Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters, nor do I make any profit from this fanfic.

Warnings: Contains yaoi, sexual acts/situations, spoilers, possibly some violence, and some foul language. If you cannot handle that, then do not read.

Rated: M

Beta: LauraNeatO

Pairing: SasuNaru/NaruSasu

Summary: With 2 1/2 yrs and the defeat of Madara behind them, Naruto and Sasuke have been through much. But when Naruto is talked into dating Hinata, both he and Sasuke are forced to face an inner struggle they've avoided for years. Canonverse, SasuNaru, minor NaruHina.


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Chapter 11

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It was a warm and breezy day.

Sasuke was lying down on a grassy patch of land. His eyes were closed, as he idly rubbed the fingers of his right hand over his forehead. He could feel the wind shift the wisps of his bangs lightly around his face.

Slowly lowering his hand, he placed it at his side on the grass, the gentle warmth of the sun above, bathing his face with its radiance. He inhaled deeply, quietly relishing the exceptionally relaxed mood he was in.

He opened his eyes. The sky was remarkably blue above him—the clouds vividly white, as they slowly drifted across the sky. Inexplicably, he felt the need to rise, and so he sat up.

He wore a sleeveless dark shirt and matching pants that were a contrast to the vibrant green of the grass beneath him. Putting a hand on his knee, he rose to his feet, the familiar feeling of the weight of his sword at his side. He stood there for a long moment, sluggishly blinking, as the breeze blew a little stronger now. There was nothing but infinite sky before him. Looking down, he realized with baffled curiosity that he was on a cliff's edge.

He carefully watched as the sky started to darken in steady degrees. The clouds abruptly began to drift faster. Suddenly, a rumbling sensation emerged from the ground beneath his feet. The lethargy Sasuke had felt a moment earlier quickly began to dissipate in favor of swift alertness. The sound of earth quaking instantly filled his ears and he took up a vigilant stance. The rumbling suddenly grew to an uproarious thunder, and to his astonishment, the earth gave way from beneath him.

Sasuke was suddenly falling, his body a victim to gravity. Instinctively, he brought his hands together and attempted to summon chakra, only to find that he felt absolutely no sign of chakra force coursing within him.

Shit, he thought, blinking in surprise.

He quickly scanned his surroundings in search of another alternative. Remnants of rock and earth were falling around him, stormy skies hung overhead and a massive body of equally turbulent waters awaited him below. Knowing that he didn't have time to dwell on it, he grabbed his sword, his hair whipping furiously around his eyes. He dislodged it from his side, and forcefully spun his body around, coming to face what remained of the side of the uneven cliff's wall behind him. With all the force he could naturally muster, he leaned his body forward, as far as he could, and rammed the katana into the rock.

Gripping the handle with both hands, he hung on tightly, planting his sandaled feet against the side of the cliff. With the added weight, the gravel gave way, and the sword began to run through the soft bedrock, causing him to start sliding downward. The sudden sound of more rumbling filled Sasuke's ears then. He sharply glanced upwards to find the large chunk of the wall's terrain from which he was hanging from, crumbling only a few feet above him at an alarming rate. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke stubbornly hung on.

Then, his katana abruptly caught against firmer rock, bringing his sliding to a halt. His body jerked harshly as he was forced to suspend from the weapon.

I can't hold on forever, he thought, as he panted. Risking a glance upwards, his eyes widened as he watched in dismay as the entire wall gave way, taking him with it.

With control slipping through his fingers, he lost grip and sight of his sword, his limbs swinging uselessly at his sides, as he descended the rest of the way at an astonishing speed. He was surrounded by giant slabs of earth, his body headed for the dark water that raged at the bottom.

This can't be it, he thought furiously. I can do something... there has to be something... but...

I don't know what to do, dammit!

It was the last thought he could formulate before he squeezed his eyes shut, his body mercilessly hitting the cold, unforgiving water.

Sasuke jolted, his eyes instantly snapping open, as a residual thud echoed through his sleep-addled mind.

Rousing to awareness, he breathed harshly, realizing that he'd had yet another nightmare. He stared at the plain ceiling above him for several long moments, before furiously rubbing a hand repeatedly over his eyes with a sigh. Feeling his back and neck slightly damp, he groggily sat up, removing his black nightshirt, the cool air of the room immediately refreshing to his bare skin. He bunched the shirt up, carefully looking towards the nearby window. Early morning light was peeking through the edges of the curtains. He might have had a nightmare, but he was sure he'd heard something.

He hadn't had much sleep the night before and had watched television until he'd grown bleary enough to head to bed around three in the morning. Looking over at the clock on his dresser, he realized that it was almost six-thirty in the morning.

His mind unwillingly reflected back on his dream. Dreams of falling were common, he knew. However, this was the first time he could recall ever having one. While it had not been as particularly violent, as some of his other nightmares often were, falling to his death wasn't all that great either. After his breathing returned to normal, he sighed. At least this time, his eyes hadn't done something unforeseen.

I don't know what to do, dammit.

He heard the statement repeat clearly within his head. It bothered him. In his life, he'd always had a choice, an option, even in the direst of situations. Now when he thought about it, it was something he found that hit too close to home in terms of his current life situation. More accurately, when it came to a certain whiskered shinobi. Sasuke immediately scowled. Due to a mission, he hadn't seen Naruto in nearly two days. He unwillingly found himself wondering how the other was. Though, admittedly, Sasuke hadn't necessarily gone out of his way to communicate with him, either. Certainly, it wasn't avoidance, he'd mentally argued, but at least the time apart had enabled his emotions to cool down, somewhat.

Yeah, right, he heard his inner voice mock.

Sasuke rose brusquely and made his way to the window. It wasn't even seven in the morning and he was already irritated, he thought to himself with annoyance. He jerked aside the dark blue curtains. Opening the window, he stuck his head out, smelling the scent of damp earth. It had been raining. Then, he immediately noticed the kunai protruding from the wooden panel out of the corner of his eye. A scroll hung from it. So that's what the noise was.

Sasuke took the standard issue kunai out from its place, glaring a bit at the small hole it left in the otherwise flawless panel. He untied the string the scroll hung from. Quickly, he unfurled the rolled piece of paper, reading its contents.

Arbitrary drills are being held today at the base before the medical examinations. Be there by seven.

—Tsuru

Sasuke's brows drew together in irritation. It was supposed to be his day off. He sighed again.

There goes my morning, he thought dryly.


Naruto sidestepped a puddle. It was around nine-thirty in the morning, but there was barely any sunshine to be detected. It had been raining off and on for the last few days, and it had rained heavily a short while earlier. At the first opportunity of semi-clear skies, he'd left the house, dressed in his usual jōnin gear. He idly walked down one of the many busy avenues of the village. Despite the unpredictable weather, the villagers appeared to be making the most of it, he saw, everyone armed with umbrellas at their sides, as they went about their daily business.

He had affairs to attend to as well. Now that he'd finished processing some early morning mission reports, looking for a certain ornery friend was now the priority. Upon running into Sai the night before, he'd found out that Sasuke was supposed to have the day off. However, he'd gone over to the other's house minutes before, only to find that he wasn't there. The Uchiha male had continuously been on his mind for the last two days. He was anxious to know if Sasuke was faring better than he was the other night, when he'd been irritable. Naruto was growing weary of the constant push and pull when it came to the other's irregular shifts in temperament. He just hoped his friend's downturn in mood was actually due to fatigue, as he'd said.

He turned the corner, heading down the avenue where the village hospital was located. As he walked, he inwardly mulled over the places where Sasuke could be. It was as he neared the building that his attention was suddenly drawn to a familiar spiked head bobbing over the decorative pillars and shrubbery at the hospital entrance. Sasuke.

Without a second thought, Naruto broke into a jog. The dark head of hair was on the move, nearing the steps of the entrance. Naruto just reached the path that lead to the entrance, as Sasuke entered through the double doors. Naruto quickly caught up, pushing through the glass doors, running past the reception area—the female attendee sputtering in surprise—and spotted his target turning a far corner down the hall towards his right.

Naruto decided to tap into his chakra then, and instantly managed to shoot forwards. As he flew around the corner, he stopped short upon realizing he'd entered a large hall full of shinobi. They were waiting in short, neat lines, and at the front, nurses were passing down charts.

That's when he spotted Sasuke in a line at the far right, at the end. Without waiting a moment longer, he eagerly approached him. "Sasuke!" he said, stopping short of the other.

Wearing a black, short-sleeved shirt with the telltale Uchiha crest on the back and standard, dark jōnin pants, the dark-haired nin glanced over his shoulder, arms crossed. He frowned a little before lifting a black brow. "Yes?"

Naruto smiled a little. He couldn't control the delight he felt at seeing his friend's face again. Sure, it was a grumpy looking face, but it was Sasuke's. "I saw you entering the hospital. I haven't seen you around," Naruto said, studying the other's expression.

Sasuke turned towards him ever so slightly. "I've been busy," he replied vaguely.

"Yeah, I figured it could be something like that. So, um, how are you?"

"Alive," Sasuke replied, deadpanned.

Naruto gave a less-than-amused look. "Gee, I would have never guessed, jerk," he said dryly.

"What do you want, Naruto?

"What are you doing here? Nothing's wrong, right?" he asked, concern creeping into his voice.

Sasuke sighed. "Take a look around," he said pointedly.

Confused, Naruto glanced around the room again, taking note of some of the ninja who appeared to be filling information on the charts. Then it dawned on him.

Oh, crap. That's right! Yearly check-ups, he thought with realization. They'd all talked about it on the way to dinner the other night and Sakura had even sternly reminded him about it yesterday, yet he'd still forgotten, he thought with some guilt. All shinobi had to complete a mandatory yearly examination to update medical records. Due to the considerable amount of active ninja, the process usually took anywhere from a week to two weeks and was done alphabetically. His appointment was supposed to be scheduled for today.

"The examinations... that's right! Heh, I knew it all along…" he said with a sheepish scratch of his head.

Sasuke looked less than convinced. "Right."

Naruto glared at him. "I'm sure you're feeling so smug right now, seeing as I can't have ramen for three weeks."

"Hn," he merely replied, Sasuke's expression unchanging.

Just then, two double doors opened near them, to reveal Tsunade and Sakura. The hokage was dressed in her usual regalia, whereas the younger kunoichi was wearing a white doctor's coat over her usual outfit. They both carried charts in their hands.

"Ah, Naruto, Uchiha," Tsunade greeted firmly. She looked at the former, a slight smirk easing through her otherwise no-nonsense expression.

"Hey, baa-chan, hey Sakura-chan!"

"You've arrived on time for once, Naruto," Sakura said then with a teasing smile. "You aren't normally the best with doctor's appointments."

Naruto laughed nervously, scratching the side of his face. "Just trying to do better, I guess."

Sakura then intently looked at Sasuke, sending the impassive nin a bright smile. "Hello, Sasuke-kun," she said warmly.

"Sakura," he returned flatly.

The kunoichi's smile lost a bit of its luster.

"Well, let's not waste any more time," Tsunade then said, perching a hand on her hip. "Since you two are special cases, we'll be attending to you. Uchiha, you come with me. Naruto, follow Sakura," she ordered.

"Right," Naruto nodded.

The male nin proceeded to follow the kunoichi through the doors, entering the sterile, white hallway that housed examination rooms. A few doors down, Sakura made a sharp turn left. At the first door on the left, she then smiled at Naruto, pushing the door open. "Right in here, Naruto."

With a nod, Naruto complied, vaguely noting that Tsunade led Sasuke to the next room over.


Tsunade led Sasuke to the next room down. Upon entering, the hokage wasted no time, and directed the other to remove his shirt and shoes. Sasuke did this silently, hanging his shirt neatly on a hook by the door, and placing his sandals on the floor near it. The brightly lit room was equipped with an examination table, chairs, two long counters filled with drawers, a scale, and a dressing curtain. There were also a number a various examining instruments on a cart to the side.

Sasuke quietly observed as he was weighed, had his blood pressure and height checked, and then underwent an auscultation. Afterwards, he was allowed to retrieve his personal effects before being instructed to sit down. Tsunade then wheeled the cart over. Sasuke immediately recognized the instruments on it that would check for his visual acuity, as he mandatorily got his eyes examined twice a year. Without much prompting, he underwent the tests. About fifteen minutes later, Sasuke backed away from a slit-lamp that Tsunade had placed in front him for the final examination. Tsunade wordlessly moved the cart aside with a strong hand. She then crossed a leg and began taking down a few notes in his profile folder. Sasuke watched this silently. After a minute of this, the hokage finally looked at him from her position in her seat across from him.

She gave him a scrutinizing look. "You have quite a few abrasions on your cornea."

Black brows furrowed slightly. "What does that mean?"

"It means that if you aren't careful, you might need glasses, as it can affect your sight," she said steadfastly.

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction. Glasses. The more he thought about it, the more abhorrent the mere notion seemed. As far as he was concerned, it was just as bad as wearing cat ears. He felt a cold shiver run up his spine at the memory. Moreover, having impaired vision was simply not an option. He was the last Uchiha and user of the absolute Sharingan. Over my dead body will I permit that to happen, he thought fiercely.

"Abrasions can stem from several possible reasons—being jabbed in the eye, chemical burns, dirt, extensive rubbing of the eye, or other minor trauma among them. Do any of those apply to you?"

Sasuke thought to himself. Most of the possibilities mentioned could be nixed. However, the rubbing of the eye could be considered accurate, he thought, reluctantly remembering what happened that morning. Then of course, there were his nightmares...

He held back a sigh. "I rub my eyes. Sometimes."

"Sometimes? Only excessive rubbing could cause that sort of result. Unless there's something more?" The blond-haired hokage sized him up with perceptive dark, golden eyes. "What aren't you telling me, Uchiha?"

The dark-haired Uchiha could feel a muscle tick in his own cheek. Lying to this woman would not be wise, he reminded himself. He glanced to the side, somewhat irritated. "I've been having nightmares."

"Again? You said they had ceased," she said with a frown.

"They had at the time. They started resurfacing some months back." He took a breath. "My Mangekyō flared up a few times when I had them."

Tsunade sighed then, laying the clipboard in her lap, and crossing her arms. "You might need to resume your sessions again."

Black eyes narrowed slightly. "That won't be necessary."

"That wasn't a question, Uchiha," she returned firmly.

Sasuke didn't bat an eye. "I don't need it. A year of those sessions was enough. There isn't anything left in me for anyone to pick apart. I haven't been getting proper rest. That's all."

Tsunade studied him for a long, hard moment. "That's all," she repeated suspiciously.

"I know my body," Sasuke replied, unflinchingly holding her stern gaze.

Tsunade's scowl grew. After what seemed like a long moment of deliberation, she sighed heavily. "I will heal your eyes as best as I can for now. However, you shouldn't use your Sharingan for the next day or so." She then leaned forward a bit, amber eyes glaring. "If I find any indication that your condition is worsening, however, you will be pulled out of the ANBU's active roster, and you will be put under observation. Is that clear, Uchiha?"

With a clenched jaw, Sasuke nodded, knowing that her tone of voice left no room for further argument. It would do for now.


About a half hour later, Naruto made his way back through the corridor of the Konoha hospital. He was elated upon leaving the examination room. Sakura had informed him that he'd grown another inch. At the first opportunity, he would definitely make sure to rub it in Sasuke's pretty face.

Interesting choice of wording, a darkly amused voice said then.

Naruto stopped short, not knowing where that thought came from, until he realized the voice behind it had not been his own. He flushed. Shut up, he grumbled to Kurama, continuing to walk.

It was merely an observation, the demon insisted.

Weren't you silent a minute ago? How about you return to that?

Is that the way to treat your friend after weeks of silence?

After making a joke like that? Yes!

I was not aware that I had made a joke. However, do not let my comments stop your musings about the Uchiha's beauty, the beast said drolly.

Naruto growled aloud. He struggled to fight off the intense rush of embarrassment at having been called out on his thoughts. He hadn't even realized he'd said that about the other's face to begin with, he realized with irritation. He'd done his best to avoid thinking of Sasuke in any manner remotely like that, and he'd been successful for weeks. Oh, how he wished the fox had kept his big mouth shut.

How about I make Sasuke pay you a visit instead, so you can spend a little one-on-one time with his Sharingan, Naruto shot back. He knew well thathis tenant detested anything that had to do with the Uchiha clan's mysterious dōjutsu.

He heard Kurama snarl in disgust. You little brat.

Naruto grinned in victory. To his satisfaction, he could sense the fox mollify somewhat after that. He could see in his mind's eye, the familiar red tails settling next to Kurama, as he sniffed and rested his head over his large, red paws, like a pouting child.

For a long moment, there was silence. Then, the beast spoke. Naruto...

What, the whiskered nin snapped in annoyance.

Open your eyes.

What? What are you talking about? Naruto hated when the other spoke in riddles.

Tch. Still clueless. With that, the connection abruptly cut off.

Naruto blinked in confusion. What the hell is he going on about?

He didn't have much time to ponder over the demon's mysterious statement before sensing a familiar presence approaching. He turned around to see Sasuke calmly walking down the hallway. His jaw was set and his face set in his usual apathetic expression.

"Is everything good? What did baa-chan say?" Naruto immediately asked, his eyes scanning the other's inscrutable face.

"Everything's fine," Sasuke replied automatically, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Naruto sent him a curious look, as he fell into step with the other. "Are you sure? You took some time in there."

"Typical eye exam," he replied monotonously.

Naruto carefully eyed the other. Sasuke's long, dark bangs hid his eyes from his view, and Naruto found himself wishing the other would look at him. Despite what Sasuke had told him, Naruto's instincts were nagging at him. Either that or I'm being paranoid since the other night and making a big deal out of nothing, he thought.

"If you say so," Naruto murmured reluctantly, not pressing him further for now. Maybe I should stop over thinking things, he thought. Together, they walked in silence until they finally reached the street, whereupon Naruto giddily remembered what he'd wanted to say. He smirked mischievously.

"Ya know, despite my horrible three-week sentence without my precious ramen, I still have something to be happy about. I found out I've grown another inch. I'm definitely taller than you," Naruto said with a toothy grin.

Naruto watched as Sasuke shifted his gaze and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. It was a blatantly doubtful glance.

Naruto balked. "Don't look at me like that! I was taller than you before, too, bastard. It's just that weird hair of yours that makes it seem like you're my height."

"Naruto, take into account the fact that I'm trying to ignore what you are saying," Sasuke replied caustically, as they walked. It was still cloudy outside, although now, the sun could be seen peeking behind the gray clouds.

"Whatever. Sounds like someone here can't face the truth," he remarked smartly.

"Or doesn't know when to shut up," the other replied dully.

"Jerk," Naruto muttered, shoving his hands behind his head. Why do I bother so much with this guy again, he asked himself in irritation. There were a million other people he could think of who were easier in temperament, not to mention, more vocally expressive. He gradually sobered at the thought, sighing. Of course, he knew exactly why. His deepest connection was with the bastard. It was because of that that he would always be concerned with the Uchiha. Despite it all, he wouldn't exchange Sasuke's role for anyone else in his life, no matter how much of a pain he could be.

He glanced at Sasuke again, unable to help but ponder once more, if Sasuke was truly all right. Dammit. He suddenly stopped in the middle of the street. Before he knew what he was doing, Naruto reached out and grabbed the other's bare, right forearm.

The pale nin stopped at the action. He half-turned and obsidian eyes immediately swung towards Naruto's azure ones. Naruto vaguely felt the solid muscles of Sasuke's arm tense. Why was Sasuke so on edge? The other's skin was cool beneath his warm hand. Licking his lips, he held the raven-haired nin's enigmatic gaze. "Sasuke. I'm... I'm worried about you, bastard. Are you sure everything's okay?" he asked quietly, concern etched clearly in his features.

He watched as his friend's dark eyes ran over his face, his expression giving away nothing. Naruto noted that the edges of Sasuke's lips tightened a bit. Suddenly realizing that he was staring a little too closely, Naruto's eyes shot back up towards Sasuke's, as he waited for an answer.

The other shifted slightly, forcing Naruto's hand to drop. "Naruto, I appreciate your concern, but I won't repeat myself," he replied firmly, over his shoulder.

Naruto growled a little, frowning. "You're so irritating! I'm just—" His attention was thwarted suddenly, when he heard a familiar cry. Glancing up, he saw a white and brown-flecked hawk circling around in the sky above them. The bird was one that Tsunade had issued to summon him whenever he was needed in the administration building.

He sighed, inwardly cursing at the bad timing. "I gotta go. Look, how about a sparring session later? I could sure use it."

The Uchiha said nothing at first. However, Sasuke eventually turned to look at him. "Fine."

Naruto smiled a little, feeling that Sasuke's agreement was the first step towards making headway with him. "Around five at the usual place? I'm probably going to be busy until then."

Sasuke nodded once.

Naruto smiled wider. "You better prepare bastard. I won't go easy on you!" he said, pointing at the other. "See ya later." Without another word, he formed the usual hand sign and transported out of sight.

A moment later, as he made his way up the steps of the administration building, Naruto was feeling much more optimistic. Where Sasuke was concerned, there was nothing a little hand-to-hand combat couldn't cure.


By mid-day, the sun was entirely visible within the village again. It had quickly evaporated the water from within the soil, allowing ninja to train and children to play in the parks. Situated nearby one of those parks was Sasuke, who was seated on a bench along one of the many pathways that were lined by trees.

Sasuke had recently finished having lunch in private. Afterwards, desiring activity of some sort, he chose to take a long walk, which led him to where he was currently. He had to do something, anything to help ease the restlessness he was feeling. Not even the morning's drills at the ANBU base had been enough to release his pent up agitation. Everyone and everything was getting on his nerves today—Naruto as well. When the blond jinchūriki began his endless blabbering, his initial urge was to tell the other to leave him alone, and he'd fought with himself to resist the urge to wipe the stupid grin off the other's face. He couldn't even muster the desire to gloat when Naruto mentioned his punishment. To Sasuke's credit, he'd managed to remain civil, as he knew that giving the other the complete cold shoulder would only make the blond nin all the more troublesome, and he didn't want more of that today. A heavy strain of anxiety was brimming deep within him, and it had only grown after the news the hokage had given him.

He couldn't continue having these dreams. He couldn't just end them at will, however. Genjutsu would not offer any long-term solution and he certainly didn't want to ask Kakashi for help. Sasuke was an Uchiha and ANBU—he still had his pride. On the other hand, there was always the option of honestly revealing his issues in detail, but if he exposed how bad his nightmares—and especially his anxiety—was, they'd probably put him under observation and medication. He absolutely did not want that. He refused to be under the influence of pills and treatment. He'd undergone enough poking and prodding to last a lifetime during his periods with both Orochimaru and that egotistical masked man. He wanted to be aware and in control of himself and his life now, as much as he could.

He scoffed disdainfully as he leaned forward. He braced his elbows on his knees and weaved his fingers together, resting his chin on them. If he somehow permanently damaged his eyes in the long run... he wasn't sure what he'd do. Living his life incapacitated in that manner was not an option he was willing to consider. The Sharingan was an essential part of his being, of his very identity and legacy. As unbearably scarred as that heritage was, he still had some measure of pride in it. After the war, Naruto once told him that he was more than just his eyes, and while he'd acknowledged that then, it didn't mean he was willing to accept tarnishing them now. Offhandedly, Sasuke found himself wondering what his late brother would do in such a situation. He certainly wouldn't sulk, he thought derisively.

But your eyes are only a small part of the issue, his cynical inner voice suddenly told him. Yes. That could only be accounted for a portion of his disquiet. The other part was undoubtedly Naruto and that—

No. He would not bring that up right now, he thought darkly. Without warning, his finger suddenly twitched. In irritation, he gripped them together even tighter. He suddenly felt grateful for Naruto's invitation to a sparring session. He really needed it. The need to hit something was ever tempting.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He glanced up in surprise.

It was Sakura. He had been so deep in thought, he hadn't even sensed the other kunoichi approach, he realized with irritation. She was without her medical coat, indicating that she was either on break or done for the day. Considering the amount of people that had shown up for examinations, Sasuke figured the former. She approached him with a hesitant smile, walking down the paved, tree-lined pathway.

He sighed inwardly. What does she want?


Naruto made his way through the long, winding avenues of the village. It was sometime after noon and he was delivering a box full of blank forms that were needed at the hospital's front office. After making a brief stop for lunch, he decided to walk the rest of the way. Carrying the medium sized package in his steady hands, he headed down one of the many tree-lined paths, when a voice suddenly called out.

"Hey! Where are you headed to, motor-mouth?" said a feminine voice.

Naruto turned around in surprise to see Karin several feet behind him. She was turning around a corner that connected to the path Naruto was walking on.

"Hey! What's up, Karin? What are you up to?" Naruto replied amiably. He waited as the kunoichi leisurely caught up to him.

A lopsided smile graced Karin's face. She stopped in front of him. "Nothing much. Going to go get something to eat before I have to get back to work. How about you?" she asked, craning her neck to look up at him.

"Pretty good. Just going to take some forms to the hospital," he replied, lifting the box up.

"Oh? I was there about an hour ago for the annual checkup."

"Everything good?" he asked, as they fell into step together, walking idly side-by-side.

"Everything's peachy. The Uzumaki vitality does run through my veins, you know," she said neatly.

Naruto gave a huff of laughter. "Did they poke at you a lot?"

"Some. Though, with as many times as I've been bitten, a few needles for blood samples barely register pain," she said with a wave of her hand. She glanced at him. "How are you holding up with this weather? You probably haven't been able to train much, huh?"

"No, I haven't," he murmured dismally. "It has been pretty crappy lately."

She absently adjusted her glasses. "Yeah. I keep getting my stockings wet with all the walking back and forth that I have to do," she said with a grimace. Unexpectedly, the sound of a stomach growling suddenly filled the space.

Naruto glanced at her in surprise. "Geez, Karin. When was the last time you ate?"

The kunoichi gingerly rubbed her stomach. "I had a sugar bun before I went to the hospital."

Naruto chuckled. "Every time I see you these days, you're either hungry or always stuffing your face."

Karin glared at him. "Shut up. I just have a healthy appetite."

Naruto eyes glinted gleefully. "I'm just saying. How are you gonna snag a boyfriend if you blow up like a house?" he snickered.

The red-haired kunoichi indignantly shook her fist at him. "I'll always maintain my figure, okay? I've got thighs like granite!" she huffed.

"Yeah, and your stomach's apparently made of the same thing," Naruto quipped with a laugh.

"You little…" She quickly punched him in the arm, which only made the blond-haired shinobi laugh harder. Karin crossed her arms over her chest with a sniff.

Naruto gradually sobered, only to burst out chuckling again, as they continued to walk down the stone path.

"It wasn't that funny," Karin muttered in annoyance, eyeing the other's fox-like snigger.

"No, it's not that," he said with a grin, adjusting the box in his hands. "I'm just trying to imagine Sasuke dealing with you and Suigetsu at the same time. Knowing him, I'm surprised he didn't bail on you guys early on."

She snorted. "He was always separating us. I wouldn't have acted up at all if it hadn't been for Suigetsu, that jerk," she mumbled, although with tempered nostalgia, rather than anger. "He was always opening his big, fat mouth."

Naruto smiled. "Suigetsu doesn't seem too bad. He's kinda funny."

Karin rolled her red eyes good-naturedly. "If you call being an ass, funny. That piranha made my life hell."

"He was really helpful to Sasuke though, wasn't he?"

Karin sighed. "I guess he had his... moments," she grudgingly admitted, shrugging a shoulder. "We made a good team."

Naruto glanced at her. "What was it like back then? I mean, being in Team Taka."

Karin's face unexpectedly softened a bit, as she thought about those times. "It was kind of like... a strange, dysfunctional family. We shouldn't have lasted as long as we did, but it worked somehow."

Naruto smiled. "I know what you mean," he said fondly, inwardly thinking back on the early days of Team 7.

"Despite the obvious irritations, we were loyal to the team—to Sasuke," she admitted softly.

Naruto's lashes lowered. He was unable to help but think how he and Sakura had also felt a strong sense of loyalty to the surviving Uchiha back then, as well. "Ah."

"Speaking of Sasuke... how is he anyway?" Karin asked after a beat.

A blond brow rose. "He's... fine. A little moody, I guess. You haven't talked to him lately?"

"Not really," she replied, fidgeting a little. We don't talk, she wanted to say. Yet, she refrained.

"Didn't you see him at the dinner the other night though, after the Chūnin Exams?" Naruto asked quizzically.

"Yeah, I saw him. We just didn't talk," she answered carefully. "I wasn't sitting with you guys. Remember?" Recalling that night, Karin remembered that Sasuke had appeared like every other time she'd seen him over the last two and a half years—detached and unapproachable. Even that amazing chakra signature of his that had once dazzled her now seemed to be in a permanent state of reticent remoteness every time she saw him. When they'd all convened outside the restaurant afterwards, she had briefly caught his gaze. In that moment she had hoped, like so many other times, that he would at least give some form of recognition—even a nod. Instead, he merely looked away, as he had seen right through her, as if at one time, she had never worked at his side.

She felt that she wasn't any closer to knowing him now than she had been when he'd first approached her at Orochimaru's hideout all that time ago. While she'd managed to get over the realization that he'd never look at her the way she did him, it still hurt her that he seemed to find no issue in ignoring her presence. She wasn't expecting to be his best friend of course, but she would wholeheartedly embrace even cool courtesy from the other if he offered it. It's the least he could do after nearly killing me, she thought wryly.

"Oh, yeah. That's right. Well, anyway, he's okay. Although, that guy is in a weird funk lately... or really, a lot of the time. It's a full-time job just to keep up with his mood swings," Naruto said wryly. A few playful children suddenly ran down the path then, waving at him as one chased the other. Naruto smiled and waved back as they ran by.

"You always get to see that side of him. Don't you?" Karin suddenly said with a hint of curiosity.

He looked at her questioningly, not understanding. "What do you mean?"

"Well... it seems like not many people get to know Sasuke that way. He's usually so aloof. Even with our old team, he stayed firm in his position as a leader, rather than a friend. However, you actually get to witness him emote. Really emote," she explained introspectively.

Naruto blinked in surprise. "Heh, I never really thought of that. I guess I don't give him much of a choice, to be honest. Most people don't really have much patience with someone like him, and I don't blame them for it. It's difficult for people to understand the things he's been through. He isn't the warmest of people, and definitely not the most social, but as a comrade and shinobi, he's solid." He shrugged. "Sasuke is Sasuke. I'm just glad that friends like you still worry about him," he said with a smile.

Karin blinked. Sasuke is Sasuke. She recalled those words that were spoken by Naruto at the fated bridge in Tetsu no Kuni. Mulling over what the whiskered nin said, she realized that perhaps the one who should be glad is Sasuke, for having someone like Naruto to worry about him. She softened a little, sending the other a lopsided smile. "Right."

Karin suddenly stopped short. Her senses were tingling. Honing in on it, she realized that a very familiar chakra was nearby, not even twenty yards away. It was an achingly familiar, cold chakra in the company of a warmer one. She instantly tensed.

Naruto abruptly turned, realizing that the kunoichi had stopped walking. "Huh? Karin? What's up?"

The red-haired kunoichi self-consciously scratched at the side of her face. "Um, I just remembered that I have something to, uh, do, so I think I'm just going to grab something to eat real quick so I can get to it. I'll see you later, okay?" she said, offering a smile. She was already taking a few steps backwards.

Naruto blinked. "Uh, sure. See you later then," he replied, as she made a jerky gesture of parting and promptly disappeared around a corner they'd passed.

Dismissing the other's sudden departure, Naruto continued trekking forward with the box of forms. All the while, he found himself thinking about how evident it was that Karin still cared about Sasuke. It was a miracle considering all that happened between them. The bastard had touched the lives of people and he didn't even realize it. Of course he

Naruto suddenly stopped near a row of bushes that lined the property of a local park. While in thought, he'd glanced towards his right, and instantly noticed the distant, albeit familiar, likeness of two people through a small clearing among the tall bushes.

There, across the edge of the wide grassy knoll of the park, sat none other than Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto could see that the two were seated on a bench alongside a path that would connect to his further ahead. What are they up to? With a smile growing on his face, Naruto was thinking about going over to greet them.

That is, until he saw Sakura lay a hand on Sasuke's right shoulder.

That made Naruto pause. He watched silently, his brows furrowing slightly, as he witnessed Sakura turn towards the other. Sasuke, who was in a contemplative position, was now looking at her. From his distance, Naruto couldn't decipher exactly what Sasuke's expression was, but some sort of exchange was occurring, and for some reason, it made him feel strangely uncomfortable. Sakura then let her hand run down to his forearm, and Naruto blinked.

Naruto knew that the kunoichi had always tried to be close to Sasuke, to make the other open up to her, the way Sasuke did with him, but she normally did not use physical gestures with him—not anymore. Moreover, Sasuke did not like to be touched by the majority of people. Yet, he was letting Sakura do so at the moment. The blond nin suddenly had the niggling feeling that he might be intruding on a private moment. The inner dismay he felt at the realization, however, bothered him immensely. He instinctively reduced his chakra signature without thinking. Naruto felt confused. He knew that Sakura still cared deeply about Sasuke, but...

Is Sakura still in love with him? Hadn't she told him though that she'd gotten over her feelings for Sasuke?

No, dummy. She said... she said that she thought that boat had sailed, he steadily recalled. So perhaps there was a possibility that she still loved him, but didn't see the opportunity for it before. If Sasuke, for any reason, decided to reciprocate her feelings, who's to say that she wouldn't still accept him? Did Sasuke even feel that way about her though, he wondered. After Sasuke's return to the village, Naruto once mentioned to Sasuke that Sakura still loved him. Sasuke, in turn, had merely told him that he hadn't asked her to do so, and that he wouldn't speak any further on the subject.

Could Sasuke have changed his mind, Naruto found himself questioning, as he crouched a little. He silently watched, as Sasuke appeared to say something to Sakura. The kunoichi then seemed to ease closer to him, her knees almost touching Sasuke's. Her pink head was not all that far from Sasuke's dark one. The impact of the visual of their closeness was something Naruto hadn't been prepared for, and he felt a strange burning sensation in the center of his chest, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.

Jealousy.

Naruto's eyes lowered, his brows furrowing more. It made no sense. He had his own girlfriend, who he liked very much, after all. Furthermore, his feelings for Sakura of that manner had long since vanished. Therefore, that only left—

"What're you up to, Naruto-niichan?" came a sudden whisper in his left ear.

Naruto startled with a squawk. He jerked and dropped the box, as he came face to face with none other than Konohamaru. The Sarutobi teen had a deeply curious look on his face, as he attempted to find the source of Naruto's attention. Naruto instantly straightened, backing away from the bushes.

"K-Konohamaru! Ehh-heh-heh... um, so what are you doing here?" he asked nervously, as he self-consciously rubbed a hand behind his head.

Konohamaru eased away from the shrubbery to stand in front of Naruto. "I just came back from a mission. I was walking by when I saw you here." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial tone. "Are you on the hunt for someone?"

Naruto gave an anxious chuckle. "No, no! Not at all," he replied, waving his hands in front of him. "I was just, er, looking at... some... birds. Yeah! Birds." He nodded hard.

The younger nin's face scrunched up. "Birds? I didn't know you liked birds, niichan."

Naruto chuckled apprehensively again. "Uh, yeah. It's my latest hobby. Anyway, that hobby's history. How about you accompany me to the hospital and you can tell me all about your mission? I have to deliver some stuff here," he said, swiftly picking up the fallen box. He purposely avoided looking through the bush again, as he did so.

"Sure!" the other replied brightly.

As they began to walk together, Naruto only gave half a glance backwards towards the shrubbery before facing forward again. Konohamaru was already excitedly recounting his mission. Then, he suddenly remembered that the path up ahead was connected to the one Sasuke and Sakura were on. Quietly, he nimbly guided the young Sarutobi, deliberately detouring to their left, as the eager chatter of his companion filled his ears.

All the while, he tried to ignore the dull ache he unwillingly felt in the hidden depths of his heart.


Kiba fell onto his back on the grass, heaving a sigh. It was sometime after four in the afternoon and the sky was lit with warm orange shades, as the sun began its slow descent through the sky. He and his teammates had been training for about an hour and a half at their usual grounds.

"Meh. I think I'm hungry," he whined, spreading his arms out at his side. "How about you, Akamaru?" Said canine barked in agreement next to him. The big white dog lay with its head on his paws, eyes half-closed.

"Should we make our way back home then? It is getting late," Hinata suggested. The kunoichi was sitting near Kiba's other side, her legs bent upright.

Shino nodded from where he was leaning against a nearby tree. "That is fine."

"Cool." Kiba eyed the sky, his slit-pupil eyes squinting a little. "I think it's going to rain again tonight. We're lucky we could get any training time at all today with this crappy weather," he said, as he and Hinata rose from the ground.

"Rain is good for the land, but it has been excessive as of late," Shino replied from behind his high-necked collar, as the group idly began to walk forward together. Akamaru trotted faithfully at Kiba's side.

"It bores me," Kiba griped. "No one can go out in that kind of weather." Earlier in the week, he'd spent three days holed up in his house, because no training could be had with the consistently poor climate. Being holed up with his mother, who'd kept him busy with household chores, was not his idea of an ideal week.

"Other regions are receiving more rain than us. We are lucky," Hinata commented from her place in between the two male shinobi.

"Yeah, well, whatever." Kiba's stomach suddenly gurgled loudly, and the nin put a hand to his stomach. "Man, I can't wait to eat. My mom promised she was going to make ribs tonight too," he said with an eager smile. "Now that I think about it, I think she told me to invite you guys over for some," he remarked as he scratched his shaggy brown hair. "You guys wanna come?"

"That sounds agreeable," Shino replied.

"Um…" Hinata murmured, seeming indecisive, as she tucked a strand of dark blue hair behind her ear.

Kiba lifted a dark brow. "What's up, Hinata?" he asked, giving the Hyūga a questioning glance. Her delicate brows were pinched together in contemplation, as she worried her lip. Kiba's eyes were unexpectedly drawn to the motion.

"Well, it's just that, I was planning on seeing Naruto-kun before the day is over," she admitted, looking at him regretfully.

Kiba felt an instant pang of disappointment blossom inside him that had him looking away from his teammate's face. This happened a lot lately. Ever since Hinata and Naruto had begun this relationship, the further it progressed, the more preoccupied she seemed to become with spending time with the blond-haired jinchūriki. Although she never missed a training session and she remained a good kunoichi, her thoughts always seemed to revolve around Naruto.

Always Naruto.

"Oh," he mumbled, trying to keep the discontentment from his voice. He crossed his arms. "Well, it's okay, I guess. I'll tell my mom."

"Maybe after our next training session, Kiba-kun?" Hinata offered.

Kiba looked at her. She was smiling, her pale eyes bright and hopeful. He found it hard to stay crestfallen when she looked at him like that. He nodded, a smile gradually pulling at his lips. "Deal."

"Perhaps sometime soon we can have a dinner at the compound," she then said, putting a finger to her mouth in consideration.

Kiba shrugged, nodding. "Sure, that sounds like a cool idea, Hinata. You guys eat all that nice, fancy food all the time," he said with a chuckle.

Hinata smiled good-naturedly. "You can bring your sister and I can invite Naruto-kun too."

Almost instantly, Kiba inwardly deflated. Always Naruto, he couldn't help but think with frustration. "Cool," he muttered, shoving his hands behind his head, as they continued to walk.

For the next few minutes, they walked together, idly speaking, until they reached a circular crossroads that connected four different avenues. Hinata stopped, prompting Kiba and Shino to do so, as well.

"I'm going to go find Naruto-kun now. Kiba-kun, please say hello to your mother for me."

Kiba straightened. "Yeah, will do," he managed somewhat blandly.

"Greet Naruto for us," Shino added.

Hinata smiled. "I will. Have a good time. See you tomorrow, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun." With a wave goodbye, she turned, her hair swirling behind her.

Kiba watched silently, as she made her way down the street towards their left. Akamaru suddenly whined softly, nuzzling Kiba's side. The Inuzuka nin knew that the dog could virtually sense his emotions as if they were his own. He laid a hand on Akamaru's head, petting the canine gently.

"Is something wrong?"

Kiba nearly jerked. The Aburame nin looked at him, his dark shades glinting beneath the sunlight. He'd almost forgotten the other was there. He managed a smirk. "Nah. Just the hunger getting to me," he replied, as they resumed their walk towards his home.


With the use of her Byakugan, it didn't take Hinata very long to find Naruto. Upon spotting him leaving the front steps of the hospital, she'd greeted the surprised ninja with a great big smile, embracing him warmly. Naruto, on his part, had been pleased to get such an affectionate greeting after an unexpectedly long afternoon. Together, they walked side by side down the street, as she excitedly told him that when her father returned from a visit with the Fire daimyō, Naruto would be formally invited by Hiashi to visit the compound and speak with him. After briefly speaking about her mission, Hinata then inquired about his afternoon at the hospital.

"So you helped with the hospital documentation?" she asked, as they walked through the residential neighborhood.

Naruto nodded, his arm brushing Hinata's as they walked. "Yeah. I was supposed to just deliver forms but somehow I wound up helping out the administration desk when I mentioned that the job could get done faster if I used my kage bunshin," he said wryly.

Hinata laughed softly. "Now they find you all the more useful, Naruto-kun. You have quite an advantage. When you become Hokage you can do many things at once."

Naruto smiled widely at her. "Heh, yeah, I can, huh? I'll definitely use that technique for the paper work. I've already taken a good look at the stuff. It's pretty boring work to be honest, but necessary. Still, it makes me feel good to know that I can be useful to the village in this way." As a result of his deed, the paper work and appointments were managed a lot faster, to the surprise and satisfaction of Tsunade. In turn, Naruto had wholeheartedly welcomed the distraction. It kept him busy and he'd needed that. Especially after what happened earlier.

His emotions had unexpectedly been in chaos over what he'd witnessed. Even now, in mid-conversation with Hinata, he couldn't help but replay the scene he'd witnessed repeatedly in his mind. When Sakura returned to the hospital—from, what he'd realized, had been a break—she'd greeted him from across the room before returning to work. He'd managed to wave at her from afar with a forced smile, all the while feeling incredibly guilty. He shouldn't have lingered around to see what he had. It hadn't been any of his business, as it had been a moment between his two teammates. The worst part was that even now, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Especially since he would be seeing Sasuke soon. The thought made him stop in the middle of the street. He'd nearly forgotten to mention it to Hinata.

He turned to her. "Wait. Crap, I almost forgot. I'm actually not heading home right now, Hinata. I promised Sasuke earlier that I would meet up with him for some sparring time in a little bit."

Hinata blinked. "Oh," she said with some surprise.

Naruto immediately felt contrite, as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck with a hand. He didn't want to brush Hinata off after she'd taken the time to find him, but there was no way he'd cancel on Sasuke either.

"Um... Naruto-kun…" The kunoichi suddenly looked uncertain, as she seemed to ponder over something.

"Hinata?" he questioned with some concern.

She gently grabbed his free arm. "I've been m-meaning to talk to you about S-Sasuke."

Naruto stared at her, dropping his other arm. He found it odd that her age-old stammer was suddenly resurfacing. Something at the back of his mind told him that he wouldn't be thrilled with what she would say. He held her gaze. "What about Sasuke, Hinata?"

Hinata looked into his eyes, swallowing. Her lashes then lowered, and a long moment later, her eyes were on his again. She unexpectedly smiled brightly, letting his arm go. "I just... I just hope everything is o-okay with him and... between you two. That's all," she said, clasping her hands together in front of her.

Naruto's eyebrows inched up slightly in surprise. Huh? Did she somehow know that Sasuke was acting strange? I haven't mentioned anything to her at all, he thought with confusion, and she certainly wasn't in communication with the nin, himself. At the group dinner, she definitely seemed happy and never said a troubling word, Naruto reflected. Regardless, he really didn't want Hinata to worry about anything between him and Sasuke. He'd decided long ago that he would bear the burden of whatever happened with the Uchiha, as well as whatever would happen between them.

"Hinata, don't worry. It's okay." He smiled at her, grasping her left hand in his. "I'm glad that you cared enough to worry though."

Hinata gradually smiled back at him. "I know he means a lot to you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto looked into her sympathetic, lavender-hued eyes. She's too good to me. Hinata had come to him, smiling and happy to see him. All the while, he secretly hadn't been able to stop thinking about Sasuke, he thought with a surge of sudden guilt. Furthermore, Hinata was concerned about him, and now, he was going to send her on her way, after barely spending fifteen minutes with her. He inwardly fretted, wondering, yet again, if he was being a decent boyfriend. Dammit, why do I always feel like I could be screwing up? Suddenly, an idea sprung into his mind.

"Hey, I have an idea. How about you come with me to the sparring session with Sasuke?" he offered with a smile.

Hinata's eyes widened slightly. "The... sparring session?" she repeated dumbly, her hand slipping from his grasp.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. It'll take less than an hour," he said with a shrug.

"Um, Naruto-kun... my presence isn't really n-needed," she said uncertainly.

"Don't say that, Hinata," he chided gently. "Look, you can watch us go at it from the sidelines. Sakura, Sai, and even Kakashi-sensei do it from time to time."

The kunoichi seemed to worry over the suggestion, clasping her hands together, as the tips of her index fingers tapped against each other. "I, um... well…"

"And then afterwards, we can probably grab a bite to eat or something. Whataya say?" he said, sending her a winning smile.

The Hyūga kunoichi stared at him for a long moment. After worrying her lip for several seconds, Hinata eventually capitulated, nodding. "Very well, Naruto-kun," she replied with a smile.

Naruto grinned. "Awesome. Let's go."


Sasuke stood with his arms crossed at the training ground. Dressed in the same clothing from earlier, with the addition of his black arm guards, he'd already spent ten minutes warming up, as he'd decided to show up a little early. Glancing at the late afternoon sun, Sasuke knew from custom that it was almost five. He could feel the anticipation already coursing through him. After a trying day, Sasuke was more than ready to unleash his frustrations.

That's why, when Sasuke spotted Naruto approaching with Hinata at his side, Sasuke saw red.

Literally.

He absently forced his Sharingan back, as his jaw clenched hard. What the fuck is he thinking, bringing her here, Sasuke thought furiously, as the two entered the clearing. He didn't even acknowledge the near-painful sensation of his own fingers digging into his upper arms. Silently, he watched with constrained incredulity as Naruto approached.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto greeted with a smile, stopping a few feet in front of the other.

Sasuke schooled his expression, his dark eyes observing as Hinata veered off towards the edge of the grounds, settling near a grassy patch of ground.

Sasuke looked at Naruto, managing to nod once in greeting. His eyes then veered back to where Hinata was. "You brought your girlfriend along."

"Oh, Hinata's just gonna hang out," Naruto replied, sending a brief glance her way. The kunoichi shyly waved from where she sat.

Sasuke merely ignored her and looked back at Naruto, who was already bent over, stretching.

"She just came back from a mission this morning. When I was leaving to meet up with you, she found me. I hope you don't mind too much. I felt kinda bad having to leave her," he said, as he bent his legs and stretched one limb, then the other. "You cool?"

Sasuke shifted, his bangs hiding his eyes from the other's view. "Hn." He reached behind him, his fingers digging into the weapons pouch located there. He had to keep himself busy or he would lose it. He had half a mind to turn right around and walk away, but he'd waited all day for a proper fight and he would damn well get it.

Naruto straightened just in time to catch the kunai that was flung at it him with a quick hand. "Geez, you're roaring to go, aren't you?" he said with an amused smile, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Kunai. No other weapons, C-rank jutsu or below," Sasuke said in response. He wanted as much hand-to-hand combat as he could get.

"Yeah, sure. I have a few others on me," Naruto replied, indicating towards his chūnin vest. He then readily took on a fighting stance. "You ready?" he queried with a challenging smirk.

Sasuke gave one of his own, although it held no true mirth whatsoever. He activated his Sharingan and steadily gripped his own kunai in his hand. "Come at me."

A few seconds later, they simultaneously clashed with a sharp clanking of weapons. The ease with which they launched into furious combat was as fluid as it always was. Where Naruto kicked, Sasuke ducked, and where Sasuke struck, Naruto blocked. After what seemed like a long break without having trained or sparred with his friend, the experience should have been beyond gratifying, and it would have been. Instead, Sasuke found himself clinically fighting the whiskered nin, for all the while, Sasuke was only too aware that there was an unwanted pair of eyes watching them. Merely thinking of it incensed him, once again. This was supposed to be their time—his time alone with Naruto. Undoubtedly, this was not the first time someone had lingered to watch them train or spar. However, the fact that it was that girl made all the difference in the world to him.

Abruptly, Sasuke felt pain erupt in his jaw when Naruto's foot managed to land a solid kick beneath it. He swiftly back-flipped out of the way, putting some distance between them.

"Are you a little off your game today, Sasuke?" Naruto roused, as he vigilantly waited in a guarded position for Sasuke to attack him.

Sasuke glared a little, breathing harshly, as he stared at the other. "Tch. I'll show you who's off," he shot back.

He quickly rushed at Naruto with renewed vigor, using his infamous speed to keep the other on his toes. At one point, as Naruto darted away, Sasuke nearly fried the other with a Gōkakyū no Jutsu that the jinchūriki managed to absorb with clones at the last second. Sasuke didn't miss the excited grin the other sent him afterwards.

Despite that, the Uchiha inwardly cursed at himself. Naruto was right. He was off, and he knew that the reason why was just across the field from them. As the fight continued, Sasuke concentrated on remaining focused. Fifteen minutes later—after two more blows from Naruto, and a few kicks to the other's chest from Sasuke—they agreed on a break. Both men spread themselves out on the grass below, as they caught their breath. After a short while, Sasuke finally sat up, his legs bent upwards at the knee. With deactivated eyes, he glanced down at the other when Naruto sighed in contentment next to him.

"That felt good," Naruto murmured with a satisfied grin, closing his eyes. The nin's cheeks were flushed with exertion, and the late afternoon breeze blew strands of golden hair against his face. His mouth was slightly open, as he regained his breath, his fingers tugging at the zipper of his vest, until it lay open.

Sasuke realized he was staring and looked away. That had ended too soon, he felt all too keenly. He wanted to stay right where he was with Naruto, but he could practically feel those Hyūga eyes on him. Sasuke could see her in the distance, sitting exactly where's she'd been earlier, like the perfect, doting girlfriend she apparently was. He could feel his chest tighten with flagrant, vindictive sentiment then. Sasuke suddenly felt as if he could go another round right then. In fact, he wanted to. The notion suddenly inspired an idea that almost had him smirking, as he mulled over it.

Naruto opened his eyes, blinking indolently before closing them again. Sasuke had fought the first half of the spar strangely, as if he had not been completely focused. Had someone else been fighting the Uchiha nin, they probably wouldn't have noticed. However, he knew Sasuke too well in battle. He knew what the other was capable of. After his remark towards Sasuke, though, the nin then seemed to revert to battling precisely like the Sasuke he knew, and it was a thrill for Naruto the moment he triggered it.

The blond nin cracked his eyes open then, covertly studying the other's profile in the afternoon sun. Strands of the nin's black hair stuck to the side of his pale forehead. Naruto watched as a trickle of sweat ran down the edge of his face, until it slid down his neck to disappear beneath the collar of his shirt. Sasuke appeared to be lost in thought. Naruto inwardly couldn't help but reflect then on the fact that even after a hard workout, the Uchiha still managed to look annoyingly poised.

He closed his eyes again. Without warning, his mind involuntarily replayed the scene he'd witnessed earlier in the day. He really wanted to ask Sasuke what that had been about, but the last thing he wanted Sasuke to realize was that he'd been spying on him and their other teammate. He felt the guilt wash over him again. He just couldn't help but stare. He even wondered now, as he had while he'd been at the hospital, if his two teammates had possibly... kissed.

His fingers curled tightly into the grass then. The familiar tightening of his chest returned. He'd had all afternoon to think about it, despite his numerous attempts to avoid it, and he knew instinctively that he was, without a doubt, jealous. It disturbed Naruto because he wanted nothing more than for his friends to be happy, and yet he felt confused, and even a little hurt, that Sasuke had not, as of yet, mentioned anything to him. Furthermore, he couldn't help but speculate whether his best friend, being as petulant as he seemed lately, was solely turning to Sakura now. The mere thought unmistakably hurt.

His eyes snapped open when he heard Sasuke rise.

"It's unfair that your girlfriend be kept waiting," Sasuke said, putting a hand on his hip.

Naruto blinked. "Oh yeah! Man, I almost forgot," he said sheepishly, sitting up. "If you want, we can go another round, or just—"

"I had something else in mind," Sasuke interjected.

Suddenly, he was darting forward until he reached the other side of the field where Hinata was. Naruto watched curiously from his position. They were talking; or rather, Sasuke was talking to her. What the hell is he saying? He could make out Hinata nodding a few times. Whatever the Uchiha was saying, she seemed to be intently paying attention. Is the bastard trying to be nice, Naruto had to admit, the prospect did please him. A moment later, Sasuke was darting back towards him—with Hinata in tow. They stopped before him.

"She's agreed to a spar with me," Sasuke said told him smoothly.

Naruto blinked, staring with surprise at the two of them before settling on Hinata. The Hyūga kunoichi looked almost awkward standing next to Sasuke. "Hinata... is that true?" he asked, rising from the ground. The astonishment was clear in his voice.

She folded her hands in front of her, twiddling her thumbs slightly. She nodded firmly, however, smiling slightly. "S-Sasuke-kun has invited me... it would be nice to have you watch me, Naruto-kun."

Naruto glanced at Sasuke questioningly. He was utterly unsure of how to react.

The raven-haired nin looked back at him. A smile played at the right corner of his lip. "Consider it my way of bonding," he replied with a slight shrug.

Naruto gave a lopsided smile, although it wavered slightly as a thought suddenly occurred to him. Sasuke never sparred with females. The last time he had was with Sakura, well over a year ago, and that had been because Kakashi had impromptly asked them to demonstrate their best taijutsu. "Okay. Well, have at it, I guess. " He looked once more at Hinata who smiled tremulously at him.

"Let's get started," Sasuke said.

"Oh, um, okay. I'll stretch a little," she said with a determined nod. She walked a few paces away in order to have more space. When Naruto asked if she needed weapons, she shook her head no, as she quickly explained that she carried some with her.

While the kunoichi continued her exercises, Naruto carefully turned to Sasuke, leaning in close. His voice lowered. "Hey, um... try not to be too rough, okay?" he told him. He knew that Hinata was a good kunoichi, but she'd never dealt with Sasuke before.

Sasuke let out a soft snort. "We agreed on only the activation of our eyes and nothing further. Besides, she is a kunoichi and it is simply a spar." He sent him an ambiguous glance before turning away to take position.

Naruto sighed a little. "Whatever bastard," he muttered. "Well, give it your best, you two," he encouraged, before darting to the edge of the field to stay out of the way.

A few moments later, Hinata appeared to be ready, as she took a fighting stance. Sasuke did the same. Then, Naruto watched as the two attacked each other. Using her Gentle Fist style, Naruto was able to see that Hinata could block most of Sasuke's hits. Soon enough, bright streaks of chakra lit the area surrounding the sparring pair, as they began to move in a quick succession of movement. It was a rare meeting of Sharingan versus Byakugan. Naruto would be happy with whoever did the best, but he knew in his heart of hearts that there was a good possibility that Sasuke would come out on top.


With his Sharingan activated, Sasuke attacked the kunoichi relentlessly, the clinking of kunai and feet scraping against earth, the only sound to be heard—along with the girl's annoying grunts. She had an interesting stance and had admirable accuracy while attempting to target vital areas of the body that could interrupt chakra flow, but Sasuke wasn't about to give her a chance to hit them. He felt strongly that he had more impetus than she did. He knew it. He was also more battle hardened.

He smirked, feeling a brutal sense of resolve flowing throughout his body. He would make her regret taking him up on his seemingly innocent invitation.

His eyes were alert, realizing that she was entering a Gentle Fist stance again. Aware that he was too close to the kunoichi, he quickly darted backwards before he could take the brunt of what could have been an overwhelming blow to his chest.

She's getting bold, he thought with dark amusement, as she regrouped. He didn't give the kunoichi much time to rest, however, and he instantly went on the attack. He moved so quickly towards her that she barely had time to react, as he flashed next to her and swiped at her with his kunai, cutting off a few strands of her long hair. If she didn't have the three-hundred and sixty degree vision her eyes offered her, he would've driven the kunai into her skull, Sasuke knew, taking a great thrill at the look of surprise on her face.

Although, if I could use the full abilities of my eyes, this would've been over long ago, he thought slyly. Not that it was necessary. He could easily beat her without it.

Sasuke's sharp eyes then saw her turning, her right palm shooting out towards him, intent on striking his left side as he passed her. He quickly managed to block her with a strong arm. Swinging at her with his left, she then blocked that one. They suddenly engaged in a flurry of close-range combat with Hinata lashing out at him with her palms, a consecutive twenty times, and Sasuke dodging each one. He inwardly had to hand it to the girl—she wasn't giving up. However, he could practically sense the trepidation she was feeling. It was written on her face, despite her performance.

It was time to end this little game.

As she continued to assail him with her palms, with the ability of his Sharingan, he was able to determine the best timing to angle the top half of his body out of the way of her palms, as she moved forward. He bent backwards before swiftly maneuvering to his side, and bracing a hand on the ground, he delivered a solid, chakra-infused kick to her abdomen with his left leg, sending her flying.

Sasuke smirked, watching as she roughly landed on her stomach ten feet away, with a shrill squeak. Weak.

Within seconds, Naruto was at her side. He gently turned Hinata over. "Hinata, are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

She gradually opened her eyes, wincing. "N-Naruto-kun..."

Naruto's jaw clenched. He rose and immediately stalked over to Sasuke, who was merely standing there looking at the kunoichi as if she were a splattered bug. Naruto grabbed the other by the collar of his shirt, angry blue eyes staring into impassive dark ones. "What the hell is wrong with you, Sasuke? I told you—"

"Naruto-kun!"

Naruto immediately looked over to find Hinata struggling to sit up. Naruto let the Uchiha go and rushed over to help her. Hinata managed a tight smile despite obviously being in discomfort. "Please, don't get angry. I think I just had the wind knocked out of me, that's all. I think I'll be okay. I'm a kunoichi after all," she assured. "Help me up, please."

"Sure," Naruto said at once. He eased an arm around her, easing her onto her feet. Naruto maintained an arm around her, his gaze eventually settling back on Sasuke, who now stood with his arms crossed.

"T-Thank you for the spar, Sasuke," Hinata managed to say, holding his gaze.

Sasuke gave a slight inclination of his head, his face unreadable.

"C'mon, Hinata. I can take you home," Naruto said, as he sent Sasuke a look that clearly said: We will be talking.

The Uchiha nin's expression didn't change.

"Okay," Hinata replied.

Naruto's eyes stayed intensely locked with his friend's until a moment later, when he and Hinata disappeared with a quiet 'poof'.


Leaning against his kitchen counter, Sasuke absently sipped a cup of green tea that he'd prepared after arriving home. The only illumination within the otherwise dark residence was the dim overhead light above the stove. Having just taken a quick shower, he now wore black pajama bottoms and a sleeveless cotton nightshirt of the same color.

He took another unsatisfactory sip of the tea. Despite normally favoring the beverage, it currently held no appeal to him at all, leaving nothing but a bitter taste in his mouth. He turned and sharply set the glass cup down in the sink, before turning once again to brace his hands against the edge of the counter.

After Naruto left with the girl, he'd immediately returned home, a feeling of perverse accomplishment ringing satisfactorily through him. He'd been so pleased with putting the Hyūga heiress in her place that no amount of anger from Naruto could possibly make him feel guilty. Getting her to agree to the spar had been as predictable as he'd thought it would be. She was either very brave or very foolish, and Sasuke was inclined to believe the latter. Either way, it didn't matter anymore. He was done playing nice, and through with trying to do the "right" thing simply because Naruto had asked it of him.

He restlessly walked from the kitchen, towards the back of the house, where he entered the formal room. He wound up standing by the glass sliding doors and he peered through them, crossing his arms, as he watched the onset of rain hit the branches of the bushes in his garden in the dark.

Naruto was sure to be pissed off, if the nin's parting stare said anything, Sasuke knew. The other's bright, blue eyes were utterly readable, but especially if they were looking at him. If it wasn't for—

Sasuke suddenly tensed, sensing an all-too familiar chakra in the room with him. His eyes widened slightly, as his finger simultaneously twitched beneath his arm. He couldn't help the minor, callous curling of his lips at one end.

Slowly, he turned to see Naruto standing a few feet behind him. He was still dressed in his jōnin uniform, indicating that the whiskered nin had gone to Sasuke's house immediately after dropping that girl off. Even in the darkness of the room, he could see the intense displeasure on the other's tanned face. His jaw was set firmly and his usually serene, blue eyes were hard. A small patch of light from outside illuminated the other's hitai-ate within the dim room, causing it to glint.

Sasuke lifted a brow.

"We're going to talk. Right now," Naruto demanded, his determined gaze steadfast upon Sasuke's cool one.

"About?" Sasuke prodded with deceptive calm.

"Don't play games with me, Sasuke. You know what I'm talking about," Naruto returned in a near growl. "What the hell was that about earlier? You had to know that she isn't that aggressive. I told you to take it easy with her!" he exclaimed, his arms outstretched in gesture.

"Why should I have to? She's a shinobi, Naruto. Any ninja who can't defend themselves properly with mere taijutsu isn't worthy of being called a ninja," he said flatly.

Naruto's eyes narrowed a bit. "Who cares? She didn't sign up to spar for your amusement, so you could fling her aside like some ragdoll, Sasuke. She was being gracious! She didn't have to accept."

"But she did. What a pity," Sasuke replied smoothly, with a mere tilt of his head.

Naruto stared at him for a long moment before shaking his head, his facial expression a mix of resentment and disbelief. "I don't get it. I thought this was over with. You said that you would try to be accepting of her, if just for me. I believed you, Sasuke. I trusted your words all this time!" he yelled at the last, his fists clenching.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "The operative word there is 'tried'. I tried to like someone who I instinctively didn't like for your sake. I let you live in your own deluded world full of rainbows and idealistic fantasies and I played along, because you guilt-tripped me into doing it, and for some godforsaken reason, I let it happen. You should be thanking me. I let you live that dream longer than I should have."

"What? Why the fuck didn't you just tell me, you bastard, instead of letting it come to this!" Naruto implored, closing a considerable amount of the distance between them.

"And ruin whatever precious cloud of love you two seemed to be riding on? Would you have really wanted that?" Sasuke questioned wryly.

Naruto scowled. "I don't need your fucking sarcasm right now, Sasuke. You wouldn't have ruined anything."

A dark brow rose. "Wouldn't I have though? Wouldn't it have been easier for you to resume parading around your Hyūga girl without having to worry about your lonesome Uchiha friend, the former missing nin?"

Naruto snorted harshly. "Don't be a dumbass, Sasuke. You're my best friend and Hinata isn't even the type of girl that would let me do that. If you got your head out of your ass, you'd realize that she—"

"Spare me," Sasuke snarled in disgust, his dark eyes spewing his ire, as his arms fell to his sides, fists clenched. "I'm tired of talking about her. I'm tired of hearing you talk about her. She is insignificant, weak, and no one worth wasting my time speaking about. The fact that I have even spent all this time catering to you and your rudimentary romance, frankly, nauseates me."

Naruto's eyes widened at the angry passion with which each of the other's words was said. He swallowed hard. "I wonder... would it be fair then, if I had to suffer the same and cater to you and Sakura?" he posed, realizing the ironic parallel that could unfold in the future.

Sasuke appeared confused, his brows creasing slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about. I saw you two together. You don't have to hide it," he stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, you idiot," Sasuke replied flatly.

"I didn't think you'd lie to my face," Naruto growled.

"I didn't think you'd bring up someone who isn't relevant to this conversation," Sasuke shot back exasperatedly. "The subject at hand is that Hyūga girl and I don't give a damn about Sakura at the moment."

"You are such a total asshole," Naruto grumbled darkly with a shake of his head. "A selfish, miserable asshole, and here I was stupidly thinking that something else was wrong with you! I was going out of my mind worrying about you!"

"I won't hold back anymore, Naruto," Sasuke asserted defiantly, taking a step forward. "I might have made the mistake of keeping my mouth shut before, but in case you didn't grasp it, let me reiterate it for you. I will never like your girlfriend. I will never be your sidekick that follows you and your Hyūga around like some pathetic third wheel. You have legions of friends who will do that and grovel at your feet once you're Hokage, but don't count me as one of them."

Naruto could feel his body shake with barely restrained fury. "Shut up, Sasuke…" he said between clenched teeth. He could quickly feel his patience waning, as his resentment soared.

Sasuke smirked cruelly then, titillated by the other's anger. The urge to provoke Naruto further, only grew. "What's wrong, Naruto? Having trouble envisioning your perfect little future now? It's time to face the reality. As long as she is in your life in this way, we will never be as we were."

Naruto stared incredulously at the cold, eyes before him. They were as hard as onyx stones. Before he knew what he was doing, Naruto reached out, gripping the deep lapel of the other man's nightshirt, hauling him so close that their noses were nearly touching. He vaguely felt Sasuke grasp the edge of his vest, in turn. "Shut the fuck up, Sasuke! You take that back!" he snarled. His turbulent blue eyes were burning with fury, his shoulders heaving, as he breathed hard.

A muscle ticked in Sasuke's jaw, as one of his clenched fingers twitched against the fabric of Naruto's vest. "Or what?" he drawled then with disdainful derision, his breath fanning against Naruto's mouth, as he spoke. His eyes were locked with furious, icy blue ones. "What are you going to do, usuratonkachi?"

It was the last thing that was said before Naruto's fist went crashing into Sasuke's face with a chakra-fueled punch.

Sasuke staggered backwards, his head snapping back, as he tasted a smidgen of blood that had materialized from the inside of his lip from the blow. Ignoring the pain, Sasuke absently licked at it, feeling nothing except absolute vehemence in that moment, as he stared at the outraged face of the other.

Sasuke glared at him. He was going to make Naruto bleed.

Naruto watched as Sasuke's eyes activated. In the blink of an eye, he was barely able to avoid the fist that was aimed for his face, ducking just in time. He gripped Sasuke around is midsection and darted forward, ramming the other into a tall vase that stood against the wood paneling of one of the walls within the room. Naruto then shoved his forearm against the other's neck, watching Sasuke's grimacing face as he struggled to get a grip on him, his hands pulling at the blond nin's arms. He vaguely heard the vase wobble at their left before falling to the floor with crash against the tatami-matted floor.

"Take back what you said!" Naruto growled near the other's face.

Sasuke grunted, struggling against him before smirking. "Keep dreaming."

Suddenly, the body against his dispersed with a puff of smoke and Naruto quickly turned to catch the sudden pale fist that nearly caught him in the jaw, thrown by the real Sasuke.

Sasuke grit his teeth, fighting for dominance, as the blond nin gripped his other arm. Sasuke quickly brought his leg up and kneed the other forcefully in the stomach, knocking the wind out of the jinchūriki. The raven-haired nin then landed a solid right hook against his jaw. Naruto instantly retaliated by hunching down and kicking Sasuke's feet from under him. Feeling his legs give, Sasuke managed to lever the weight of his body backwards, and sprung upside down onto his hands, where he then twisted his body and nearly landed a kick to Naruto's side, which the other blocked.

Naruto gripped Sasuke's right leg, only to then quickly block the other's left, which then came swinging at him as Sasuke nimbly rotated his body while on his hands. Naruto maintained his hold on the Uchiha's legs and infusing some chakra, he managed to heave Sasuke's body upwards until he half-swung him around, throwing him towards the wall. Sasuke agilely landed on all fours against the side of the wall and launched himself back with a growl. Naruto aimed a clenched fist for the other's left cheek, vaguely hearing Sasuke grunt as the fist met the pale, enraged face. He managed to hold off Sasuke's other fist in his opposite hand. Not wasting any time, he then sent Sasuke flying with a powerful kick to the abdomen, sending him crashing into the katana sword display that was in the corner of the room. He gave a huff of satisfaction watching the murderous glare Sasuke sent him.

Sasuke quickly stood and grabbed one of the swords, unsheathing it. Naruto already had a kunai out. Together they ran forward, their weapons meeting with a shrill clanging sound. The only other sounds that could be heard were the huffing of their breaths, the beating rain outside, and the sound of their feet thumping against the tatami floor. They swung at each other swiftly, Naruto blocking the gleaming sword with well-aimed thrusts of his kunai, until finally the whiskered nin was able to maneuver his body around with enough force to kick the sword out of the other's hand. It sunk with a thud into the edge of the far wall behind Sasuke.

Sasuke abruptly punched Naruto, the other unable to dodge it at the last moment, and sent him colliding against the wooden wall behind him with a grunt. Sasuke quickly threw himself against the other, and they grappled forcefully.

"Get off of me, you asshole!" Naruto growled between clenched teeth.

"Not until you realize that I'm right!" Sasuke returned fiercely.

Naruto then managed to turn so that he was the one pinning Sasuke against the wall, and delivered another punch to Sasuke's face. Enduring the pain, Sasuke took advantage of the fact that only one of Naruto's hands was on his upper body and swiftly rolled them around so that he was pinning Naruto again, quickly encircling the tanned wrists and restraining them against the wall above the other's blond head. He leaned in with a leer as Naruto's head thumped against the back of the wooden wall.

Naruto closed his eyes briefly against the pain, his mouth opening as he took a sharp breath. His eyes then opened, finding his friend's face in front of his, contorted and pinched with fury. Naruto thrashed against him, shifting his hips in an attempt to unseat the Uchiha from his position against him, but Sasuke's hard body was draped against his, and his wrists were brutally held within Sasuke's grasp.

Sasuke heatedly stared at the other, dragging in deep breaths, as he watched Naruto stare furiously back at him, his shoulders heaving. The raven-haired nin's own breath fanned harshly near his mouth, and his body was hard and warm against his own.

Naruto could feel the sticky residue of blood clinging to the corner of his mouth, and he absently licked at the area, ignoring the copper taste on his tongue. He did so, only to accidentally swipe his tongue against the edge of Sasuke's own mouth. He hadn't even realized he was that close. Nevertheless, he was too incensed to care. He merely glared at the other, silently daring the Uchiha to do or say something. The glare went mostly unnoticed, however, because the Sharingan eyes were now trained on his mouth.

A vague part of Sasuke's mind acknowledged the unexpected feel of Naruto's tongue brushing against his lip, but another, more obscurely primal side demanded to recognize the action, and take matters into its own hands. As he fixatedly stared at the mouth the quick tongue had slipped through, Sasuke, amid the thick heat of vehemence, let that primal side break free from its chains, the door to logic slamming closed.

Naruto had no time to react before the other's mouth came crashing down onto his with a snarl. He instinctively froze upon contact, his eyes widening. As the mouth pressed firmly against his, an involuntary whine bubbled up from the back of his throat, causing the other to pull away quickly. Naruto stared wordlessly, as he watched a look of utter panic flood Sasuke's face.

What the hell just happened?

In an instant, things had changed so very swiftly. Naruto was instantly aware of the invisible, but unbearably overt, pull that was generating between them. It was the same indescribable pull he felt when he'd been in close proximity of the other over the last few months. Only now, it was different, because he was certain now that Sasuke was feeling it too, as if they were caught in it together. It was then that Naruto noticed the fine trembling of Sasuke's body against his. It mimicked the quivering of his own insides. He could even hear the slight shudder in the other's breathing, as well.

Sasuke, in turn, felt as if he were on a razor's edge, his grip tightening on Naruto's wrists. His breathing was quickening even as he fought to do the appropriate thing. He was no longer sure what that was, however. Not when he could hear Naruto's breath catch in his throat and see the other's crystal blue eyes cloud with an unnameable awareness. Things were spiraling out of control and he knew this, but he couldn't summon the will to care. He felt like he didn't want to.

The look of panic on Sasuke's fine features quickly transformed when Naruto did nothing, instead, becoming a pinched expression fraught with what Naruto could only describe as sheer frustration. Blue eyes were suddenly drawn to Sasuke's mouth. Naruto could see the little beads of sweat above the other's sculpted upper lip. The pale, pink lips were drawn together, as the other seemed to fight some internal battle within him.

Naruto swallowed. "S-Sasuke…" he finally breathed against the other's mouth, his eyes lifting to stare into his friend's bewitching, heavy-lidded, red eyes.

It was the only word that was uttered before lips desperately met again—this time, the both of them meeting half way.

It was a strange but heady experience, as their mouths slanted across each other clumsily. Sasuke's lips were warm and full against Naruto's, and yet Naruto asserted that it was nothing like kissing a woman. Unlike the few women he'd done this with in his life, this was rougher, with considerably more adrenaline rushing through his body, as their mouths brutally met over and over. There was no scent of sickly sweet perfume wafting through his nose or the hesitant feel of a hand against his chest. This was aggressive and direct—something Naruto could respond to all too easily.

Amid the cloudy haze of lust, Sasuke inwardly marveled at how the other's mouth was so unexpectedly supple and yielding beneath his. He would've never imagined that someone as brash as the golden-haired nin was, would provide such a startling contrast in this way. The shape and the texture of his lips, the solid hardness of his tall body against his, and the ragged breathing, were assaulting all of Sasuke's keen senses, stimulating him in such a way that it made the blood beneath his skin boil like hot magma. The sensations were all so foreign and yet beneath it all, there was vague level of familiarity that made the experience even more gratifying.

On a sigh, the whiskered nin opened his mouth, and Sasuke wasted no time in thrusting his tongue inside. Naruto was instantly floored by the foreign taste of the other on his tongue. It wasn't very different from tasting a woman, but different nonetheless because it was Sasuke and that alone altered everything. There was no fruity flavor of lip-gloss to be found, or the sticky residue that the stupid substance left behind. There was no residual taste of sugary sweets or spicy condiments. Sasuke simply tasted clean, with only the slightest hint of green tea detectable on his tongue. The satisfying flavor of it—the feeling of it—was beyond exhilarating. Naruto felt as if he were caught amid a wild whirlwind of desire that only intensified with every passing moment.

At first, the sound of teeth clacking against each other could be heard, as Naruto fought to keep up with Sasuke's persistent mouth and roving tongue, but the blond nin wasn't about to be overtaken so easily. He forcefully pulled at his wrists until Sasuke let them go. Immediately, Naruto tore his mouth away with a wet smack and maneuvered their bodies, fervently pushing Sasuke against the opposite wall. Sasuke let out a soft grunt as his back hit the wood, and Naruto quickly covered the Uchiha's body with his own.

With both men panting hard, Sasuke watched through hazy eyes as the other cupped his face with warm hands. The nin's bright hair and golden features were dimly outlined in the shadows of the room. He only had a few seconds to take note of this before the other angled his face, diving right in for his mouth. Sasuke nearly groaned aloud at the erotic feel of the other's tongue sliding in eagerly, searching for, and then finding his own tongue. Together, the men haphazardly glided the slick muscles against the other, sparring with them almost as they had with their bodies a short while earlier, Sasuke's fingers clutching Naruto's broad shoulders all the while. The sounds of deliciously wet suction filled the room against the backdrop of the pattering of rain outside.

Naruto could feel himself grow hard, a dangerous desire pooling low in his belly. He'd never felt so ardent, so out of control before. He then felt Sasuke's hands move down to run frantically down his back, before skimming over his ass, and pulling him in even closer to him, so that they were practically plastered against each other. Naruto gasped aloud at the sensation of their clothed hard ons rubbing against each other, and he vaguely heard Sasuke do the same beneath his lips. The fact that Sasuke was just as turned on as he was, made his desire spike all that much higher.

Sasuke's lips continued to hungrily press on Naruto's, even as he rolled them around again so that he was pinning the whiskered nin against the wall once more with a grunt. His hands seemed to move of their own volition, shifting to grip the other's trim hips, as his legs came in between Naruto's, spreading them a little. Before he knew what he was doing, he rocked his groin into the other nin's. Naruto immediately tore his mouth away from Sasuke's, letting loose a moan that sent another pulsating throb to the dark-haired nin's erection. When Naruto's head tossed to the side, Sasuke's eyes gravitated to the tan expanse of skin, and instinctively, he leaned down and nipped at it, tasting the salty residue of sweat from their earlier activities. His breathing was hard and uncontrolled, panting his intense heat onto the tanned neck. When Naruto's large hands slipped downwards, Sasuke let out a huff, as his ass was grabbed, feeling himself being pulled even closer into the blond nin.

Naruto felt as if his body was burning up. The raw friction alone, made his body intensify with heat, feeling as if it were seeping into his bones with a euphoric rush. It felt carnal and so palpably raw. Never in his life had he thought that another person—let alone, Sasuke—could make him feel this way. It felt too unbelievably good, too unreal, and yet, it was real. He was pressed against the wall with Sasuke's body in between his. He was gasping and keening, feeling as if he could melt into the other's hands. He was with Sasuke.

It was all so unbelievably real—and so unequivocally wrong. He shouldn't be here with Sasuke like this... he shouldn't be like this with Sasuke at all!

Naruto jerked, his eyes snapping open. He saw Sasuke lift his face from the corner of his eye, no doubt, sensing his added tension. Facing forward now, Naruto stared with horrified realization into quickly sobering black eyes. He began pushing the other away, just as Sasuke staggered backwards.

Oh, shit. What... what have I done, he thought in disbelief.

Sasuke panted as he stared mutely at the other. Naruto's vivid blue eyes were wider than he'd ever seen them, his swollen mouth hanging open in shock, as he breathed harshly. Sasuke quickly shifted his gaze away. He tried to work his mouth, but was unable to form any words. Now that the cloud of lust was slowly dissipating, harsh reality was hitting him in the face with the force of a tidal wave. He couldn't bring himself to look at the other again right now. Sasuke wasn't ready to account for anything he couldn't grasp yet, himself.

Naruto rubbed a hand over his mouth, tentatively looking at the dark-haired nin again, as he distinguished his features within the dim room. Sasuke's mouth was parted slightly as he breathed hard, his toned shoulders heaving. The nin's gaze was absently fixed on a point on the wall beside Naruto. Looking uncharacteristically disheveled, Sasuke appeared just as shocked as Naruto felt.

Naruto unsteadily stepped away from the wall, putting more distance between them. He roughly cleared his throat, avoiding the other's eyes. "I-I'm... I gotta... I'll just... go," Naruto murmured lamely, as he awkwardly pointed towards the sliding door.

Sasuke vaguely processed what the blond nin said, jerkily nodding a moment later, his eyes still trained on the wall. "Go," he rasped in a guttural tone.

Not needing further prompting, Naruto anxiously made his way past the dark-haired nin as quickly as he could. He jerked the lock of the sliding door, and then opened it, hastily making his way out without another word.

Sasuke silently remained standing in the same spot, his mind still reeling from what had just transpired. The sound of the sliding door closing was utterly loud to his ears.


A moment later, Naruto transported to the front of his apartment door. The rain beat down heavily over the roof of his apartment complex's outdoor roof, the sound of it filling his ears. Naruto turned so that he was facing the dreary scenery before him. It was raining so hard that he could barely make out any of the village's structures within the night.

With a tremulous sigh, the blond nin leaned against the wooden door, sliding down it until his backside hit the floor. What had he done? What had he been thinking? Sasuke was his best friend and he had a girlfriend dammit!

Fuck, fuck, FUCK!

What was he going to do now? Where would he and Sasuke go from here? As if things hadn't been complicated enough already, now they would certainly be a million times worse.

Tears of panic and despair unwillingly sprung to his eyes then. That was just the tip of the iceberg, for he feared the absolute worst. With Sasuke being as tempestuous as he was now, he could only imagine how things would be like with him from here on out.

A tear slid down his whiskered cheek, as he absently stared at the railing in front of him. He suddenly wished he could take back the last fifteen minutes, no matter what he had been feeling at the time. He was terrified. Truly terrified.

He would never be able to live with himself knowing that he might've just irreparably damaged the most important bond in his life.


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Author's Note: This freaking chapter... by the time I was done writing it, I felt like I was on the brink of having multiple personalities. I also felt like I was going to have a breakdown a few times. This is two chapters worth of work here. Originally, it was not going to be this long; however, I'm sure quite a few of you will appreciate the monstrous length. Anyway, the nightmare that Sasuke had was based on one I had. However, instead of hitting the water and waking up, I went to the bottom depths and drowned in the process of swimming back up. Not fun, considering I'm a vivid dreamer.

The other thing is that jealousy truly is a horrible monster, and one reviewer gave an excellent summary about it a while back. Many of the emotions and situations playing out here, I've dealt with myself in the past. Life is always a paradox. Where one person is simply doing something out of good intentions, another person may be suffering inside from it. As far as the story is concerned, needless to say, things are about to get complicated and very interesting, as we approach the second half of the story. Naruto's sense of loyalty and his instincts will be tested, and Sasuke will go through a tumultuous inner journey of his own.

I'm happy I was able to push this out a few days before my birthday and I'm immediately going to start work on part two of Touch Me. Thanks to everyone for the reviews, critiques, and the encouraging messages on all the sites, but specifically to those who believed in my ability and understand what this little fic is all about—especially to my demanding beta and thequietmoments who was willing to give this a read through.