Nya! It's still just me... and Chang! Hehe.

When I thought about it at the end of the last chapter, I could just imagine the look on Sasuke's face. Somewhere along the lines of a cross between startled, confused, and somewhat happy. -Has to remember to draw it out...-

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Kishimoto-sensei does though! ( Did I spell his name right? If not, I apologize!)

Dedication: Moony! -you know who you are... I hope-

Reviewers: I love you guys so much! Oh, and you're right about the whole ' Killing me for updates' deal. Who would update? Hm... Kai maybe? ... Anyway, all the great reviews along with everyone's support ( are they the same thing?) are huge ego boosters for me! And an inflated ego means... a longer story! Haha, really though, you reviewers rock! Domo Arigatou! -Thank you very much!-

Chapter Four: What Should I Call This Feeling?

The early morning sun shone brightly, temporarily blinding him. What the... where...? He questioned, pushing himself up off the grass to get a better look around. Oh yeah... he had come for Naruto last night. Ugh... I must've fallen asleep... He stretched, remembering that Naruto was there as well and blushed slightly. He shoulder still had drool remnants on it though...

Naruto was still asleep, right next to Sasuke. Sasuke stood up, trying to determine the time of day. Had anyone noticed that he was gone? He was only really worried about Sakura though, she had a knack for getting the wrong ideas sometimes.

Determining that it was still fairly early in the morning, around 8:00, he figured they still had time to cover their tracks. Two guys, a clearing, and nobody else around, that was definitely grounds for gossiping and pointing for at least a few months.

" Hey, dobe, wake up." He said, knowing full well that just asking him to wake up wouldn't work and kicked him in the ribs.

The blond cringed in his (slight) sleep, slowly opening his eyes and searching around for the source of what the pain in his side. " What... Sasuke? What're you.." He was still half asleep, and thus not finishing his sentences. He too soon remembered where they were, and attempted to get up, only to fall lazily back onto the dew dropped grass.

Sasuke glared down at the younger boy, " Come on, get up Naruto! We have to go before Sakura or anyone else finds us missing."

Naruto yawned, managing to sit up, " Why...? Sakura's nice enough right..? What're you so worried about?"

Sasuke shook his head at how dense Naruto seemed to be. He figured Naruto, of all people, wouldn't want to be ridiculed. Though he may very well be used to it... " Naruto, just get up and piece everything together later." He ordered, walking away and threatening to leave Naruto there.

" Ah!" Naruto scrambled to get up, " Wait for me!" he demanded, running after Sasuke and nearly sending them both crashing to the ground because he couldn't stop fast enough.

" Dobe!"

" Sorry..."

xXx

" Sakura! Sakura!" Somebody called out to the pink haired girl. Anyone could recognize him a mile away.

Sakura stopped walking, turning to face who was calling her, " Lee?" She was, as was predicted of her, looking for Sasuke and Naruto.

Lee came to a stop next to her. He looked almost exactly like Gai. Lee was now a Jounin, and an almost perfect Maito Gai clone. Though Sakura forced him to change his hairstyle long ago. It was now longer, and in a small ponytail. " Sakura, are the rumors true?"

Sakura looked at him skeptically, " That depends on what rumors you're talking about."

" Naruto! Is it true that Naruto has come back?" He had heard it from his fellow Jounin, TenTen, an hour ago, and had been searching for Sakura ever since.

Sakura smiled and nodded, " Oh, yeah. I'm looking for him and Sasuke right now actually. Don't you have to train with your team today?" She asked, referring to the three genins that were usually seen following Lee around. To her surprise, he shook his head.

" No, Emi got sick, so I gave them the day off." Emi, was one of the three genins. ( Though I think you guessed that..) Lee the used Sakura's brief silence to pull her into a quick hug, " Need help finding Naruto and Sasuke?" He asked, looking down at her.

She hugged him back, " Sure, that'd be great!"

( A/N: There you go Moony, Lee's scheduled appearance!)

xXx

" Hurry up!" Sasuke turned around to see what was keeping Naruto back this time. The blond had gotten himself tangled up in some shrubbery. Sasuke sighed, " This is the last time I'm going to help you! Next time, I'm leaving you there!"

" Okay, okay!" Naruto responded, trying to break a wayward vine with his teeth. Sasuke drew a kunai, easily cutting Naruto out while he worked on chewing a vine to death. Naruto kicked the remaining plants off of himself, spitting out the remnants of the vine, " Ugh... stupid wildlife..." He mumbled, following Sasuke and taking care to avoid overgrown patches.

When they had finally gotten out of the forest that led to Naruto's secret spot, they brushed off the bugs, and various leaves that fell on them, " I think we're good now, lets get on the road." Sasuke suggested, thinking of the many excuses that they could tell anyone who might see them on said road.

xXx

Lee had gone one way and Sakura had gone another in the search. Lee though, would be the successful one. He looked as if he were merely wandering the streets, occasionally greeting someone he knew.

" I told you I'm leaving you there!"

" What? This isn't a bunch of plants though!"

" Tough. Maybe some passer-by will be nice enough to get you out."

" These trashcans jumped out in front of me! Sasuke, come back!"

Lee looked ahead of himself, and sure enough, the source of the yelling was who he expected it to be. Naruto had gotten himself stuck inside an empty trashcan, and Sasuke was just about to walk away as he said. Lee quickly walked over to the small scene, " Sasuke, Naruto!" He was surprised, when did Sasuke start speaking again?

Sasuke looked up and Naruto immediately began to shout, " Ah! Whoever you are could you help me outta here?" You'd think a ninja could find his way out of a trashcan. Lee's voice had changed a bit, so Naruto didn't recognize him at first.

" Hey, Lee. Let me guess, Sakura sent you?"

Lee nodded, lifting the trashcan off of a very frustrated Naruto, " Yes, she's looking on the other side of the village though." Naruto shook his head, getting any debris off. Lee took a step back to avoid getting hit, " By the way, Naruto, welcome back!" He said, sounding very Lee-ish.

Naruto wanted to greet him, but the first thought that entered his mind was that of, " I'm not staying! Why wont anyone listen!" Actually, his mind was starting to change, but he wasn't about to tell anyone that. Especially Lee or Sasuke.

Lee and Sasuke exchanged glances, before Lee spoke, " Why won't you stay, Naruto?"

Naruto didn't answer, his attention had been drawn to Sasuke. The ANBU hadn't done anything, but a thought just struck his mind. Why was Sasuke suddenly being so cold? The Sasuke he had seen yesterday, or rather last night, had so much nicer, and open.

Lee ignored the absence of an answer, " Well, let's go find Sakura." He watched as Naruto stood up and followed along obediently, still deep in thought. Sasuke trailed along behind.

xXx

Sakura was standing at a street corner, thinking things over. Did Lee find them..? She wondered, because she had no luck. Sakura had her suspicions about why Sasuke and Naruto were missing, but, she kept them to herself. She had after all promised, and a pissed off ANBU was not a good thing in her mind.

" Sakura!" Lee's voice called again, tearing Sakura away from her thoughts.

She looked up, smiling and running over to the group, " There you guys are!" As what had happened was explained by Naruto, Sakura couldn't help but glance over at Sasuke. He didn't seem to notice though, and continued tuning everyone out.

"... and that's how we met up with Bushy Brows!" Naruto concluded, using Lee's old nickname.

Sakura nodded, letting Naruto know she'd heard all of the story. She felt Lee's arm wrap around her shoulders a few moments later. She glanced over at Sasuke again. The ANBU was now watching Naruto, though he averted his gaze when Naruto looked over at him.

Sasuke...

" Naruto." Sasuke said suddenly, just as they were about to leave. Sakura and Lee took the hint, continuing on their way and leaving Sasuke and Naruto alone.

Naruto, still in a good mood, turned to face Sasuke, " Yeah?" He titled his head to the side again, still trying to decipher the look on Sasuke's face and in his eyes. Those beautiful obsidian eyes that showed the emotions the face itself refused to show. More blush found it's way onto Sasuke's cheeks, what was wrong?

Sasuke's eyes briefly met Naruto's but he quickly looked down towards the ground again, rather shyly. " I'm sorry, okay?" He felt he had to apologize, though he knew one apology wouldn't make up for things. He figured out, that deep down, waaaaaay deep down, he actually had a soft spot for Naruto. But, what were these other feelings that came with it? Every time Naruto spoke, every time he even saw the blond, he got an unfamiliar odd feeling in the pit of his stomach.

" What are you apologizing for, Sasuke?" What had the other done? He hoped that Sasuke wouldn't leave him in the dark, as he had done before. Naruto could see it so clearly on Sasuke's cheeks, the distinct red tinge against otherwise pale skin. Why was Sasuke blushing? He had never known the other to blush, or be, well, like this.

Sasuke made eye contact this time, locking black with blue. " I've been a jerk, okay? That's why I'm apologizing. I've been snapping at you all day, and I always have been since we were in the academy." He paused, putting his hands in his pockets, " And for that I'm sorry."

Naruto was, to say the least, surprised at the sudden attitude change in Sasuke. Why as he being this nice, why would he, of all people, apologize for that? " Oh, okay. It's fine, don't worry about it." He said, reassuring Sasuke and smiling as he always did.

The blush remained on Sasuke's face, and he smirked, messing up Naruto's hair and even laughing a little, " You really are a dobe, Naruto."

Naruto's smile never left his face. Somehow he knew Sasuke didn't mean it when he called him a dobe anymore. Actually, he didn't think he ever really did mean it.

What should I call this feeling?

I LOVE the way I'm ending these lately! Haha, you all thought he was gonna say he loved Naruto didn't you? He will eventually, maybe... it's for me to know and you to find out eventually!

The next update may take a bit, seeing as this week I'm going with my grandmother to make my Halloween costume. I'm going as Edward Elric from FullMetal Alchemist. I'm seriously going all out on this thing. We're making a glove to cover my whole entire right arm and another one to cover my left leg so it looks like I have automail, just like Ed! We're also temporarily dying my hair goldish-blonde, and I'm going to use a straightening iron to straighten my hair, like Ed's! Yeah, can't you tell I'm excited?

Anyway, thanks for sticking with the story everyone! You all rock!

- Arina

P.S.: I have to say it, or else I'll wind up doing the Fan Girl Squee and making everyone within a 50ft radius go deaf. IT'S SO FLUFFY! The story I mean. xD It might lose a bit of the fluff, might. I have never written anything more than fluff before though, so, yeah. I dunno, it's a possibility though.

AND starting with this chapter there will be a dedication at the beginning of each update, since my friends are so special to me! This is dedicated to Moony because she suggested that Lee showed up, and he did in this chapter. xD I know she hates the pairing; Lee x Sakura, so I've gotta apologize for that. Sorry!

-Has just gotten an idea- Muwahahahaha...