Some parts I like, others... eh. Oh well. o.o

Warning: I just realized how insane I made Naruto in this fic. I was aiming for hyperactive and got psychotic instead. Oh well, the same thing in my book ;D

Disclaimer: Why can't I be funny again in my A/N? T^T

Enjoy you beautiful people (;

Chapter Eleven: Starlight Footsteps

Sasuke was driving blindly to wherever the road would take them. Naruto's hand was intertwined tightly with his; randomly giving squeezes here and there that lead to smiles being shared between the two of them.

"I don't think I've ever gone on a spontaneous road trip like this since… high school!" Naruto was giddy. The sort of giddiness where you felt like you could take on the whole world as long as that one, special person was right beside you holding onto your hand and never letting go. That person happened to be Sasuke, of course. And right now the adrenaline pumping furiously in his veins could have taken him all the way to America without ever looking back.

"Were you always on the run in high school?" Sasuke asked cheekily, stealing a glance off the road to watch his blond pout in such an adorable fashion it made it hard not to just lean over and kiss him right there and then.

Naruto's bottom lip jutted out as he reclined in his chair, pretending to be miffed. "I'll have you know I was an innocent little angel back then! Not like that's any difference now," Sasuke had to scoff at that. Somehow he really doubted Naruto was as innocent as he claimed to be. "But I did have a wild side."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "I bet." They fell into somewhat of a comfortable silence, neither really knowing what to say to fill in the gap. Blinking stars were coming out to dot the purple sky above them. "We're going to have to pull over soon," Sasuke motioned to the gas tank that was only held a quarter left of gas. He didn't know where he was going, so heading off without a set destination would probably lead them off stranded with an empty tank.

Naruto simply nodded. "Let's pull off over there," he pointed towards a wide expanse of trees over on the right. "It looks pretty and it'll look like we're camping. You know, I haven't been camping in years."

"I'm glad you can make things obscenely positive no matter what the situation."

"It's one of my best qualities."

The raven pulled off the main road, looking left and right to make sure no other cars were coming and drove onto the grass. He put the car into park and just sat there, sitting in a huge vat of emotions he couldn't describe. There were so many chaotic thoughts just swimming around endlessly through his mind yet he couldn't voice any of them. Some were questions, others were statements, and then there were the majority that really didn't make any sense. They simply floated there in hopes to be plucked out so they could fill up the silence.

Naruto squirmed in his seat until he felt somewhat comfortable in the small confines of Sasuke's Sedan. He rolled onto his side and gave Sasuke a lazy smile. "Ever had car sex?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow himself, already immune to Naruto's perverted advances. "If I say yes?"

"Then I will be so freaking jealous I'll grill you for the most embarrassing details you'll wish you never did it in the first place!"

"First of all, you have no shame—"

"Obviously," Naruto kicked in with a smirk.

"—And secondly I'm… uh…" a small blush scarred the raven's face. Oh yeah, he could sit there and have Naruto blatantly talk about sex but when it came his turn he'd geek out! Smooth, Uchiha, really smooth work.

Blue eyes expanded, Naruto's mind already going to work with the sentence. "No way…"

"Don't start!" Sasuke hissed.

"I can't believe it!"

"I'm warning you!"

"My little Sasu Bear is still a virgin?"

"Don't call me that either!" if Sasuke wasn't so horribly, utterly, completely in love with the blond he would have strangled him right there and then. Instead he went for the old slap against the back of the head move that always sent Naruto reeling.

"Ow! Fuck! All right, so it was rude to make fun of your virgin ways!"

"Watch it or I'm going to do more than just slap you," Sasuke warned. "Seriously, is it that big of a deal that I haven't had sex yet? I've been swamped in my job for the past six years—not a lot of time to settle down and find someone."

"But you found me!" Naruto added in with a grin, leaning over to peck Sasuke on the cheek. He pulled back and was grinning from ear to ear. "It's definitely okay that you're still a virgin! I am too," he added the last part in more casually than Sasuke would have liked. Hell, he didn't even notice what Naruto had said until five seconds later.

"What?" Sasuke bolted up right in his car seat and shot Naruto a look. "You're a virgin too?" Naruto nodded like an excited puppy ready to pee their… pants? Wait, puppies don't wear pants… "Then what was all that crap about earlier for?"

Naruto shrugged, "Eh. I dunno. Just thought it'd be funny."

The raven held back every urge he had so he wouldn't strangle the blond.

Instead, he sighed and rested his head against his steering wheel. "Some days I wonder about you…"

"That's cute," Naruto teased lightly, leaning over to wrap his arms around Sasuke's middle. Silence shortly fell between the two once more, both trapped in their own thoughts. It didn't last too long though. Naruto was the first to break the silence in half.

"I'd really like you to be my first time," he said nonchalantly, burying his face into Sasuke's shoulder so the raven wouldn't see his blush.

The raven jerked slightly. He carefully raised his head and looked at the blond buried in his shoulder. A small smile came to his face as he gently eased Naruto up and brought him to sit on his lap. "Well I would hope so," he smirked and leaned up to press a soft kiss on Naruto's lips. "It would be a pity that we went through all this shit and ended up not solidifying anything."

"A shame to the highest degree!" Naruto agreed and brought Sasuke's lips in for another kiss. It was slow and nice and simply… wonderful. No tongues, no groping, just a lot of cuddling, fondling, and love. Naruto pulled back with his eyes closed, his lips all puckered and pink, and an adorable blush on his face. "Hey… Sasuke?"

"Hmm?" Sasuke asked, his heart pounding madly in his chest.

"Guess what?"

"Do I have to?" the raven playfully whined.

"Well no… but then I won't tell you what I'm thinking anytime soon," Naruto bargained.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. 'Childish,' "All right. Um… you have a boner?"

It was a shot in the dark…

Naruto burst out laughing. "Ha! No, of course not! Well, maybe a little," he wiggled his hips, moving it so his half-hard erection pressed against Sasuke's stomach. He even moaned a little.

"You're… so…" Sasuke breathed out but Naruto placed a finger over his lips to shush him.

"I know. I'm irresistible. But you're wrong about your first guess! Here, I'll give you a hint: It's a three letter phrase."

"Three letter phrase…?" Sasuke wracked his brain for answers to fit the ridiculous riddle Naruto had come up with. "Stop talking, idiot?"

"No!"

"More money, please?"

"Dude, not even close."

"I suck at guessing games," Sasuke deadpanned.

Naruto rolled his eyes and leaned in to whisper in Sasuke's ears. "Fine. Another hint for you: Think of a heart…"

'A heart…?' Ohhhh…

"I love you?" Sasuke asked with his eyebrows poised high to the sky.

"You dare question your affections for me?" Naruto feigned shock. "I can't believe this! Say it in a statement, Teme."

"… I love you." The words felt as right and as true and as strong as they did the firs time he said it just mere hours ago.

"I love you too!" Naruto cheered and smacked his lips against Sasuke's.

"Wait… Is that all you wanted to say?" Sasuke asked when they broke apart.

"Well, duh. I realized I didn't say it back last time, but I wanted to be funny and make you say it first so I could reply this time! Brilliant, huh?" Naruto was grinning like a child who had just gotten an A+ with extra bonus points added onto it because he was such a genius.

Sasuke couldn't even be mad. Actually, he started to laugh—loudly.

"Only you!" he cried with tears staining his eyes and the fits of laughter bubbled out of his chest and into the air. "Still though, why can't you ever play fair?"

"I'm always fair," Naruto defended. "I'll even let you ask me a question—anything you want—because I'm such a generous person like that."

"Oh you're so kind…" Sasuke muttered, though he was actually elated Naruto was letting him in again to ask whatever he wanted. He knew exactly what to ask, too. "Why did you drop out of the underground and start hitting lower rate crimes?"

He felt Naruto's body stiffen despite all the blond's wishes of control and for a minute he thought Naruto was going to dance around the question and leave him standing in the dark again. Instead, Naruto sighed and rested his chin on Sasuke's shoulders. His hands came up to play with the nape of Sasuke's neck.

"It's a long story…" he drawled. "But I'll make it short. I was really big in the underworld, as you know. And because of that I was able to pull strings that kept me away from the police radar long enough to never get permanently sent to jail. That still sort of works now—you know, connections and stuff. Of course, there's always going to be one person who hates how successful you become."

Oh yeah. Sasuke could relate to that. He was the one normally hating the successful person… a.k.a his brother.

"His name was Kabuto," Naruto continued softly. "He was kind of tall, had awkward glasses, and a really cunning face. Acted all sweet and shit for the first couple of months to get close to me, only to backstab me in the end because he wanted to become the number one thief everyone went to. I showed him up, obviously. And after a scuffle he disappeared one day. I thought I'd be out of the clear…

"During that time, Iruka—my guardian and beloved father—was living with me. He didn't know about what I did for a true living and I was fine with that. Iruka was a kind, sort of traditional kind of guy who always believed in justice and doing what's right. How would he take to knowing his adoptive son was dancing the tango in the dark for the past two, three years?

"I always wondered how long I had to keep the secret from him… it would seem I'd never be able to tell him because one day Kabuto found me. I was with Iruka, walking through the alleyway that leads to my apartment, and Kabuto was there at my doorstep. He had a gun. And… well… he fired it. At first I thought I was dead. But I didn't feel anything. When I opened my eyes Iruka was the one on the ground. He took the bullet for me."

Sasuke held onto the blond tighter, feeling tears Naruto would never speak of falling one by one on his shoulder. What a brutal past… How in the world could Naruto still smile and act cheerfully when his adoptive father was…

"He's not dead," Naruto whispered, cutting of Sasuke's train of thought. "He's in a coma. Been like that for years. I've lost track of how many now. The experience was traumatic so I had to drop out of the underworld and fast. As you can expect, not many people were happy about it. But whatever, I didn't care. I had enough money to last me three lifetimes and I used half of it to keep Iruka in intensive care."

"Then… why do you still steal?" he was expecting Naruto to wink at him and say: "Hey, I only gave you one question, silly!" But he didn't. Instead he smiled sadly and shrugged, tear tracks covering his face.

"It's an addiction. I guess. Once you've been used to something for years it's hard to let go of it. I also sort of planned on buying Iruka and I a new apartment—a big one, with a lot of space and no creepy alleyways haunted with memories for me to suffer in." his voice was cracking. All the strength he had applied on to help deliver his words was wearing off, and fast. More tears came, so much so he was sobbing as Sasuke held onto him, whispering promises and words that made his heart throb and pump with painful bliss against his chest.

"You've been so strong," Sasuke whispered. "The complete opposite of me who always runs away from my problems."

"What…" Naruto hiccupped, "What are you talking about?"

The raven swallowed. 'Well here goes… everything.' "My brother, Itachi… he was a cop; a really good cop. The best, as everyone calls him." He scowled, "I got into this profession because Itachi was in it and all my life I've wanted nothing more than to be like him. He was perfect in everyone's eyes, and once I entered this world everyone expected the same perfection. So I would slave myself to the bone just to get to his level.

"One day… a case came in. It involved a murder—and Itachi was the prime suspect. As his brother I defended him left and right but all the evidence was pointed to him and I was in denial. Till this day I still think he was framed…"

"What happened…?"

There was a lot of pain swimming in those onyx orbs. "He disappeared. Without a damn trace. No trail, no letters—nothing. His existence was wiped and only certain snake bastards have the audacity and inhumanity to say his name anymore…" he swallowed deeply, "Sometimes I wonder why I still strive to be like him. Someone so hated by the world I made myself revolve around. He was certainly the best; there was no denying that. But he strayed… and yet I still find myself wanting to overcome his shadow and sometimes I feel utterly pathetic."

Naruto smiled softly, cupping Sasuke's face in his hands and lifting it up so he could kiss on the man's forehead. "You're not pathetic. And your goal to become the best is important don't ever doubt that. It's natural to want to have recognition for something that you did all by yourself. No one's going to blame you for that."

Naruto's words were the keys unlocking all the locks Sasuke had placed on himself for years. They made him feel lighter and gave him hope that maybe… just maybe… he could make a name for himself. He'd finally be able to come out of the humongous shadow Itachi left in the wake of his disappearance. A shaky sigh tumbled form his lips as he squeezed Naruto's waist.

"I needed to hear that," Sasuke whispered into the blond's collar.

Naruto chuckled breathlessly and pulled Sasuke's face so their eyes clashed again. "And guess what?"

"What?" Sasuke asked with a smile teasing his lips.

"You're absolutely perfect to me."

+Borrowed+

Riiiing…. Riiiingg… Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiinggg…

"Ugh… Sasu… answer your damn phone!"

"You have it…"

"Why… the fuck would I have your cell phone?"

"…Shut up." Sasuke grumbled, trying to maneuver his body in the awkwardly cramped space Naruto's body plus his small car provided. Never again would he fall asleep in the car with Naruto squished up on top of him… well, never again for a while anyways. He dug around for a phone, finally connecting with the demented piece of mental and stabbed at the ANSWER button.

"What?" Sasuke spat out.

"Someone sounds grumpy for being a runaway," a familiar voice sang. Oh how Sasuke really hated that voice right now.

"Kakashi, I'm not in the mood. If you have anything worthwhile to say speak up now or forever hold your peace."

"Trust me, what I'm about to say is probably the greatest news you'll ever get to hear. You just need to be at the station for it to really take effect."

"Why would I go back to the station with that snake bastard creeping around the place ready to rip our heads offs?" Was Kakashi seriously bonkers? Did he forget what took place in the station about a day ago? 'This must be revenge for all the times I was a prick to him. I know I should have toned my attitude down to at least being a smartass.'

"Well, let's just say the snake finally lost his head…"

"That scary redhead finally chop his head off?" Sasuke sounded way too elated for something so morbid…

"You're going to have to come down to the station to find out. See you soon." Kakashi ended the conversation there, leaving Sasuke to simply sit there and stare… at his phone… in pure confusion.

Naruto opened up one eye and yawned, "What was that all about?"

"It was Kakashi," Sasuke said, easing Naruto off so he could get some circulation back into his body. "He said to come down to the station."

"That crazy fucker!" Naruto shouted. "He wants our heads, doesn't he? Well screw him, he can't see Iruka for a month if this is some twisted scheme!"

Sasuke's eyebrows shot up at the newest piece of information. "Kakashi's seeing Iruka?"

"Yep. Been that way since like… before the accident."

"So that's how you knew each other."

"Well, duh. I was the one who practically brought them together—well, one way or another." Naruto shrugged. He wasn't opening any more doors for that story and reclined in his own seat. "So… what's the battle plan?"

"I guess… we're going back."

"Orochimaru still there?"

"Nope. Well, I'm going to guess no. Apparently his head was chopped off." Sasuke added with a wry smirk.

Naruto's face beamed. "Sweet! That crazy motherfucker, Kyuubi, actually came through!" he pumped his fists in the air for the first time and started jumping up and down on his seat. "Come on! Put this baby into overdrive and let's go! I'm already planning that bastard's funeral and I'm up to the part where we secretly steal the body and sell it to gorillas!"

Sasuke shook his head, turned on the car, and put it into drive. The morning sun was slowly starting to crawl up the sky, coloring the world with its oranges and yellows and reds. "The things you say make me wonder about you… but why gorillas? Of all things?"

Naruto shrugged. "Why not give it to gorillas?"

Good point.

+Stolen+

When they got back to the station all eyes were on them… and not just figuratively. Naruto could literally count out every pair of eyes that were boring holes at him and Sasuke. And dammit, if you doubted that boy didn't strut his way through the place like he owned it you'd be dead wrong.

"Kakashi!" Sasuke shouted. He wasn't strutting around like Naruto was but he sure as hell wasn't about to give nosy onlookers something to gawk out. Every eye he caught he killed them all with his icy glare. It was pretty effective too.

Kakashi stepped out from Orochimaru's old office with a cup of coffee in his hand and a rather pleased smile on his face. "Oh, you guys came back from your escapades already? That's nice."

"Where's the dead body?" Naruto chirped, looking left and right for the snake man's headless body so he could laugh at it and poke it with a stick.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Dead body…? Naruto, I know you're insane but I'm seriously considering locking you up in a mental institution now."

"You said Orochimaru got his head chopped off!" Naruto pouted, stamping his feet like an irate child. "So show me the body so I can mock at him and stuff for trying to tear my soul apart."

"I think you misread my message… Orochimaru is still very much alive." Well that was a kick to everyone's stomach. "But where he is right now, he's probably wishing he was off dead somewhere."

Sasuke's eyes widened a little at that. "What happened while we were gone?"

Kakashi smiled—oh fun, story time—and ushered them inside the room he stepped out of. "Come. I'll tell you everything inside my office."

+Borrowed+

Long story short, Orochimaru had gone batty after finding out all the evidence waiting to frame Naruto had disappeared (hehe). He had gone for Kyuubi first but the man was long gone with a lot of valuable items off the man's desk. Kakashi went in to check the commotion and found Orochimaru muttering to himself. He tried to talk to the man but Orochimaru simply snapped and was starting to wreck havoc on the station. Needless to say, once word of his irresponsible behavior and constitutional breaking had gotten up to the higher ups, Orochimaru's ass was fined and incarcerated in less than a day.

"So you're the new commissioner now?" Sasuke asked, still in shock that all of that managed to happen in a span of a day.

"Yes, it would seem so." Kakashi replied with a small smirk. He leaned back in his new leather chair and tapped on his mug. "They thought it would be a logic choice seeing as I'm one of the oldest veterans here at the station."

"I'm so happy for you, Kakashi!" Naruto gushed and leaped over the table to kiss the man's cheek. "This just means I can go on borrowing and never have to worry about getting caught ever again!" he cheered, but at the sight of both Kakashi and Sasuke's glares he shrunk back into his seat. "Or I cannot do that and become the upstanding citizen raised me to be."

"That's better," the raven grinned, though he knew Naruto wasn't about to keep that end of the promise for a very long time.

Kakashi raised a silent eyebrow. 'He told Sasuke about Iruka?' he watched with aroused interest as the banter between the two men floated easily like the past few days had never happened. Like they had been lovers from the very start and any mountain they faced was actually just a bump both of them could easily overcome. It was weird, yes, but not unwelcomed. 'Sasuke must be different after all.'

"Hearing good news always makes me in the mood to do something naughty!" Naruto jumped out of his seat and grasped Sasuke's hands, pulling him up right after. "Let's go to my place and… you know… celebrate," Naruto winked.

Sasuke's face turned cherry red. "W-What? D-Don't you think… maybe… you're acting on impulse?"

"Well duh, I know that. Of course we won't go home and do that right away." Naruto rolled his eyes like Sasuke was the mentally insane one. "Of course you're going to have take me on a date to make up for lying to me and stuff…"

"I thought we were over that!"

"We are! I'm just using it as an excuse to go out on a date with you!" Naruto beamed and pressed his lips against Sasuke. "We'll take care of it tomorrow! I expect you to be at my place around six ready to be abused and bended to my whims."

Sasuke threw a pleading look at the man sitting behind the desk, but all he got back was a smile and a raise of a mug.

"You kids go crazy, but not too crazy. I'm not about to worry myself over you two because you can't control your impulses."

"Kakashi, you're the bomb!" Naruto cried.

Sasuke's glare clearly screamed: 'Dropped dead'. But hey, at least he was getting a date out of it now that everything was finally resolved…

The rest of the road for them would be easy, right?

WELL GUYS. I WAS GOING TO END IT HERE BUT I WAS LIKE "WAIT WAIT, WHAT? ME END SOMETHING WITHOUT SASUNARU SEX! UNHEARD OF! So next chapter will probably be short and only created for shameless smut... LOL. I SUCK AT PRODUCT PLACEMENT. WAIT. PRODUCT PLACEMENT? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME.

Anywho. Um.

PANDAS. REVIEW FOR THE PANDAS!