Sasuke interrupted. "I honestly don't deserve your friendship. You went above and beyond for me. No one else would have gone this far." No one else did is what he meant to say but left that part unsaid.

"Sasuke, please, we've been over this," referring to their talk after their fight at the valley.

"It's the truth," Sasuke insisted. "I know what you said, but all that you've done...you said it's because you're my friend."

"We are." Naruto said.

"To go this far for the sake of friendship..." Sasuke began.

"What are you trying to say?" Naruto asked.

"No one does the things you've done, not for the sake of friendship." Sasuke stated. The blonde held his breath, waiting for an accusation of sorts. "Except you. You're truly one of a kind, Naruto."

Naruto slowly let out his breath and then chuckled in relief. "Should I get used to you being so nice to me?"

"Don't hold your breath."