Chapter 8! Woot! BE HAPPY! lol jk you don't gotta be happy...though you should be... Cuz i was so nice enough to ubdate twice in one day xD Anywho, please enjoy!

-x- -x-

Chapter 08: A Confession...

It was the worst day Naruto has ever had to put up with of his entire life! And it all revolved around a certain ravened haired man.

-x- Flashback -x-

"hai hai~~" Naruto chirped cheerfully as he happily tore himself from his morning chores to answer the door. It was an hour before noon, and Sasuke had gone to take a walk, and go get groceries while he was at it. Lately, Sasuke has been more tired than usual, and Naruto of course gave him his space, and tried his best not to be a nuisance. Naruto cheerfully opened the door only to have his azure blue eyes meet with green. He blinked rapidly with a smile still on his face. "And you are?"

Naruto had a pretty good idea who the female before him was. He was sure it was this 'Sakura' Sasuke speaks of rarely, but comes to visit a lot on Sasuke's free days. To be honost, every time she came over Sasuke would rush Naruto to his room and told him to stay silent.

"Trust me Naruto...You don't wanna let Sakura meet you."

That's what Sasuke had told him, and he had always wondered why. Yes, the blonde had a few glimpses of her once in a while, but not much. Sakura was very beautiful. Strawberry blonde, clear skin, the perfect female figure. Naruto didn't understand what's so wrong about her. Naruto smiled cheerfully up Sakura as she continued to stare at him.

"I should be the one to aske you that!"

"eh?" Naruto said, stunned at how hostile Sakura sounded. His smile faltered a bit and he sweatdropped when he saw Sakura examining him with a glare. He looked down at himself, wondering there was something wrong about him. He was wearing the nice orange Kimono Sasuke had given him that had brown and red star leaves along the end of the Kimono.

"Don't play dumb with me. You might've fooled Sasuke-kun but you haven't fooled me!" Sakura said menacingly taking a threatening step forward. Naruto insinctively took a step back.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto said, trying very to keep his smile there, but the corner of his mouth was twitching showing how badly it wanted to drop. Sakura gave a very loud 'hmph', before she circled the poor boy, studdying him intently.

"I won't deny it... You do have a nice slender body that's smaller and cuter than mine...and you have a pretty face with a cute smile, but other than that, you're sooo plain compared to me," Sakura stated, stopping in front of Naruto again. Naruto was about to say something when Sakura jabbed a finger to his chest. "Give it up girl... Wearing Kimono's just make you look more flat chested... No use in hiding it."

Naruto's lips twitched as a vein throbbed in his temple. 'Flat chested?' Was this girl...mistaking him for a female?

"I'm not a girl..." Naruto strained out. He was sure that as soon as this misunderstanding is cleared up, Sakura would apologize and be kind to him, just as he imagined her to be. But instead of his sweet fantasy becoming reality...it went in an opposite direction. Sakura scoffed.

"Please, don't even try to use that trick on me! I know that you made yourself look like a man just so you could get closer to Sasuke-kun. Sorry to break it to you, but he's my fiance!" Sakura said, smirking mockingly. Naruto's smile disappeared immediately and stared at Sakura with wide eyes.

"F...Fiance?" Naruto stuttered. Sakura smirked widely.

"But of course, why else would I come here?" Sakura said. Naruto shook lightly in a state of shock. He bit his bottom lip before he bowed his head and stared at the snowy ground that Sakura stepped in. Sasuke never told him anything...about having a fiance... "Now please...would you leave my fiance's house! He doesn't need a maid to do the house chores, he has a wife, meaning me, to do it for him!"

Sakura smirked down at Naruto triumphantly. Naruto knew exactly what she was thinking. She was probably thinking that she had won...that he was just going to leave... Well she thought wrong!"

"As if I'd leave!" Naruto retorted, looking up to glare at Sakura. That took the girl by surprise that it left her a bit speechless.

"Why you!"

"I don't believe any of that fiance shit, because Sasuke would've told me!" Naruto said.

"Don't refer to Sasuke-kun as if you know him!" Sakura growled. Naruto huffed and crossed his arms angrily.

"Saaaasuuuuke..." Naruto drawled, just to piss the girl. The girl was shocked how defiantly this boy was acting. She growled lowly as she took a threatening towards him. Naruto, letting his fox instincts kick in, growled back and pushed Sakura out from the house and onto the wet snow. Sakura stared up Naruto with angry horrified eyes. Naruto crossed his arms and stood at the door way menacingly. "I don't recall ever inviting you into my home!"

"Your home! You stupid wretch, this is Sasuke-kun's house!" Sakura roared, stumbling to her feet. Naruto, though he was a bit shorter than Sakura, looked down on her as if she were an ant.

"More proof that you aren't Sasuke's fiance... If you were, you would've known that Sasuke and I are living together!" Naruto said casually and lightly, knowing that this news would leave a huge dent in Sakura.

"Wh-what?"

"Now if you'll excuse me... I got chores to finish." Naruto said, sending Sakura a cold look before he shut the door in her face.

-x- End of Flashback -x-

Naruto groaned softly, feeling very miserable. He, at this moment, found himself curled up in his futon with the covers over his head so not to see anything but darkness. That suited him very much at the moment...since his thoughts were dark and lonely..

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered softly. He knew that he had told Sakura that he didn't believe the fiance thing...but what if it really is. Naruto remembered what Sasuke had told him. Telling him that he wouldn't want Sakura to meet him... maybe it was because Sakura was the jealous type of fiance, and Sasuke didn't want to upset her by giving her the wrong idea! Well it was pretty obvious now that she is the jealous type. Naruto sighed softly. Sasuke really thought about how other's would feel, especially the ones he loves...

Naruto's heart clenched at the word. Love...he thought Sasuke...had felt something similar towards him. Since the raven would always kiss him...and hug him... and say such sweet things to him. Could it be Sasuke had been playing with his feelings? No, that's not possible for Sasuke, someone so kind as him. Maybe it had just been him. Maybe it was he that had misunderstood. Maybe, all this time, these affections Sasuke had been giving him weren't romantic at all..but probably brotherly. Come to think of it, that could be the case! Since Sasuke has never once ever tried to kiss him anywhere that was more intimate. It would always be a peck on the cheek...or on the forehead, but nowhere else. Naruto's eyes welled up with tears.

"I'm so stupid..." Naruto whispered to himself, hitting his forehead angrily under the covers. He had been dillusioning himself all this time! But it shouldn't be a problem right! He shouldn't care if Sasuke didn't like him like that! He should be happy! Now it would be less hard to leave when the time comes! And he still had Sai, the one person he had to return back to! ...If that were the case...he wouldn't be crying softly at the moment. He wouldn't be wishing to have Sasuke here by him and holding him. He wouldn't wish to stay with him! "Nnng... S-Sasuke..."

"Baka..."

Naruto froze at the voice that suddenly pierced his heart. Before Naruto knew what was happening, the sheets were torn off to reveal his crying face, that stared shockingly up at Sasuke. Naruto was frozen in place, not sure what to do. How long had Sasuke been there! Had he been listening to him talk to himself! Did he just hear him sob his name! At those thoughts, Naruto's face flushed red. Sasuke stared down at him affectionately before he leaned down and gently kissed the blonde's cheek lovingly.

"Baka..." Sasuke whispered as he took the silent crying blonde into his arms, cradling him protectively. Sasuke placed his hand on the back of the boy's head and gently pressed him to his chest, while his other arm was securely around the slender waist. "I really can't leave you alone can I? ...You always find a way to beat yourself up..."

"..."

"I know what happened between you and Sakura...but I'm sure that she had exagerated a bit... Or is it true that you set off on her and attacked her with slaps and punches?" Sasuke said gently, stroking the boy's hair softly. Naruto shook his head silently as he bit his bottom lip, more tears welling his eyes and soon spilling over. "And I'm sure she hadn't just asked you to be her friend...and that you refused and was rude to her..."

Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't believe that Sakura had gone running to Sasuke not to just tattle on him, but to tell him a completely different story from what really happened. Naruto glared angrily at nothing, and Sasuke noticed.

"What's the real story Naruto..." Sasuke said, tilting Naruto's head up and wiped away the tears, all the while smiling encouragingly. And so Naruto told Sasuke what really happened, how he had been very polite to the point where he couldn't, how Sakura had insulted him, and how she had claimed to be his fiance. All the time, Sasuke was silent and listened to the blonde's words. When Naruto was done, he fell into a deep silence, staring sadly at Sasuke's chest.

"...I-Is it true? ...I-Is she really your fiance?" Naruto asked softly, he eyes gloomily glancing up at the raven, but he didn't understand why Sasuke would want to be with this girl...one who was so mean and lies..

"Of course not..." Sasuke said immediately. Naruto's eyes widened softly and he slowly looked up at Sasuke who was frowning lightly. "Sakura will never be the woman for me... Yes, she is very beautiful, but her innner beauty is very hideous..."

Sasuke smiled and carrassed that boy's whiskered cheek, running his thumb along the cheek bone softly.

"Do you understand why I didn't want you to cross paths with her? I knew she'd somehow bring you pain..." Sasuke said, his smile disappearing. "I hate seeing you sad, so I'd done my best to keep you away from her, but it seems my best wasn't enough."

Naruto stared up at Sasuke with wide azure eyes, not believing what was coming out of Sasuke's mouth. All this time...when he had thought Sasuke had been thinking of Sakura...it actually turned out that he had been thinking of him all this time. Sasuke chuckled softly as he rested his forehead against the blonde's while his arms wrapped tightly around the boy.

"You're very important to me now Naruto... And to me...from here and forever, you'll always have first place in my heart..." Sasuke whispered, his dark eyes staring into wide azure. "You're very beautiful...inside and out Naruto... Nothing will change my opinion."

At those simple words, Naruto's cheeks flushed a soft pink, and his wide eyes slowly softened. And to top it off, the most gentle...and most affectionate smile that Sasuke's ever seen crossed the boy's warm features.

"T...Thank-you..." Naruto whispered lightly. Sasuke was a bit shocked when the blonde suddenly hugged back tightly and nuzzled his chest affectionately. Sasuke felt as if someone just took the air out of him without warning. This tight knot he's had since the first time he had kissed the boy's cheek, since he's held him, since he took care of him, since he saw him on the snowy ground of the forest...hasn't left him. And it's gotten so much tighter... He just wanted to loosen it a bit...just a tiny bit. Because if he didn't, he surely knew that if it continues to tighten without being relieved at least once, it will suffocate him.

"Naruto...may I try something? ..." Sasuke asked...his pale features a light pink. Naruto tore himself away a bit, so he could gaze up at Sasuke curiously.

"hm?" Naruto asked, tilting his head lightly. The knot tightened...Sasuke found himself unable to breath. He shakily cupped the boy's cheek, as he stared into those curious blue orbs.

"Just once... Once will be enough..." Sasuke whispered as he leaned in on Naruto. Naruto's blue eyes widened in surprise as a pair of soft lips pressed against his own. Sasuke's face was so close to his... that he could see how long his dark eyelashes were..that he could see that they went perfectly with his soft dark eyes. At this closeness, he could see more definite details of Sasuke's eyes. He could see petals of brown in those dark waters... How close they were...it felt nice... But this nice closeness only last a second longer before Sasuke pulled away. "Once... I won't do that ever again..."

Naruto just stared hazily into the raven's eyes, his face flushed. The knot in Sasuke's chest did indeed loosen...it loosened very much... Sasuke brushed hair out of the blonde's face hesitantly, not sure if it were okay after what he had done. But when he gently carrassed the boy's cheek, instead of retreating or pulling way, Naruto leaned against his touch. This made Sasuke freeze, but it also gave him such a nice warm feeling well up in him. A feeling that loosened the knot even more to the point where the knot completely disappeared. Sasuke smiled gently and lovingly down at the blushing blonde. Who would've thought a simple kiss would've washed all his worries away like a leaf in a creek. Sasuke began to laugh lightly, making Naruto stare up at him curiously. He merely shook his head as as he wrapped his arms tightly around the blonde.

"Do you mind...Taking a nap with me?" Sasuke asked softly, already laying down in the futon and bringing Naruto down with him, before the blonde could even reply back properly. But nontheless, the blonde shook his head with a pink face. Sasuke smiled as he pulled the covers over their bodies. He snuggled the boy to him, gently stroking those soft golden locks. His dark eyes were half lidded as he silently listened to his heart beat and the boy's. They were synchronised as one...and that made Sasuke happy too. A simple thing as that... made a fierce swordsman happy. Sasuke couldn't believe how soft he had grown, but he didn't care anymore... because he had Naruto by his side...

-x- -x-

Naruto was the first to wake up from his and Sasuke's little afternoon nap, which was an amazing thing since it usually was Sasuke who would be awake first. He felt like he had accomplished something because of that little detail. Naruto laughed to himself before he glanced up at Sasuke's sleeping face and memories of what had happened only about two hours ago came rushing back.. He blushed lightly and smiled softly. He wouldn't lie to himself...he had liked that kiss very much. It had given him butterflies in his stomache and had left him so dazed. But in a good kind of way. He had wanted Sasuke to kiss him again, but he was too scared to ask, or do anything. Naruto sighed softly as he hugged Sasuke tightly, burrying his face in the man's chest. Sasuke's scent was sweet...and soothing, he liked it very much, since he's never smelled something like this before. Not even Sai had this scent... No Sai had a more earthy, fresh scent.

Naruto's eyes blinked slowly as the image of that dark haired boy came to mind. Sai... He had almost forgotten about him...and all due to Sasuke was this happening... Naruto's eyes filled with concern as they narrowed. He wanted to go back to Sai...but he didn't want to leave Sasuke either... This was never supposed to happen! He was never supposed to have been found by Sasuke! Never was supposed to be cured by him and stay here with the man! He was never supposed to fall in love with him! Naruto's eyes widened at the thoughts that came to his mind, shock paralyzing him for a few moments. Naruto's eyes hardened as he thought of what to do about the situation.

Carefully...after minutes of thinking and arguing with himself... Naruto pulled away from Sasuke's embrace and crawled out of the futon... He sat by it for a moment, staring down at the sleeping swordsman with great sadness in his eyes. He couldn't stay here any longer...he can't allow things to get worse! He wanted to say good bye to the raven, but he knew that if he did, it would be impossible for him to leave. Naruto blinked sadly..before he stood up and silently left the room. He went down the hall, and stopped in front of a closet. He knew he'd have to open this someday...he just didn't think it would be this soon. Inside the closet, were the clothes he first came with...the clothes he had been wearing on his back when Sasuke found him. They were very clean now, and Sasuke had patched them up, the places that were ripped. Naruto slipped off his orange kimono, and slipped his old clothes back on after a long time. He placed the now folded orange Kimono in his old clothes place and quietly shut the closet door. Naruto then headed towards the back porch. Sasuke's back porch had a small yard with a pond...but beyond that small pond was a bamboo forest. Naruto realized that only a couple of days ago, when he had been out on the porch and Sasha came from the bamboo trees. He had thought there was a wall behind those trees, but he had been wrong...and now it would be his one way ticket out. Yeah sure, he could use the front door...but he didn't want to risk going into the village and getting seen by people, especially Sakura.

Naruto closed the door behind quietly before turning around and gazed out from the porch. He was going to miss this place...he and Sasuke had spent a long time just talking here on the porch, side by side... Naruto shook his head lightly, trying to push these feelings away. He had to leave now! Naruto took a deep breath, before he hopped off the porch and onto the snow with a soft crunch. He had only taken three steps when something suddenly jumped out of no where and pushed him down onto the snow. He groaned softly, the throbbing in his head so far the only thing he could feel. He glanced around as he rubbed his head, but saw nothing.

"What are you doing Naruto-kun? Get back inside you'll get sick!" Sasha's familiar voice yipped by him, making him jump. Sasha really blended well with the snow, so he figured that's why he couldn't find her. Naruto hung his head and shook his head.

"I can't go back in..." Naruto mumbled. Sasha's red gaze narrowed.

"Why not? Did you lock yourself out? Did you get in a fight with Sasuke-kun?" Sasha asked, showing how worried she was. Naruto bit his bottom lip as he shook his head, clenching his fists in his lap.

"No... I can't go back in... I-I gotta leave... Now!" Naruto said as he stumbled back to his feet. Naruto's sudden unusual behavior alarmed Sasha and she jumped after Naruto as the blonde stumbled through the snow into the bamboo forest.

"Why? What happened Naruto-kun?" Sasha asked seriously. Naruto's eyes clouded with sadness and regret.

"I...I was falling head over heels for him..." Naruto mumbled as he pushed leaves out of his way. Sasha froze for a split second at those voiced words, having mixed feelings swim inside her about the current situation. She was happy and relieved...yet disappointed and sad. She had been hoping Naruto would fall in love with Sasuke... But now that she knows about Sasuke's hidden and sleeping power, she was disapointed that Naruto had. But this isn't about her! This is not her life, it's Naruto's... and his heart.

"Wait Naruto-kun. Stop and take a deep breath and lets think about this for a second okay?" Sasha yipped, walking by Naruto. The blonde shook his head.

"I've done enough thinking! This was never supposed to happen! I should've left as soon as I got better! I should've left, a-and gone back to Sai!" Naruto said, trying to convince Sasha, but most importantly, himself. "This was all a mistake! An accident!"

"There's no accidents in life... Everything happens for a reason, Naruto-kun," Sasha said sternly.

"Well maybe I don't wanna know the reasons!" Naruto shouted, stopping and glaring down at Sasha, stunning the three-tailed fox. "Maybe I just want to keep living on thinking that I never came across Sasuke!"

"...I'l believe you...as soon as you stop crying and say it without feeling anything for the human..." Sasha said, staring up at the tearful blonde, who's eyes widened in shock. Naruto bowed his head, avoiding Sasha's intence red eyes as his tears continued to pour. It's true... He didn't want to leave Sasuke... He didn't want to leave that precious samurai's side... He wanted to stay by his side for eternity. He loved him so much already that it wasn't fair! Not fair for him, for Sasuke, and especially not fair for Sai!

Naruto bit his bottom lip before he turned and ran off, ignoring the calls of Sasha. He furiously flapped his dark wings, flying at an incredible speed that he'd look invisble to the naked eye...not even Sasha could catch up to him. All the while, Naruto tried wiping away all his tears, but it was no use. And what's worse, those tears blurred his vision, it was very hard to tell where he was going. Maybe it was for the best... That way if Sasha tried to see what he sees, she wouldn't tell where he is.

Naruto-kun! Where are you!" Sasha yipped worriedly in his mind.

"Just leave me be Sasha..." Naruto replied sadly and miserably, silencing Sasha into shock for the fact that he had called her by her name. Naruto knew he would regret this later but now...he really didn't care... Just like he didn't care when he ran into something. He didn't care as he crashed into the snow. He didn't care when he heard a groan and curse from someone else. He didn't care as he slowly slipped off to unconciousness... But at least he cared enough to hide his wings just in time..