Chapter 13

After his frustrating talk with Sasuke, Naruto was very upset and pissed. Damn, Sasuke really didn't understand a thing…

He burst into Shino and Kiba's room, slapping the door behind him. They were eating breakfast.

"Hey Naruto, what's up?" Kiba said casually even though he'd just slapped the freaking door angrily.

"I hate Sasuke..." he muttered.

Kiba laughed. "Okay you and I both know that's a lie."

The blond sat on the nearest bed. "Whatever..." he sighed, and put his head in his hands.

"Akamaru pretty much told me what happened. Being reckless and unpredictable again, huh?"

Naruto sighed again. "Yeah… but we shouldn't get any trouble I mean the Raikage agreed to it and all… Oh and I should thank you for letting me bring Akamaru. He was amazing!"

Kiba smirked. "Told ya!"

Naruto smiled and petted the sleeping dog on the head.

"So what do we do now?" Shino asked seriously.

"Well we go back to Konoha." Kiba answered simply.

There was a knock on the door and Naruto stood and went to open it. It was Hinata and Sasuke. He let them in and closed the door. Kiba and Shino tensed, clearly uncomfortable because of Sasuke's presence. The raven just stayed in the corner of the room, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. Naruto risked a glance at him, but Sasuke didn't look back.

Hinata had heard the last part of their conversation. "It won't be that easy, Kiba. I'm sure some people are still looking for…" she threw a hesitant glance at Sasuke. "We'll have to be very careful, maybe find a secret way or hide..."

"I know a secret way..." Sasuke interrupted in a low voice.

"Where?" Naruto asked without looking at him.

"One of Orochimaru's old hideouts is a pretty complex underground passage that leads to the Fire Country. I don't think anyone knows it except me..."

"Wait, wait, wait! We can't trust him!" Kiba protested. "It must be another twisted plan of his, it's too dangerous!"

Sasuke raised a brow. "Do I seem in any position of making 'twisted plans'? What are you scared of? That Orochimaru is going to burst out of nowhere and attack you? That won't happen, cause I killed him."

Kiba glared. "What tells me you won't try to kill us, too?"

Sasuke smirked. "Don't worry, if I wanted to kill you, you'd be long dead by now."

"You better shut up you fucking prick!" Kiba shouted and in a split second he was in front of Sasuke, ready to punch him. He threw his fist but Naruto caught it in one impressive movement, just before it hit Sasuke's face. Both guys just stared at the blond, impressed.

"Kiba's right. Sasuke, we can't really trust you."

Naruto let go of Kiba's fist and the brunet smirked, his expression clearly telling Sasuke, in your face, he's on my side. The raven's face was blank but, even though Naruto couldn't be sure, he thought his eyes looked hurt.

"But we don't have a choice," Naruto finally added.

"What?" Kiba yelled.

It was Sasuke's turn to smirk now. "I don't think we're too far from it. You'll just have to follow me."

Naruto nodded and gave the others an apologetic look. They really didn't have a choice. Kiba and Shino had already paid, so they left the inn by the back door without anyone noticing. In the little streets, they walked really fast, keeping their guard up. Hinata kept using her byakugan to make sure no one was following them. Naruto did the same with senin chakra.

Sasuke soon recognized his surroundings and he led them to the secret hideout. After a quiet and fast walk, they were out of the village and made it to a clearing. Luckily no one had found them yet. But they were eager to reach the forest where they would be safer. So when Sasuke stopped right in the middle of the open clearing, they were confused.

"What? Don't tell me it's here, where anyone could see it." Kiba exclaimed.

Sasuke ignored his comment and took a few careful steps, looking at the ground. He spotted a pile of dirt and rocks and asked Naruto for an explosive.

"You don't know how to open it?" Naruto asked.

The raven just shrugged. "Orochimaru never told me. There's a secret trick with his chakra that he did... or something like that. But I think if we make an explosion right here, we'll have a good way in."

Naruto smirked. "I guess he didn't trust you after all."

"And he was right!" Kiba added.

"He still got killed." Sasuke replied.

"Good point." Shino nodded.

Kiba glared at his teammate. "Whose side are you on Shino?"

Shino didn't reply.

"Guys hurry up! Someone's coming!" Hinata urged them on.

Naruto gasped. "You're right, I can feel it too. There you go Sasuke." He handed him the explosive.

The raven put it at the exact place he thought would make an entrance for them. And he was right; when it exploded a large hole could be seen that led to a dark cave.

"I'll go last; I have to close it behind us." Sasuke explained.

"I'm so not going in there first! It's creepy!" Kiba shouted.

"Damn Kiba! Could you please stop yelling?" Naruto said.

"Hey you can't deny it, it's creepy." Kiba repeated.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It was one of Orochimaru's hideouts. What did you expect? A lovely little passage with pink walls, fountains and flowers maybe?"

"Shut up Uchiha!" Kiba snarled.

Hinata looked worried. "Guys we don't have much time!"

Naruto took Sasuke by the arm and brought him a little apart from the others.

"I'll go first. Can I trust you?"

"Yeah."

"This isn't another trick for you to run away from me?"

Sasuke's onyx eyes looked sincere when he spoke, "Where the hell would I run away? I'm staying with you this time."

Naruto's blue eyes widened, he was so surprised to hear Sasuke talk like this that he didn't know what to say. So he just nodded and he made his way through the hole in the ground. Hinata was right behind him, then Shino, Kiba and Akamaru followed. Sasuke entered last, bringing some rocks so that the hole couldn't be seen. It wasn't perfect but it would have to do for now.

After a little while the hideout became more comfortable for them to walk in. It was still creepy and dark, but at least there was more space so they didn't have to bend down anymore.

"Orochimaru really had nothing to do to build such elaborate underground hideouts!" Kiba said.

"No, he probably had some people do it for him, and then killed them. Or he made experiments on them before killing them." Sasuke said.

"That would not surprise me," Naruto said with a disgusted voice.

They walked in silence for a while. They were keeping a fast pace, eager to get out of there. Sasuke was leading them because he knew the place; they were just all hoping that he wasn't going to trick them. Naruto was the only one who trusted him; what the raven had told him earlier was still lingering in his thoughts. He actually felt like Sasuke had really meant it. And he had actually said he wanted to stay with him. It warmed Naruto's heart and made him happy, even though he knew he was probably just being silly, but he couldn't help his feelings.

He went to walk beside Sasuke at the front. It was starting to get really cold. Naruto heard Kiba ask Hinata if she was cold. He glanced behind his shoulder and saw that Kiba had his arm around her and was trying to warm her. He noticed Sasuke was shivering too. He was trying to hide it, but it was easy to see that he was cold; after all he only had bandages around his chest to cover him.

Luckily Hinata had brought an extra pair of black pants in her bag. That was what Sasuke was wearing now; his other pants were almost completely destroyed. They were a little too short, but otherwise it fit him because he was so skinny; but they hadn't found anything for him to wear as a shirt.

At that moment Naruto wished he still had his sweater, but he only had his black t-shirt. Without a word, he removed it and handed it to Sasuke.

Sasuke stared. "What are you doing?"

"You're cold." Naruto said simply. "Take it."

"Aren't you cold?" Sasuke asked, looking at Naruto's bare chest.

Naruto shrugged. "I'm never really cold. I guess that's thanks to the Kyubi, maybe, I don't really know."

Sasuke raised a brow, clearly not convinced. Naruto rolled his eyes and touched the raven's arm to prove his point. Indeed, Naruto's hand was really warm compared to Sasuke's ice cold skin.

"See? I told you." Naruto smirked.

Sasuke just took the black shirt and put it on. He winced when his injuries still caused him some pain.

Naruto frowned. "It still hurts?"

"No."

"Liar."

Sasuke's lips twitched into an almost smile, but he didn't reply. He suddenly remembered something, and it made him feel uneasy. They kept walking quietly for a few minutes, but he just couldn't get it out of his head, he had to say it.

"Dobe."

"Don't call me that! What?"

"...Thank you."

"What?" Naruto's eyes widened, Sasuke rarely, if not never, apologized.

"I'm not gonna repeat it."

Naruto chuckled, "You, actually being nice and thanking someone. Is this a genjutsu? It can't be real."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever..."

Naruto was silent for a few moments, and then he said, "You would have done the same."

Sasuke looked at Naruto, shocked and confused, and then he glanced away. "How can you say that, you don't know..."

"You saved my life so many times when we were in the same team Sasuke. You're still the same guy. I know things changed, I'm not that naive. But people can only change so much…"

Sasuke glanced at him again, and he saw that Naruto was smiling. He liked that smile; he liked that much better than the upset expression Naruto had before. He shook his head and looked away, trying to think about something else.

"Did you have, like, a room for yourself in here?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah."

"Really? Can I see it?"

Sasuke raised a brow. "There's nothing to see... decorating my room wasn't in my priorities."

"I don't care! I want to see it."

Sasuke repressed a laugh. "Okay, it's right there actually."

The raven pointed at a door a few meters ahead of them. He stopped to open it, Naruto right behind him.

The others stopped too and Kiba frowned. "What are you doing?"

"This was Sasuke's room." Naruto simply said.

"So what?" Kiba replied.

Naruto ignored him and entered the room. It was small and pretty much empty, except for a small bed and desk, and the walls were dark and plain. Curious, the blond opened all the drawers in the desk. Sasuke just leaned on the wall and crossed his arms.

"I told you there was nothing..." he started.

"Hey those can be useful!" Naruto exclaimed.

In one of the drawers there were a few weapons, mostly some kunai. Naruto put a few ones in his bag.

"You don't want any?" he asked Sasuke.

"No... I just wish I had my sword. Those assholes back there probably stole it by now..."

"Oh, yeah... that sucks."

The blond was about to close the drawers and leave but something caught his attention. At the bottom of the drawer, underneath the weapons, there was a picture. It was all crippled but Naruto took it out carefully and looked at it.

He gasped. "Sasuke, you kept this?"

It was the picture of team seven when they were twelve, with Kakashi sensei and Sakura in the middle, smiling. On both sides Naruto and Sasuke were making funny faces.

Sasuke went to look over the blond's shoulder.

"Hn... I guess I did."

"All right guys this is really touching and all, but can we just go?" Kiba said, annoyed, Akamaru barking in approval.

Naruto nodded while putting the picture in his bag with the rest of his things. They started walking again, at a really fast pace because they were all sick of this place. They decided to get out at the next exit instead of making it all the way to the Fire land inside. This time there was no need for any explosive. Sasuke knew how to get out from this entrance.

They had made a good distance and they were safe, but they still kept their guard on, watching their surroundings carefully. They were all tired, but they were glad to be outside again. They started running in the forest to progress faster. Kiba and Akamaru were leading the way, Shino and Hinata right behind, and then Sasuke and Naruto at the back.

A few hours later, they really needed to stop. Especially Sasuke, who seemed exhausted and on the verge of passing out. He had been pushing himself a little too hard for someone who had been badly injured just the day before. He hadn't said anything, but Naruto had noticed so he was glad when Kiba decided to stop.

They set up a camp, and shared the few provisions that Hinata and Shino still had left. (Kiba and Akamaru had already eaten everything Kiba had brought.) Then they all lied down to sleep, except Shino who was taking the first turn. But Naruto couldn't sleep; he was scared that Sasuke would try to run away again.

The blond was lying down next to Sasuke, his eyes staring at his back. He was really tired though, and it was getting harder and harder to keep his eyes open. He closed them for what seemed like just a few seconds, but when he opened them again he was lying on his other side, and it was Hinata's turn to stay awake. He panicked and turned around, but then he sighed, relieved; Sasuke was still there. The raven also turned and now he was facing Naruto. His dark eyes were wide open.

"You can sleep usuratonkachi. I told you I wouldn't escape."

"And I'm supposed to believe you?" the blond said in a sleepy, but amused, voice.

"Have I ever lied to you?" Sasuke asked in a low voice.

Naruto opened his mouth but nothing came out. The blond actually thought about it and, when Sasuke said something, it was always true. When he didn't want to say something, rather than lie he would just stay quiet.

"No," Naruto breathed.

They were really close to each other, and Naruto felt like moving even closer, just to touch him, to put his arm around him.

"What about you?" Naruto asked.

"What?"

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Oh..." the raven hesitated. "I'm not really tired I guess."

"Bullshit! See, you just lied to me right now!"

Sasuke sighed. "It doesn't count, because it was a stupid question. You already know why."

"The dreams...?"

"Yeah..."

Naruto nodded and made a sad smile. "I thought so. You should still try to sleep, though."

"..."

"All right, I guess I don't have a choice, I'll trust you. But if you run away again, I swear I'll find you, wherever you are, and then I'll tie you up somewhere for the rest of you life!" Naruto said threateningly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned on his other side. Naruto couldn't see it, but he was sure he was smiling.

"Good night Sasuke teme."

No answer.

"Thank you Naruto! Good night to you too!" the blond said, to demonstrate a polite answer to the rude bastard. "Teme," he muttered.

Naruto couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard a light chuckle coming from the other. He smiled and closed his eyes, drifting into sleep.