A/N!!!: Alright, this is kinda important to me so pay attention. This was supposed to be the ultra nifty keen 15k word chapter that I was gonna surprise ya all with today. But it ended up being 7k instead. -sadface- So like it anyways. I've been slaving over it for days. I'll prolly start on the next chapter soon. YAY we're 100 reviews now! This is so neato torpedo! Thanks guys.

Mad World

Chapter 11 - Feel Perkier Now?

Sasuke woke up alone. It was sensation that he had become thoroughly unaccustomed to. After Naruto's younger self had died, and he'd obviously not needed be cared for, there was the predicament of sleeping arrangements. Where would he sleep? Would they both just stay in the same bed they were? Would Naruto move to a different room in the estate? Well. Eventually, Naruto had commented that he didn't want to sleep in the living room. He also didn't want to have to move his 'shit' down the corridor and up the stairs into the first room on the right. That also meant, (he had told Sasuke) that he would have to have the furniture people move something upstairs for him to sleep on. The furniture people hated stairs. So, they'd ultimately come to the decision that continuing to sleep in the same bed wasn't so much a bother. In fact, as time had proven, the cuddling thing wasn't really that bad. It was quite comfortable. Though Naruto had once in a while shakily scooted away from him and said he didn't 'swing that way', to make himself feel more secure in his manhood. Sasuke had rolled his eyes, accepted the excuse and went to sleep. He of course had woken up the next morning in Naruto's arms anyways, but what the heck. Let Naruto think what he wants to think, it makes the whole world a better place.

He was alone. Sasuke glared at the room, specifically at the light that was coming through the heavy Venetian slats. Though the blinds shut out most sunlight, the morning sunshine today was extremely bright. So bright, Sasuke noted, that it illuminated the room with what little swaths were allowed in. The house was quiet. There were no beeping, hacking and slashing sounds from Naruto's video games in the living room. No dull microwave hum, Naruto making ramen. He was definitely not in the house at all. Sasuke turned to glance at the clock. He'd slept in until eleven. Sasuke had slept in later than Naruto. He gingerly lay back down, resting his head on the pillow that he'd shared with Naruto earlier. In a gesture that was foreign to him, Sasuke rolled his face into the pillow and inhaled deeply. Naruto smell. He smirked, chuckling slightly. Each person definitely had their own unique smell. You didn't have to have special dog related jutsu, or a demon fox living inside you to be able to know that. Everyone could tell their smell was theirs, and then everyone else smelled different, unique. Naruto's smell appealed to him. He supposed that was how they were designed as a species. The smell of their mates, and pack members usually were attractive to them. Sasuke decided that it was comforting.

Pausing, his ears twitching at each tiny shift in the environment Sasuke waited. He was always worried someone would disturb his moments of solitude, of aloneness that he truly valued. No one. He was fine. Sasuke slid his forearms underneath the pillow and curved it around his face where he breathed in and out deeply. He felt a childish laughter thrum inside his throat and he merely let it out, into the pillow. He rolled his face back and forth in the dip he'd created, laughing, until his hair was fairly mussed and his body called for oxygen cooler in temperature. Sasuke turned his head to the side and sighed. In that way that is so startling, and yet so refreshing, he breathed in colder air. Then he paused again. He should probably get up. As Sasuke propped himself up on one hand he noticed a piece of paper on his nightstand. A messy scrawl adorned it, one that had taken him several weeks to learn how to read. He snatched it off of the nightstand and read it.

Hey Avenger,

Sasuke snorted at that, smirking.

I can't believe you slept through that. Me getting up, getting dressed, showering, playing video games, AND eating. I don't know what made you sleep so well, but I'll let you enjoy it.

Sasuke realized he didn't know either. He'd just kept sleeping. They hadn't even really gone to bed too late. He hadn't woken up in the night, as he was often prone to. He'd just…slept, until eleven in the morning. Sasuke also noted that Naruto had done him a courtesy in allowing him to continue sleeping. This was unusually kind and thoughtful of the brash fox boy. If Naruto was awake, then so would Sasuke be. That was his everyday logic. Sasuke had gotten used to it. So, unexpected gestures of kindness like this were quite the pleasant surprise.

Sakura is apparently dating some guy…yes, our little Sakura is all grown up.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sakura acted like a frustrating older sister who nagged and scolded constantly. To use the words 'our' and 'little' to describe her would have probably frustrated her to no end.

So, I'm going to go meet him today and investigate. Then, I'm getting the vibe she wants to bring him over to our place for dinner tonight. But I'll see how long I can postpone it, for your sake?

A murmur fluttered through his chest, a glitch, a moment his heart must have stopped. 'Our place', he had written. Unlike any note he'd written before, where it had been 'the house', 'the estate', sometimes 'your place'. But never before had it been 'our place', Sasuke hadn't an idea how to react to that statement so he let it go. Instead he focused on the thought of Sakura having a boyfriend. One that wasn't him, and obviously wasn't someone they knew. If it was someone they knew, Naruto would have said so, because Sakura probably would have told him before hand. But any of the ninja their age that Sasuke knew, were already attached. Some were married, or engaged. Some were moved in together. Sakura also may have wanted it to be a surprise as well. Sasuke was not overjoyed at the prospect of having Sakura and her potential mate over for dinner. Naruto had obviously predicted that that would be the case and said he would try and put it off as long as possible. Sasuke would have to thank him later for that foresight.

Anyways, who knows how long it'll take to persuade Sakura to not bring him over. I'll threaten him, interrogate, all the stuff we should be doing as her brothers, right? Also, I think we're outta apples, and I know you're addicted to them. I'll see if I can get more at the market on the way home tonight. If there's anything else, you might need to get it yourself in town. I don't know when exactly I'll get home.

Be home later,

Naruto

Sasuke set the note down on the nightstand. His gaze focused on the blankets pooled around his waist. His knees were bent with the bottoms of his feet touching so his legs formed a diamond. Home. Naruto had said the word twice when referencing the estate. He also noticed that they were out of apples, and that Sasuke seemed to like them. He was getting more of them, because Sasuke liked them. Small things, but yet at the same time they were huge things. Sasuke rested his hands on his knees and stared more at the blankets. He could feel his hair standing up in a cowlick. Fretfully he tried to smooth it down. It didn't smooth. It rebuked the action and stuck out in a completely different direction than before. It wasn't any more attractive than it was a moment ago, he knew it. Slowly he straightened his legs and slid them out from under the blankets. He touched his bare feet to the cool unrelenting wood floor. He felt for a moment, like crawling under the covers again and begging for sleep to return to him. Instead, Sasuke moved dreamlike towards the door where he slipped into the hall and stopped again. The doorknob was in his hand, held behind his back childishly holding the door a bit open. He pulled it closed. Then, he dropped his hand away from the handle and looked up and down the hall.

Motes of dust flew through the air, shown only by the light that filtered through the kitchen window. Their bedroom door was only a few paces (to the right) away from the entryway that led into the kitchen. A stream of sunshine flowed through it, landing on the opposite wall in a box window pattern. Squares of yellow on dusty brown wood walls and floor. Then, farther down the hall was the other entry way that opened up into the living room. Naruto's cavern, Sasuke thought jokingly. Next to that archway was the front door, their metal coat hooks bolted to the wall, and their pile of shoes. Opposite the living room was the door that concealed the long dining hall from view.

Sasuke turned his head and stared down the rest of the corridor, to the left. Just a few feet to his left, on the same wall as the bedroom door was the door to the bathroom they shared. On the other wall, facing the bathroom was the door to the office where all the books were kept. Then, as Naruto had complained, at the end of the hall there were the stairs that led to the second floor. It was sort of eerie on the second floor as none of the rooms were furnished. After the main rooms that were used, (all that Sasuke had just surveyed) were filled with furniture Sasuke had told the mover people to just let be and bring no more to the house. He wasn't planning on using any other rooms.

Quite gracelessly Sasuke slumped into the kitchen. He moved out of the way of the light. Shuffling over to the fridge he opened the bottom door and hunched over behind it, hiding from the sunshine. Sasuke gave the side of the old weary machine a 'love pat' (as Naruto was so fond of calling them) to cease the creaking and groaning that had started to emanate from its depths. He'd consulted Naruto about replacing the thing but they were still undecided. Sometimes it refrigerated, sometimes it didn't. For the most part when you opened it you had one of three options: the door could loosen and slide out of one of its hinges slightly, the creaking and groaning of the motor would start, or there would be an unexpected blast of extremely cold air that would last only a nanosecond. The first problem was solved with an easily learned jolt of the door from a firm grip on the bottom of the door handle. Sort of like popping a dislocated joint back into place. The second resulted in a 'love pat', where Sasuke would simply pound the side of the thing with his fists until it stopped making noise. The third couldn't be fixed or prevented and happened quite rarely. But, the fact of the matter was, the damn thing was nearing on twenty years of age. Granted, the tired old machine lasting that long was truly amazing. However, Sasuke wanted it to last forever, without him having to maintain it. It was a lazy, sad want, but he had it all the same.

As punishment for lingering behind the door staring at its contents to hide from the light, Sasuke was hit with option number three. Shivering uncontrollably Sasuke sighed in defeat and slammed the door closed. The fridge groaned at him but promptly stopped as soon as Sasuke raised a fist. He stared at it and padded off towards the bread bin. There was a lonesome looking crust from some decent wheat bread they'd gotten a few days ago. Sasuke yanked it out of the bin and chewed at it absently. He leaned against the counter and stared at the dishes in the sink. He should probably do them. It was his turn after all. But usually if Sasuke was in the right mood, he could wait long enough and wheedle Naruto into doing them. He'd learned this trick fairly quickly. But now he popped the last bit of crust into his mouth and set about doing his chore. He could also go and clean up the living room, and sweep the kitchen. Glancing briefly at the floor in the kitchen he noticed a grime spot near the bottom of the fridge. He'd have to mop too. Sasuke started making a list in his head:

Buy bread.

Sweep/mop kitchen floor

Clean living room.

Dust dining hall.

Make bed (maybe change sheets)

Clean bathroom

Go into town and think about buying a new fridge.

What else? Sasuke thought. Oh.

Get some more leeks, running out.

Sasuke set about his tasks, eventually writing them down on paper and crossing them off as he went. He had to do something to keep himself occupied while Naruto was out interrogating this boyfriend of Sakura's. He'd read many of the books brought into the office. He did not feel compelled at all to play any of Naruto's video games. Though he'd idly considered popping in a movie there were too many things to do around the house. He should get them done while the house was Naruto-free. When the house was not Naruto-free, it made it a lot more difficult to do chores. So he would finish them up now, while he was gone. That way, just in case Naruto did bring home Sakura and her 'boyfriend', the house would be ready for guests. Maybe they'd use the dining hall. Sasuke smirked.

He swept and mopped and dusted. After he'd been cleaning for a few hours his lungs felt slightly heavy. His body was telling him that he'd inhaled too much dust. Far too much. Sasuke scowled as he shuffled around the living room picking things up. He rearranged the pillows onto the couch after plucking them dispassionately from the floor. The video game console Naruto had used last was still on the floor in plain sight, wires all askew. Sasuke kneeled down and unplugged everything, putting the console and its cables away and the games onto the shelf nearby. Then he swept, again, whilst pausing to dust every few feet.

Eventually Sasuke had finished all of the cleaning related chores and ventured back to his bedroom to change. He pulled open the dresser drawers and stared disbelievingly at the contents. Where were his day clothes? Sasuke looked through all of the drawers. His pajamas were there. Naruto's clothes were there. But Sasuke's were not. He thought desperately on the clothes he'd gotten back from the dry cleaners the other day. He was sure that he'd gotten back all of their laundry…Sasuke growled. If those people had managed to lose all of his clothes somehow, Sasuke had no idea what he was going to do. There was no possible way he could replace all of the sound garb he'd accumulated over the years he'd spent with Orochimaru. Sasuke wouldn't be surprised if Naruto himself had thrown it all away. He certainly despised seeing him dressed that way. Orochimaru was dead, and for the past two years Sasuke had only been with him because he was under a controlling jutsu. Still Naruto saw Sasuke's continual wearing of the sound clothing as somehow traitorous. Sasuke thought this was childish and silly, as the clothes were merely quite comfortable for him. Much like Naruto's ridiculous footy pajamas was comfortable to him. Sasuke reluctantly opened their pants drawer again and stared down at Naruto's jeans. He went through them checking the sizes to see if any of them might fit him.

Alas, Sasuke grabbed a pair and pulled them on. They were loose around his waist, and he had to put a belt on with it, but he finally got them to stay up. Then he picked out a t shirt void of graphics anywhere on it and tugged it over his head and snaked his arms through the sleeves. After finding that he still did have his shoes (Naruto hadn't thrown them away), Sasuke put them on and headed into town. He went into the grocery store to get some bread, and some more leeks. He was also debating on whether or not to head to the electronics store and find a replacement refrigerator. It was as he was walking out of the grocery store, produce in hand that Sasuke stopped, rooted to the spot. Naruto was walking along the street with Sakura…and Itachi.

Sakura was holding Itachi's hand and casually bumping their shoulders together. Naruto seemed nervous and puzzled about something. Sasuke merely stood there. For a moment he thought that he'd dropped his bag. When he could force air into his lungs he found that he still had managed to keep a grip on his bag, leeks and bread had not spilled out onto the ground. Maybe they didn't see him, or notice him, or could tell who he was when he was dressed in Naruto's clothes. Maybe. But either way, the three jovially walked past him and Sasuke watched them go. They didn't stop, and then in comical fashion walk backwards until they were standing next to Sasuke staring at him. That didn't happen either. So Sasuke did what any self-respecting terrified man would do, he ran all the way home with his grocery bag swinging obnoxiously at his side. He ran through the hall to the kitchen where he hectically started putting things away. He crumpled up the bag and threw it away, pacing around the island counter.

He was okay, he was okay. Everything was okay. Sasuke paced. For a second he considered going back into town, finding his brother and trying to kill him. This sounded like a very good plan to him. However, that wouldn't necessarily work because everyone would then pounce on the both of them and have them executed. Itachi would be taken, obviously, for infiltrating Konoha and living there in disguise as a bingo book criminal. Naruto and Sakura clearly didn't recognize him, if they did they wouldn't be talking amiably with him as if he was a good friend. Well, Naruto did look troubled so maybe he was starting to figure it out. The cogs in his slow, dense brain were turning. He was putting the pieces together, and then surely his best friend would not fail him. Naruto would try and kill Itachi or die trying. Frankly, Sasuke realized he didn't like either option. Sasuke was the avenger, the crazy one who's entire family Itachi had killed. It was his right to kill him. If Naruto killed him Sasuke didn't know what he would do. He would certainly never forgive Naruto for it. Well, and the other option, Naruto dying while trying to kill Itachi didn't look good either. So Sasuke was left with the terrifying predicament of what exactly he should do. He had to tell Tsunade. That was a place to start.

Sasuke went back out, hurrying through town towards the Hokage's office. His manners leaving him entirely he nearly knocked over several different people and didn't apologize. Not now, his nerves were too frazzled. He tromped through the front doors and up the stairs. His footsteps smacking against the cement stairs echoed back at him. One hand on the cool metal banister ignored the bumps every few steps where the metal would jut out and catch his hand painfully. He would surely have a bruise there soon. Sasuke sped into a sprint down the curving hall, going past numerous doors. He knew which one he was looking for, but there were just so many doors. It was exasperating. When he finally came to the right one he burst through without knocking. Tsunade glanced up at him primly, giving him the evil eye for charging in unannounced.

"Tsunade-sama, m-my…um, Itachi is here, in Konoha." The Hokage's reaction was that of shock, but not to the magnitude that Sasuke had expected, "He's with Naruto and Sakura, and I don't think either of them know who he is. He's disguised wearing civilian clothes. I just saw him, probably half an hour ago, maybe longer outside the grocery store. And-"

"Sasuke!"

"What?!" He exclaimed rudely.

"I know he's here." Tsunade told him, "He's been here for two weeks."

Sasuke stared at the Hokage in confusion. He'd been here for two weeks, she knew, and he…wasn't dead? Was he blackmailing her? The Hokage had been corrupted; she could no longer be trusted! Sasuke cursed himself for not at least bringing a kurenai with him. Oh well, he didn't need one. He could take her. Tsunade seemed to sense his thought pattern, and she began to explain. Itachi had come home with Sakura from her mission two weeks ago. Sakura had been sent to infiltrate Akatsuki and find out more about the organization. She would become a member, gain their trust, and then send information to Konoha and request back up when the time was right. Instead she grew close to Itachi and together they took down the other members by themselves. They had the rings of the members to prove it.

"I don't care if he killed off Akatsuki, he shouldn't be allowed in here! Let me kill him!" Sasuke shouted.

"Sasuke-"

"Oh, maybe you forgot why I ran away in the first place. It wasn't because I turned evil I wanted to gain enough power to kill the man, my brother, who wiped out my entire clan except for me! Now he's here, and because he killed off some criminal group you're just letting him walk around free?!"

"Sasuke!" Tsunade yelled. Sasuke fell silent, glaring at her. "Itachi didn't kill your clan. That's why he's still alive."

"Don't you dare talk about what you don't know, old woman! I was there-"

"Under a genjutsu created by your brother!"

Sasuke barely listened to the story that Itachi had won over Tsunade with, and Naruto, and Sakura apparently. This 'story' was quite convenient. It made Itachi seem like quite he good guy. Oh, he didn't join Akatsuki of his own will, they forced him. He begged them to spare Sasuke, his baby brother. Whatever would he have done if they'd killed Sasuke too? Oh noooo. Sasuke went home, despite Tsunade's adamant requests to stay with her. He didn't need her pity, or her concern, stupid old woman. Fuck her, he thought, let her believe Itachi if she wants. I sure as hell won't.

What did he do? He went home, squirreled away in the office and brooded. He was thinking of all the various ways that he could interrogate Naruto. When dinner time rolled around the front door opened, and not one but three voices came in. Sasuke reached for his sword which was propped up against one of the bookshelves next to him. He gripped it firmly in his hand, watching the office door. Naruto was calling for him. Sasuke didn't answer, shrinking further into the corner where he was sitting. The office door opened and Sasuke could see Naruto's feet on the floor. He was wearing his froggy footies today. He padded around the room calling for him. Naruto came upon him and stared at him worriedly. Whereas Tsunade's concern enraged him, Naruto's made him feel like actually talking. He shook his head, no, he couldn't be like that. He needed to warn Naruto that Itachi's story was probably fiction, and that they needed to do something right away.

"Sasuke, Tsunade summoned us to her office just an hour or so ago. I know you know that Itachi's here." Naruto laughed, "But I could have guessed anyways by the way you're curled up in here with your sword like that."

"He's lying to you Naruto, he's trying to find a way to earn your trust like Sakura tried to earn Akatsuki's. He's only going to stab you in the back. We need to kill him now." Sasuke whispered, though he knew that Itachi probably could hear him anyways.

"Sasuke, no, you don't understand. He isn't lying, he brought the official mission notice to two of the other members of Akatsuki detailing that they were supposed to kill off the entire clan and leave no survivors. Do whatever it took to force Itachi to join them."

"He could have forged that!" Sasuke hissed.

"Pain himself, their leader, told Sakura about the mission. About how she should keep an eye on Itachi, that he might revolt against them and manipulate her into joining him."

Sasuke shook his head. "No! It was a ruse, everyone was in on it. Sakura was the one being fooled."

"If that was the case, than why did Itachi kill all of the members, consistently protecting Sakura as they went?"

"It's a lie! It's a lie!" Sasuke gripped his sword fiercely in his hand, staring at Naruto crazily, "They all survived, we just haven't found them yet!"

"Sasuke!" Naruto grabbed him by the wrists and forced Sasuke to look at him, "They didn't survive. It isn't a lie. It's the truth."

"No!" Sasuke's eyes gazed into Naruto's determined blue ones he feebly whimpered, "No…"

He felt like that little boy watching his older brother kill their parents. He was back there. Pressed into a corner with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Sasuke went limp in Naruto's hold, dropping his sword. It fell to the floor with a clatter. Naruto drew him further into his arms, and Sasuke collapsed against him. Gasping with his mouth so wide he looked like he was yawning, that's how Kakashi had described it to him, the last time they talked. Naruto rubbed his back up and down like he was performing some odd version of the Heimlich. Not soothing in the slightest, yet somehow it got the job done. He calmed down, and his breathing returned to normal.

"Sasuke, he just wants to talk to you. You can hate him all you want and have nothing to do with him, just hear him out." Naruto whispered in a completely reasonable tone of voice. Sasuke hated him.

With a murmured 'C'mon', Naruto had him herded into the kitchen where Sakura and Itachi were waiting. The fridge had started its groaning again, and Sakura was pounding the side of it, Itachi watching on in amusement. Sasuke shuffled over and took over the task from Sakura, silencing the beast with one deft punch to the side. It sputtered and quivered for a moment, but then became still. The silence it left was awkward. Itachi sat at the kitchen table. He was eyeing Sasuke like he was some frightened colt prepared to bolt at any second. Sasuke realized that maybe he was. Any wrong move by his brother and Sasuke knew for sure that he would be back in the office in a flash.

"Sasuke, please let me explain why I'm here."

Sasuke snorted derisively though his tone was nervous, "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really, I suppose."

Sasuke grumbled and shifted awkwardly. He removed the kitchen towels from the wide bar handle of the oven and unfolded them and refolded them. Since he didn't have a choice, Itachi talked. Sasuke listened. He wiped down the counter as he listened to keep his energy focused on something other than tackling his brother to the floor and punching him square on the jaw. I wanted to protect you, Sasuke thought snottily, I made you think I killed them so you'd grow up to be strong. I see that you have. What a load of bullshit. Sasuke had trouble not growling. He was sure it showed on his face and he was fighting to wipe any sort of threat out of his expression. The cherry on top of the cake was Itachi's next words. Sasuke nearly laughed.

"I knew if you were on a mission to avenge our clan, you would defeat every obstacle in your path until you were the strongest. You would find me, and kill anyone that got in your way." Itachi chuckled at this too, "If I simply let you see Akatsuki killing our clan and taking me away. You would have grown up weak and sniveling and pathetic."

"Anger drives you towards power, misery and regret makes you low, makes you want to give up. I can't have the only one who could save me giving up, now could I?"

Logic. It always came down to it. In fact, everything he said made perfect sense. Sasuke glared at his brother, with more hatred, and anger, than he ever had towards anyone. He wouldn't kill him. But, did Itachi really expect him to come running into his arms sobbing and professing brotherly love? Sasuke stared bitterly down at the island counter. He'd been wiping it with the same rag ever since Itachi started talking. The surface was shining so brightly now that it almost blocked out Sasuke's reflection. They were all staring at him, waiting for his answer. What would become of him now? Sasuke didn't spare Itachi a look, instead he turned to Sakura.

"Please," Sasuke whispered hoarsely, "take him away."

Sakura nodded, she sent a meaningful glance at Naruto before moving around the counter and leading Itachi away. Sasuke noticed that Itachi did not fight to get any 'last words' out. He accepted Sasuke's choice, and left. Naruto stood at the edge of the island counter.

"I'll start on this counter." Naruto told him.

"Yeah."

Naruto took one of the other rags out of the sink and began too, wiping down the already spotless counters. Sasuke continued on the island, staring down at the glossy tiles. Smooth, unblemished, shining up at him. Naruto didn't utter a word, instead he moved about the kitchen, cleaning as though the room needed to be cleaned. After he'd spent fifteen minutes on the counters he went and grabbed the broom. He began to sweep away imaginary dust bunnies. Then he mopped away invisible grime spots. He scrubbed viciously at the sink and dusted the kitchen table. Sasuke slowly dropped his own rag into the sink.

"Let's go get a new fridge." Sasuke sighed.

"Yeah. I think the repair shop has some new ones in stock, that one by the post office. Should still be open."

"Okay."

Sasuke strode out of the kitchen and towards the front door. Naruto followed him gently, turning off the lights as he went. He opened the door for him, and Sasuke stepped out, Naruto closing and locking the door behind them. Then at eight in the evening, they walked to the repair store. In a comforting, understanding silence, Naruto looked at new refrigerators with Sasuke until the store closed.

Naruto lay on the couch now, reflecting on the mistake he'd just made. He'd been sitting patiently on the edge, waiting for Sasuke to come to bed. Naruto wanted to make sure that they were laying down, Sasuke in his arms, before he allowed himself to sleep. He didn't want Sasuke running off somewhere and hurting himself or getting into trouble. Instead of crawling under the covers, Sasuke had stiffly stepped in front of him. He had put his hands on Naruto's shoulders and pushed him back onto the bed. Then, straddling him, Sasuke had gone down on him, crashing their lips together in clumsy kisses. It was awkward, and breathy. Not at all the steamy romantic encounter that so many romance novels portrayed. If anything, it seemed like an attack, like Sasuke was trying to hurt him. He was angry. Sasuke had run his hands teasingly over Naruto's chest while they kissed, but had also scratched him with his stubby nails. Naruto, during all of this had no idea what he should do. If he shoved Sasuke away, it would seem like he didn't want him. That wasn't true, he did, sort of. This was just weird, and wholly unexpected. Naruto should be understandably confused. But then, Sasuke started saying things that Naruto couldn't well ignore.

"See, now you and Sakura can brag about how you've both fucked the only Uchihas left. Too bad for Sakura that she didn't get me in the end, but oh well." Sasuke had proclaimed, his voice wet but no tears to be seen. "You two can have a matching set, and show us off around town!"

"Sasuke." Naruto had grabbed Sasuke's wrists and gently pulled his hands off of his chest.

"Oh no, maybe I'm not good enough. Since you both seem to like Itachi so much, why don't you make him your bitch and you can have a threesome!" At that point his voice had become beyond hysterical.

"Sasuke, stop!"

That had been the mistake. Naruto thought as he rested his head against the arm of the couch. Yelling had been the mistake. Then Sasuke had stared at him hatefully, clambering off of him. He'd stood on the opposite side of the bed, holding himself. Get out! He had cried. Naruto had done so. Now, as he listened to the silence drifting from their bedroom, Naruto wondered if he should have stayed and argued with him. What was I supposed to do? Naruto thought. How was I supposed to handle that?

He stayed up all night thinking about it. He waited and waited for Sasuke to come out of their room. But when it was close to noon, Naruto went over to the bedroom door and opened it a crack. Sasuke was curled up in the middle of the bed, the blankets covering his whole body, even his head. He was merely a lump under the covers, completely still. Naruto entered cautiously, shutting the door behind him. He waited for a minute or two, expecting Sasuke to tell him to 'get out' again. But he didn't. The silence continued to pervade the room. Naruto tip-toed carefully around the bed to his side; where he gently lifted up the blankets. He crawled in and placed the blankets over his head too. Sasuke was…asleep. Curled into the fetal position, his arms wrapped around himself, he slept. Every few seconds he trembled in his sleep. Other than that, he seemed peaceful enough. Naruto felt creepy simply staring at him like that. So he inched closer until he could wrap his arms around the ball that Sasuke had formed.

Of course, Sasuke would only sleep so peacefully for so long. Eventually he would wake up, and Naruto would have to deal with an angry, probably mortified, violent Sasuke. He wasn't looking forward to it. To be fair, Naruto was a little embarrassed as well. The enjoyable memory of their kisses was weighing on his mind. He certainly couldn't 'forget' that; though it made it slightly awkward to hold Sasuke in his arms now. Naruto had tried to force himself to stay awake. But, after spending the whole night staying awake his body wasn't so inclined. The familiar atmosphere of holding Sasuke, in their bed made him sleepy. So Naruto caved in to the need to sleep.

Naruto woke up alone. His arms were laid out in front of him, grasping nothing but air and bed sheets. He sighed and threw the covers off of him, shivering at the suddenly cold air. Sasuke was no longer in the room with him. Figures. Naruto thought meekly. He crawled out of bed and walked out of the bedroom. He'd thought he'd heard movement in the kitchen, but whatever he'd heard stopped at the sound of the bedroom door opening. Naruto shuffled down the hall and into the kitchen. Sasuke was, predictably enough standing in front of the waffle maker working on breakfast. In a skillet on the stove, he was making scrambled eggs and bacon. Naruto noted that he wasn't bothering to do a good job of cleaning up after himself. This usually meant that he would have a bigger mess to clean up afterwards, so he could keep himself busy. Naruto had seen the cycle before. It usually occurred when he and Sasuke fought. But this, this was not just a regular fight. This was something else entirely.

Naruto sat down at the kitchen table. When Sasuke let a plate clatter onto the table in front of him, Naruto ate everything he'd been given. Despite Sasuke's bad mood, the breakfast he made still tasted delicious. Naruto had been going to pick up his plate and put it in the sink but Sasuke halted him.

"Leave it on the table." Order, not request.

He left it on the table. Sasuke ate his own breakfast as if it were a battle. He stabbed everything on his plate with his fork, adding unnecessary force to each jab. Then he would stuff it in his mouth and chew angrily, making sure his enemy's forces met a painful demise. Naruto left the kitchen and stood in the hall deciding what he should do. If he went into the living room and played video games, Sasuke would periodically come in and call him lazy. He would turn off the console right in the middle of a boss fight, or turn off the TV. During certain cut scenes he would turn on the vacuum cleaner to make it impossible for Naruto to hear. But if Naruto went into the office, and tried to read a book Sasuke would laugh and ask him why he was hiding in there like a pussy. The other option, which Naruto had only used once before, was to simply leave the house all together. The last time he'd done that, he had come home to a stressed, angry, and violent Sasuke who threw cast iron skillets at him. During this throwing of cooking implements, Sasuke would rage on about how Naruto treated him like he was some housewife that was too emotional. Naruto of course couldn't fight back; if he did he would only make things worse.

Of course, the first two options were really a way for Sasuke to cool off and get his anger out without killing anyone. It was safe, if not a little frustrating and embarrassing. Naruto, having at least a little bit of a brain, realized that this was a fight he shouldn't try and leave the house from. He needed to choose his actions with care. Naruto had an idea, he wasn't sure if it work, but it was worth a shot. He went back into the kitchen, earning a glare from Sasuke. Naruto strode swiftly across the kitchen until he was standing right next to him.

"Get away from me." Sasuke spat icily.

Naruto spun Sasuke around and threw him against the counter. He gripped his wrists, pressing their bodies together, and Sasuke's back against the edge of the counter. He leaned in close and smirked, "No."

"You can't take me in a fight, Naruto. Don't you make me show you just how much I learned those years I was gone. Is that what you want?"

"Yes."

Sasuke blinked, his glare faltering slightly. This was clearly not the answer he was expecting. Naruto met Sasuke's glare with one of his own and growled, "I want you to kick the living shit out of me, try your hardest. You're pissed, and you don't have anything to take it out on. I'm right here, and perfectly willing."

Naruto let Sasuke go and walked over to the sliding door that led into the courtyard. There was enough room out there for Sasuke to beat him up. Naruto went out into the middle of it and stood there, waiting. He called to Sasuke, 'I'm ready when you are!' Sasuke stared at him blankly, as though he was waiting for Naruto to say he was just joking. But Naruto wasn't joking. In all seriousness he was ready to be beaten to a bloody pulp. This wasn't just a regular fight, or a normal every day problem that Sasuke could get over by making snide comments. Naruto wasn't going to sit through weeks of caustic words and glares, and sleeping on the couch. Sasuke was his…what was he? Roommate? Best friend? Rival? Whatever. Naruto wasn't going to wait around.

In a blink of an eye, Sasuke was out in the courtyard, and taking Naruto up on his offer. Naruto hadn't really prepared himself for the pain. He knew there would be some, a lot of it actually. He'd dealt with pain before, but Sasuke was making sure he was experiencing the full meaning of the word. The fact that Naruto was pretty much standing still, a living punching bag, didn't seem to bother him. By the time Sasuke was done, Naruto was bruised and bloody. Sasuke was still a little grouchy afterwards. But, Sasuke was always grouchy. So, it seemed he may have gone back to normal a little bit. Though if the way he was talking to Sakura on the phone was any indication, he was still a bit mad. When Sakura came over to tend to his injuries she nearly had a heart attack.

"You did what?!" She'd exclaimed.

Naruto had mumbled around the blood pouring from his mouth, to try and explain the situation. But Sakura merely forced his head over a mixing bowl and told him to try not to talk. In a little over an hour she managed to stop most of the bleeding and heal a lot of his bruises. But he was still pretty sore. She bandaged him up and left, telling him to not do that again anytime soon. Naruto nodded, resting his head weakly on his palm. It was well into the afternoon now, and Naruto was gazing across the table at Sasuke. They were looking at each other in an exhausted manner. Naruto smiled at him, baring his bloodied up teeth. With his black eye he looked abused.

"Feeling perkier now?" Naruto spluttered, blood spattering onto the table.

"Shut up, dobe."

"O'tay."

Sasuke couldn't believe he'd actually done that. Now, this statement of disbelief could apply to numerous things. One, that he'd jumped Naruto and actually kissed him. Two, he'd said all the things that had actually come to mind. Three, he'd screamed at Naruto like a girl to get out of the room. Four, he'd taken up the offer to beat the stupid fox boy to a blood pulp. The worst of it all was…he actually felt…better. A little better. The shock and anger at his brother for taking away his life's purpose was still in him. He was still filled to the brim with righteous indignation. However, as he stared across the table at Naruto who was smiling a bloody, toothy smile at him, Sasuke couldn't help but feel a little brighter. Something about kicking the shit out of Naruto, who stood there and took it, was extremely good for his anger. Also, the fact that Naruto had come up with the idea and predicted its helpfulness was very nice of him.

Despite all this niceness, Sasuke still couldn't help but feel a mite of awkwardness. He'd actually kissed him. How could he have been so stupid? What was so attractive about him anyways? Naruto caught his stare and grinned again. Sasuke was proud of the job he'd done. His punching bag now sported a black eye, a swollen jaw, blood encrusted nostrils, and several bruises along his arms and stomach. He looked truly terrible. Sasuke felt like kissing him despite his maladies. He knew if he did, Naruto would taste like blood. But what the heck. No. Sasuke inwardly shuddered. Naruto had pushed him away, and told him pointedly to stop. Granted, he was sure he'd looked crazy but…

"Sasukeeee, what's for lunch?"

Sasuke thought about it for a moment. "Ramen."

"Yay!" Blood droplets hit Sasuke in the face.

TBC…