Chapter 4

Naruto drove through the city for half an hour before Sasuke finally snapped, demanding to know where they were going making Naruto laugh loudly at his anger.

"Calm down bastard we're almost there." Sasuke relaxed back into his seat. No one but Naruto could call him a bastard and live it seemed. He smiled out the window.

Naruto had never shown anyone his favorite spot in the city. Not any of his friends or even Jiraiya. This one place was his alone, but when Sasuke was speaking to him, to his soul, he couldn't help but want to show it. Looking over now at the gorgeous man next to him he couldn't bring himself to regret the decision at all. Naruto pulled into the parking lot for the state park and hopped out of the car.

"It's about a two hour hike so we better get started." When Naruto usually went it only took a few minutes but he used his powers to jump over the trees and scale the mountains.

Sasuke's eye twitched hearing the estimated time and wanted to tell him to take him back but one look at the smiling idiot and he knew he would do anything for that smile. Letting out a pained sigh Sasuke began to head to the entrance, "Let's get going then idiot."

Naruto jogged to catch up. An hour into the trail Naruto suddenly grabbed Sasuke's hand, much to his embarrassment and took off through the woods, ignoring the trail completely.

"What are you doing idiot?" Sasuke yelled through his red tainted cheeks. Naruto simply laughed before yelling back, "This is the way to my favorite place bastard!"

Eventually he stopped running and began walking at a normal pace again but he didn't drop the hand in his own. Both men pretended as if they didn't notice but the dark stain on their cheeks proved otherwise. The two walked hand in hand in silence for several minutes until Sasuke bravely adjusted his hand so that their fingers were intertwined like he had seen couples do before. Naruto's face darkened even more but the blond didn't make any move to retract the comforting hand. Naruto and Sasuke walked close together, Naruto leading the way by correcting their path every so often. Neither felt the need to talk as they simply enjoyed the proximity to one another. The walk was peaceful and otherwise uneventful. Unknowingly, both men were simultaneously thinking how much easier the journey would be if only they could use their power.

The couple hit a dead in. In front of them a vine covered wall, Sasuke was going to turn when Naruto reached out and brushed aside the vines revealing a narrow staircase carved into the mountainside. Naruto looked at the amazed look on Sasuke's face and squeezed his hand happily. The two began their journey up the narrow stairs until a soft light could be seen ahead of the two. As the approached the light Naruto turned to the dark haired man, "Welcome to my favorite place Sasuke." Just then the two emerged on a mountain peak. The woods they had just travelled through spread across his field of view. In the near distance was the Konoha skyline, slowly lighting up as the sun set and night bloomed. The sky was starting to turn the colors of its nightly masterpiece, casting shadows on the men on the peak. Sasuke felt emotion pool in his gut at such a beautiful sight, never had he thought the sight of Konoha to be beautiful and here he was with Naruto, filled with emotions of awe and gratitude. If only he didn't have to destroy the town Sasuke thought somberly.

Naruto watched the flicker of emotions across the stoic man's face with wonderment. He could stare at the perfection next to him his whole life. He let Sasuke soak in the view for a few minutes before speaking, "How do you like it?" He asked hopefully.

Sasuke turned to the wonderful man next to him, momentarily caught off guard by the way the sunlight played with his hair, never before had he looked so divine.

"Naruto." Sasuke replied in awe. He didn't feel as words could do justice to what Naruto had given him. Instead he stepped closer to the blond man bringing his hand to rest upon the whiskered cheeks, "beautiful." He murmured. Naruto flushed but did not pull away from the contact, Sasuke leaned forward until their breaths mingled between them, their eyes slid shut just before the soft pressure of lips descended on Naruto's mouth. The kiss wasn't hungry, it wasn't needy or forceful, it wasn't chaste or awkward. The kiss was warm and soft as Sasuke fit his lips around Naruto's in a way that made both men feel as if they had been wasting their lips their whole lives for surely they were each made to fill the others so completely. Naruto brought his hand to Sasuke's neck keeping him in the kiss for moments longer before the two broke apart in a haze.

"Wow." Naruto breathed out against Sasuke's still close lips.

"Yeah." Sasuke intelligently replied. The two stood with their arms and bodies pressed together until the sunset had darkened the sky signaling the two to head back to the car.

Naruto drove Sasuke back to his car at the coffee shop. Neither man made a move to part. Minutes passed until Naruto spoke, "You know…since we both seem to be a sort of workaholic maybe we could hang out when we need a break? If that's okay with you, I mean." He finished lamely. Sasuke breathed out a sigh of relief. Naruto wanted to see him again, "Of course. Give me your phone." Naruto looked confused before realizing his intentions and trading phones with Sasuke, each placing their number in the other.

Sasuke opened his car door before pausing, "Bye Naruto."

The blond smiled, "bye Sasuke." The two leaned in slightly to place a soft kiss on the others lips before parting.

Naruto trained with a new fervor the following days. Meeting Sasuke gave him another reason to get stronger; he needed to protect him from the Avenger's attacks on the city. Little did he know, Sasuke began training even harder to ensure his plan's success with the added aspect of saving Naruto.