Author's Note: |About the Story|... Sasuke began acting strangely, (as if in shock) and distancing himself around March. When his last confrontation with Naruto occurs and the latter is demanding not to leave until he gets answers, Sasuke blows up on him and hurts Naruto with the things he says. Effectively distancing him; this happens in the beginning of June. Currently it is the end of August and Sasuke's emotions have finally settled for the most part.

I hope this chapter is to your liking! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein- they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. However, this story is entirely my own.


Naruto POV

Though he doesn't say anything, I feel his eyes on my back.

'Where the hell has this new development come from? Last I knew, the bastard was still acting crazy. I hope it wasn't someone else who was able to get him to open up his eyes to the reality going on around him. I doubt it was, but if I'm wrong.. did I really miss the opportunity to get to him and pull him away from the soul consuming bitterness that took over him?... If I could just-'

"Naruto," Kakashi said rather loudly, cutting off my train of thought, "you still with us?"

With both hands behind my head, I turn slightly to look back over my shoulder at him and grin, "What do you mean? You're paying; you said so yourself! There's no way I'd abandon an offer like that!" My smile isn't entirely ungenuine. I am thrilled to be able to spend time with Sasuke again after so long. My nerves and thoughts are just in overdrive today.

In response I hear "Hmm," and "Hn" in unison. They don't mention the fact that you could tell that was a pointed topic change from a mile away, and I'm grateful.

'Snap out of it, Naruto! Indulge in your internal monologue tomorrow and get yourself together.' I mentally shake myself.

Opening my eyes again, Sasuke is in front of me, walking backwards and staring me down with all he's worth. My breath catches. It feels like forever since the last time I saw the sun shining on his porcelain face, the way he almost glows in the natural light. His depthless black eyes make me feel lost, like I could find him prowling within my mind... threatening to devour my consciousness at any moment.

The notion sends jolts of electricity down my spine.

My best friend studies me, resolutely silent until I make a decision.

In a surge of speed, I rush forward, "Last one there is a picked menma!" I place my hand on Sasuke's shoulder and lightly squeeze, like I used to when we were close friends in the past.

Then I'm off; sprinting through the streets of Konoha with a likely surprised Uchiha keeping pace with me by running across rooftops, I can feel his steady chakra signature and I'm greatly pleased and relieved that he took the bait.

As we get closer, I slide towards the Ichiraku Ramen stand and Sasuke is already standing on top of it.

'Shit!' I think, as I slow some of my momentum but not nearly enough. Suddenly a weight lands on me, sending me crashing to the ground on my back.

In an effort to preserve my precious ramen shop, Sasuke deemed the most efficient course of action would be for him to apparently jump on top of me and knock the sense right out of my head.

"Ouch," I grumbled, "you sure know how to leave a knot, Teme!"

Not realizing the position we are in, I try to lift one hip so that I can rub out the sting in my behind. An alarmed screech almost escaped my lips instead as I finally feel the warm, hard body on mine; my groin meeting Sasuke's in an awkward manner that I have no excuse for.

When I felt the intimate contact, my eyes flew open to find that wasn't my biggest embarrassment at the moment. Once again, much like all the other awkward incidents in our childhood... our lips had sealed together in a forceful and graceless manner.

And Sasuke was calmly looking me in the eyes.

Maybe, in our earlier days, I would have sputtered and jumped away from him. Maybe, I would have declared that it was his fault or that he had done it on purpose.

However, today through no consent of my own, I fainted.

Sasuke POV

I opened my eyes at the same moment Naruto did, feeling his hips jerk underneath me and witnessing his shock and horror in those azure eyes...

Honestly, I didn't mean to kiss him. I just wanted to halt his progress before he barreled through a building that would cost us the payment of our first 'B' ranked mission to have it rebuilt.

We are so close to being Jonin! We can't fuck anything up this close to a promotion from Tsunade!

It didn't phase me to open my eyes and see that our our lips had met. Naruto is the only person I have ever kissed. Though they aren't proper kisses, they still count, right?

It's hilarious when the girls get upset about seeing it happen. I, myself have just accepted it as a weird phenomenon that occurs whenever Naruto is around and leave it at that. It doesn't phase me at this point.

This is the fifth time our lips have met.

Suddenly, Naruto gave out under me and his head lolled to the side.

"Hey," I said, jumping up and trying to shake him awake.

Kakashi, who had been there the entire time, grabbed one arm as I grabbed the other and we propped him up on a bar stool until his head rested against the table. "Maa, maa Sasuke. You're supposed to take them out to dinner before you steal a kiss," he chastised, as he pulled out Jiraiya's latest publishing of 'Icha! Icha! Paradise.'

"Don't you dare make this weird, Mr. 'pickled menma'. Oh, and you're still paying." I retorted with a light smirk.

Narrowing his eyes at me, Kakashi then looked over to Ayame and ordered for us, making sure to have them give Naruto extra menma topping for that earlier comment.

I sighed in contentment. 'Wow. How long has it been since Naruto and I acted like that? I'd almost forgotten the way it's easy let go of everything but a bit of fun when he's around.' I frown at my clasped hands on the bar.

I regret making him feel terrible with all those things I said about the village citizens, shinobi and Kurama. They all weren't the problem. The problem is Danzo and the elders.

'I'm going to have to clear things up for him when we get some time alone. He deserves an explanation for the way I lashed out back in June.'

I don't particularly enjoy the way our shinobi follow all their orders.. especially when the orders are extreme and betray the ones you care for. I fully understand as well as the next guy that sometimes extreme measures are essential to preserving the future and the good of the masses rather than the fates of the few; however that doesn't change my feelings.

'I will stay loyal to Konoha. I will serve as a dutiful ninja. Not for those who run our small country today or those who live here, but for Naruto.' I look over at him then, his slumped form resting on the bar and damn near sliding out of his seat, and I laugh quietly for the first time in months.

'Someday this blonde Baka will be the best Hokage we have ever seen and I'll be damned if I'm not around to see his reign. He is going to be the savior of this place, and hopefully someday he will banish the crap that goes on behind the scenes and restore the Will Of Fire into the hearts of those who already love and follow him. Naruto will lead people who accomplish a greater good with proper methods and good intentions. There will never have to be a great tragedy like the one that happened when I was seven-'

"Hey, Sasuke."

Naruto was conscious and trying to get my attention in hushed tones, "You're lost in your thoughts again.. Stay with me, Teme," He gave me a half hopeful look before turning his attention to Kakashi who was watching me intently again.

"Hn." Naruto gives me hope for myself and my future as well.

"Thanks for the ramen, Sensei!" He said in the tone a normal person would use. It makes me worry since he is nothing like he used to be; bubbly personality and always bouncing off the walls, full of speeches and reckless as ever. Now he is almost.. cautious, and guarded.

It saddens me greatly that my screaming at him and shutting him out for months on end may have played a part in that. August is almost over and I've had time to do a lot of thinking. Things need to start changing around here.

I watch him scarf down the still steaming bowl of noodles like they're going out of style. Without redirecting my gaze, I tell Kakashi that I'll be stealing him away after lunch to spar on the training grounds and that I'm grateful he took us out to celebrate our first "B" ranked mission.

The stiffening of broad shoulders aroused my curiosity as Naruto almost choked on a piece of menma at my words- though the dobe tried to play it off by hollering at Kakashi over his literal interpretation of the 'pickled menma' nickname that fueled our speedy trip here.

'Is he afraid to be alone with me? Hmm...'

The sparring took more out of me than I had expected. I had been anticipating a parry of blows and dodged chakra flares. What I got was Naruto giving me his all, at one point he even borrowed Kurama's chakra and used a jutsu on me that I'd never seen him perform before.

I was so impressed that I was nearly rooted to the ground more than once. He isn't far off from being as strong as a Hokage, he is nearly at or possibly surpassing the skill levels of our Konoha Jonin as it is. There will always be room for improvement, but I'd like to know if there is anyone out there besides me who's ass Naruto can't kick. (I'm totally as strong as him. Trust me. It's just that he surprised me when we were sparring today.)

At one point, Naruto had to pull his punches at the last moment and get in front of me to block the damn jutsu so it wouldn't kill me. He looked at me then with wonder mirroring my own, his breathing labored as we stood face to face.

When I reached up to wipe a droplet of blood underneath his eye with the pad of my right thumb, I could've sworn he almost pressed his face closer to me before jumping backwards fifty feet and sending a rasenshurikan in my direction. But he never said a word.

I don't know if I will ever understand Naruto. I am so lucky to have him in my life, and though I spent the entire summer in a bad place; I believe a part of me felt all the worse for it because he was not by my side. If I could have told Naruto, I would have. I would have let him in because I know he would've shared my woes and helped me through it.

I hated having to turn him away. Worse yet, I hated how I responded to him when he would not give up on the issue.

I am thankful a thousand times over that he has forgiven me.

Naruto walks beside me as we head home, much like we used to do before we became distanced. It's so nice! I feel more relaxed right now than I anticipated and I don't know if it is thanks to the draining sparring session , or the presence of my best friend at my side.

It's too quiet for the first night after we are finally talking again so I open my mouth to the first thought that comes to my head, "I've missed you and our easy companionship. It's so nice to get out and do this just like old times, huh?"

I look over and chuckle, he looks surprised to hear such a thing from me but doesn't tease me for the comment.

"Yeah," he beams at me, before looking at his feet, the smile not diminishing one bit, "I've missed you too, bastard."

"Well, you sure don't sound like it!" I bump my shoulder into his playfully and skip a sew steps ahead, "Have you already packed for the trip? We could spend the night at my place, since it's closer to the gate on the edge of town. Then we could just grab our stuff and go rather than packing in the morning. You down for that?"

Naruto POV

'Hold on a second, I think my ears are not working today.' I blink a couple times at that, wondering if I misheard the raven haired chunin standing before me.

'I woke up this morning and every other morning for the last few months depressed as hell- just for Sasuke to pull the curtain on his shit show and come waltzing into my life again like nothing happened?'

Meeting his eyes, I can see that Sasuke is well aware of my internal struggle and judging by the lines in his forehead he regrets the time we've spent apart this summer. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, I relax and give him a small grin. "You're on- but I'm bringing my cereal; last time you tried to feed me sauteed tomatoes for breakfast and we are not going through that argument again!"

He snickered at me as I performed the transportation jutsu and said, "Meet you there."

Arriving home, the familiar citrus smell washed over me and calmed my nerves a little. I went upstairs into my room and laid my traveling pack down on the sheets, eventually filling it up with one black and red jumpsuit, two tight shirts that stored heat in the cold and repelled it in hot climates, raumen, a kettle, some hygiene essentials and first aid items, kunai, herbs, all of our mission scrolls and a tarp if we got stuck out in the elements. The bedroll I hooked on top just before grabbing an unopened box of rice cereal on my way out.

At this point, I'm rushing to make it to his house before he changes his mind (Since I didn't already pack my stuff earlier like he thought.)

My heart thunders and I'm thrilled to be on friendly terms with the love of my life again!

It's just as I almost reach the youngest Uchiha's doorstep that I remember the problems with all our previous sleepovers.

Sasuke doesn't understand why I choose to sleep on the floor instead of in the king sized bed with him.

Sasuke sleeps in his underwear.

'Oh, fuck!'

I scrub my hands through my hair in exasperation and try not to think about a shirtless Sasuke too hard... or a handsome Sasuke with bedhead! and a rough morning voice! ohmygod-' just as I reach the doorstep, said Teme swings the door wide open and stares me down, unimpressed.

"Hn. You're slower than I remember, Dobe. Come in," I swallow hard but try not to look affected by Sasuke in his night robe illuminated in the entryway by light coming from the den. He looks fucking sexy.

Upon entering the living space, there are maps and scrolls laid out everywhere. Sasuke cleared his throat and said, "I thought we could make the most of our time tonight before we begin the mission. If you want to clean up before we go over our plan, be my guest."

At this, I practically run to the restroom down the ball to escape.

"BAKA!" I vent in hushed tones, "For a prodigy, sometimes you can be so dense!" ' I can't understand why in the world I'm crazy about you when you go off and say words like that over something as mundane as planning for a mission.'

'I thought we could make the most of our time tonight...'

"Stupid Sasuke!" I breathe out as I will my heart to calm down.

I allow myself to pout for a minute, but really, it isn't his fault that I have feelings for him. Neither is it his fault that he still doesn't know about them. I splash my face with icy water after changing my shirt and rejoin him in the main room to prepare for our mission that begins tomorrow and will likely last a only a few months; that is if I have enough chakra reserves in the end to teleport us back to Konoha using the teleportation seal I keep in my home as our target destination... otherwise it'll be another good amount of time just to trek back home.

August is almost over, so we ought to be home before the new year.

While we diligently go over our plans and how we are going to launch into the mission first thing tomorrow I can't help but steal stealthy glances at Sasuke's firm pectorals. 'Aaaaaaannd- There's a nipple,' I gulp and avert my gaze prom the peaked flesh watching his hand instead as he leans forward to dip the quill in ink and outline our intended plans.

Towards the end of the night, Sasuke and I acknowledge the time and tuck away our scrolls.

I stand and pop my back, raising my arms over my head and groaning, "Arrrgh!"

A deep and rich peal of laughter that was not my own nearly halted the breath leaving my lungs, "You haven't been on a major mission in several months but here you are sounding like an old man," Sasuke clutched his side and laughed a little harder.

"Well, I hope you've enjoyed your share. This old man is about to grab a pillow and rest his weary bones for the night." I stick my tongue out at him as I make my way to the linens closet near the entrance.

"Naruto, wait," strong slender fingers encircle my wrist and tug me back lightly. "We haven't spent any time together in so long... Just sleep in my bed with me, for tonight..."

I can't bring myself to look him in the eyes but I let out the shaky breath I'm holding and answer him all the same, "Yeah. I get lonely too sometimes."

When I'm sure I am fully composed, I turn and walk behind him as he makes his way though the now darkened house towards his private quarters.

My every breath is measured and my steps deliberate. I wonder if it is right to sleep in the same bed as the person I have feelings for while they are unaware. Would he not be okay with this if he knew? Guilt and worry threaten to swallow me whole until I hear his voice again and take a deep breath to calm myself.

"Which side do you prefer?"

"Whichever side isn't yours is fine with me, Sas." I don't want him to feel put out, but apparently that isn't too big of a problem.

"I sleep in the middle, the bed is big enough for it," the taller boy reveals to me in a soft voice. However, the statement makes me freeze.

"Oh," my hands feel clammy as I finally crawl in on the nearest side, taking off my dark blue jeans and leaving the shirt. I hear the material of Sasuke's robe fall to the floor and suddenly this is all to real for me.

Lightheaded, I hear, "Goodnight, Usuratonkatchi."

I smile. 'You won't be calling me that when I'm Hokage, bastard.'

"'Night, Teme."

To be continued... xxx