Chapter 13:

A cool breeze blew through the streets of Konoha, rustling up small dust storms and shifting leaves. Light chatter drifted up from various corners of the village. The breeze weaved its way through the mostly empty streets o Konoha, making its way higher, towards the lone figure sitting atop Mt. Hokage. (I seem to have a thing for this place!) It playfully rushed through unruly blond locks like it was stroking the lonely person.

Said person shut his eyes, taking a few deep breaths and trying to imagine that he was elsewhere…maybe on a beach, with the sea breeze in his hair. Though imagination could only get this far. When he opened his azure eyes…the pain was sill there, gnawing at him like a dog with a bone. The eyes dulled and tan hands folded in his lap. The obento next to him seemed irritating…it had been packed by his son, who wanted to make sure that he had food even when he was on his lonely little trips to somewhere quiet. It was his favorite miso pork ramen, but he really wasn't hungry…everything seemed to have shut down for a while.

There was a whooshing noise and a familiar chakra signature appeared behind him, making him scowl at the view. Sasuke sat down next to him, reaching for the obento, opening it, breaking the chopsticks and handing it back to him. Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but something made him shovel a chopstick full of ramen into it instead. He knew Sasuke was watching him, so he forced himself to finish every bit before letting pale hands take the obento away. Then Sasuke stood, Naruto sighed and stood too. They chakra walked down the steep slope and made their way back to the Uchiha complex.

The moment they reached a black burr clung to the blond. Naruto smiled and looked down, ruffling the dark hair. Then an eight year old face beamed up at him. "Chichi-ue, you're back!"

"Yeah, I am. Sasuke didn't let me stay longer."

Kizuna nodded happily. "I told Sasuke-san not to let you be sad by yourself. I sent him there…did you eat?"

Naruto nodded. "Yes I ate. And you shouldn't be distracting Sasuke, now should you?"

Kizuna frowned. "But he was free! He wasn't doing anything, only moaning in the bathroom, so I told him to get you once he was done!"

Both the adults turned red. Sasuke was blushing to the roots of his hair and upon seeing Naruto's incredulous look his expression soured. "I had a cramp! It was really soothing in the hot shower ok? I wasn't doing anything!" which was the most the Uchiha had said to Naruto since he'd gotten there.

Naruto nodded still looking disbelieving! "Yeah sure. Hope your cramp is fine now."

Sasuke said nothing, turning his attention to Kizuna. "Didn't you say something about asking those brats over for the afternoon? It's almost four now."

"They're not brats they're my friends. Hiruki, Taniko-chan, Miriya-chan and Setsuna are coming." Kizuna said naming each of them like it mattered to Sasuke. Though it did of course, everything that Kizuna said mattered to Sasuke.

The Uchiha smirked. "Then I should be glad I picked up some cake, dango and kokemono for them. I have tea in the house and milk as well, depending on what you prefer."

Kizuna lunged at Sasuke and wrapped his arms around the older man's neck pulling him down for a hug. "You're such a nice person Sasuke-san! Why do you act like a bad one? I love you, thank you so much!"

Sasuke stiffened for a moment and then hugged back. "Anything for you Kizuna!" Naruto watched him intently feeling a bit jealous…Kizuna was his son, Sasuke had no right to be all…he stopped himself there. Kizuna was Sasuke's son as well. And he had had Kizuna longer than Sasuke could possibly have been with him.

Kizuna ran off to get them and Sasuke straightened. He glanced at the blond and saw the look in his eyes. "Stop being stupid, dobe. I would never take him from you…I lost that right a long time ago."

Naruto's eyes widened and a flush of shame crept up. "I'm sorry."

Sasuke nodded and went into the kitchen. "Do you want to make the tea or will you consent to me making it?"

Naruto cursed for his stupidity, but then he wasn't in the mood to be sensitive now. It had only been a week since Gaara had left him shattered to pieces. Though he was slowly coming to the conclusion it was as much his fault as Gaara's. But it still didn't make forgiveness any easier. He was yanked back to reality when Sasuke yelled his name once more and repeated the question. "Uh…no it's ok, you can make it."

Sasuke 'Hn'd' and then frowned at him. "Listen dobe, how long are you going to brood like this? It's affecting everyone around you. You haven't met anyone in weeks, always wandering off to some secluded spots. You need to start getting over it; you're not the brooding type."

Naruto glared at him. "What I do, is none of your business, Uchiha. If I want to brood, I will. You should stay out of it."

Sasuke just looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Kizuna is my business and I don't care even if you think otherwise. The kid has been worried about you for the past week! You give those fake smiles and think he can't see through them, but he is our son…he's very perceptive. Ok…you lost a husband…who cheated on you. Kizuna doesn't even know what exactly Gaara did wrong…you're an adult and he's a child. He's been in Suna all his life…even if he does have friends here; he doesn't seem to want to turn to them for help yet. I'm the only one and I work all the time! So go ahead and brood if you want to, but spend sometime with your son too."

Naruto stood there stunned. For the first time in his life, he hadn't thought about his son. His anger and hurt had been so great that he hadn't thought about what his son must have been going through. He felt ashamed once more. Sasuke had gone back to making the tea his lips set in a firm line. Naruto just took a seat and wondered how to make things right.

"Ne, Sasuke…I'm sorry."

"For what? Is that sorry for me or are you talking about life itself?"

The flood gates in Naruto's mind broke. He began to ramble…it had always been like that with Sasuke before…even though they'd liked each other, when they had their 'just friends' moments, Sasuke had let Naruto ramble. "Actually I'm sorry for hurting Gaara." He ignored the incredulous look Sasuke gave him.

"And why is that, dobe?"

"Well it is my fault, all this happened. I agreed to the contract when I was still in love with you. You came back and I refused to trust you…I didn't want to get hurt again…I thought Gaara could make me happy. Then I got pregnant with Kizuna. Gaara still took me in and I tried to love him, but then I don't think I let myself when it came down to it. You know, I refused to have his child…the fear of the pain was mostly the reason…but since when had I feared pain that much?" Naruto's mouth turned down at the edges.

"If it had been you asking back then…maybe I would have gone through with it again. I deluded myself into believing you were the one I loved and didn't really give Gaara a chance. God knows he needed it then. I let petty fights get between us. Then when I met you again…the feelings were still there, but I couldn't make out if I loved you or I was in love with you…" his hands tightened. "I knew it wouldn't work…then Gaara sent me a letter…I realised I'd been an ass, so I went back with the intention of making up for my mistakes. But it was too late. You know…I'm still mad…I haven't forgiven them, because if they'd told me I would have allowed it…I would have moved back to Konoha and suggested Neji myself…because…because back then I didn't love him. I didn't have to force myself to love him these past four years you know…? I felt it and I was willing to move on. I have the worst luck with guys…"

Sasuke watched him for a moment and then smirked. "Well, you can't take all the credit for this, Naru-chan. If I remember I wrecked it the first time…with us. Then I wrecked it when you tried to get married…I'm responsible for Kizuna. Gaara should have had the sense to know it wouldn't work out…if he'd been willing to deal with the fact that you may not love him, and then it wouldn't have happened. Neji was a fool not to voice his love. They were both to blame for not telling you. I'd just say its one big mess, we've got ourselves into."

Naruto grinned for the first time. "Yes, none shall be blameless. It was Sakura's fault for not confining me to my room after the jutsu, it was Lee's fault for going about the power of youth, Kiba's fault for acting like a bum, TenTen's for not falling for Neji, Hinata's for not falling for me, etc, etc…"

Sasuke shook his head muttering a 'baka' under his breath. Then Naruto straightened and looked at Sasuke seriously. "Sasuke, can we get back to being friends? Like…best friends? I mean really I can't talk to anyone like I talk to you…"

Sasuke looked up a faint hope flickering in him…but the look on Naruto's face said he meant best friends…not boyfriend, lover or husband. But then it was enough. He squished that hope and rolled his eyes. "I thought we were…I can' believe you're so childish, dobe!"

Naruto was about to retort when he realised it was as close as Sasuke could get to a 'Yes'. Smiling he sat up to set the food onto the coffee table as hey heard Kizuna's voice with those of the other children. When they entered Naruto just watched them.

Hiruki was Kiba and Hinata's child. He'd inherited the byakugan and had wild shaggy hair from Kiba. Setsuna was Sakura and Lee's child. He was surprisingly handsome having only inherited Lee's black hair and complexion….he looked a lot like Sakura. Taniko was Ino and Chouji's kid with Ino's blond hair and Chouji's eyes. Lastly was Miriya a very pretty little girl…Sai's child. She had long red hair inherited from her mother…a lady from Hoshigakure and Sai's black eyes.

Naruto couldn't help noticing how she watched Kizuna all the time. He caught Sasuke's eye and they both hid smiles. Kizuna was chattering away about the academy which he had recently joined.

"Yah, Yurino-sensei is ok…but he doesn't really want to teach us…so he won't help us at all. You should have seen how he was yelling at Miriya-chan for missing the target by this much." He held up his hand to show quarter of an inch.

Miriya smiled at him. "Yeah and Kizuna-kun stood up for me. He told sensei that he'd show me how to do it right…he teaches very well!" Kizuna blushed and glared at her. He could never understand why the girl kept praising him for every little thing and now she was doing it in front of his chichi-ue no less.

Naruto coughed suddenly and then looked at them beaming. "I hope you're enjoying yourselves. Kizuna has told me so much about you! After you finish you may play out in the back, please go home before dark though." They all nodded and then it began once more. Kizuna was talking and Miriya was staring. Naruto and Sasuke enjoyed watching their son go beet red every five minutes!

That night Sasuke persuaded Naruto to go out and meet the rest of the gang. It wasn't too bad. Ino had broken the ice by bringing up Gaara and Neji…she said there wasn't any point in pretending it had never happened and bought Naruto a drink after wishing him a "Happy Divorced Life" ! After that the rest had begun to talk freely about anything and everything all traces of awkwardness gone.

When they got home Sasuke was drunk Naruto was feeling better all ready, Kizuna was fast asleep. But Naruto wasn't feeling sleepy in the least…he was bored. He wondered where Sasuke was and started to look for him. The raven's chakra signature led him up at a room which was at the highest part of the house. The room had a sloping roof and something like a door was cutting into it. Sasuke was stretched out at the very edge, the moonlight silhouetting him against the night sky. He seemed to be deep in thought, so deep in it that he didn't see when Naruto came up behind him.

"Teme…"

Sasuke jumped out of his skin and turned to look at Naruto who had sat down behind him. Shit he really must be high if he can't even notice Naruto entering. The blond grinned. "Scared you didn't I? So what are thinking about?"

Sasuke turned to look out of the window again; his face was slightly flushed with the drink. He slurred when he spoke. "Guilt. I want to go back to being a shinobi, now. At first I didn't feel like it…I'd seen so much death, I'd killed my own brother and however much I tried to get satisfaction from the fact I didn't and then there had been so much happening at Orochimaru's." at this Sasuke paled again. "I hated the thought of being a shinobi again. But suddenly the urge seems to have come up again."

Naruto frowned slightly. "So you're over the guilt? Of killing Itachi…going to Orochimaru?"

The dark bangs slipped forward covering the raven's face. "I can't…I won't ever be able to get over it as such. It's not just about Itachi or Orochimaru. So much had happened, what with you, Kizuna, Konoha and Gaara…I needed a very long break. Then I was thinking…I need to get my life back on track…start living again, instead of just being a robot. I don't know what you and Kizuna have decided to do, but I'm going to come visit you guys…"

"We haven't decided anything just yet, Sasuke." Naruto said gently.

"I'm hypothesising, dobe." Then Sasuke looked at him a weird look on his face. "I'm getting prepared…because I know you'll want to leave soon, dobe. If I don't prepare…then I'll be left feeling dead again. It's really amusing…all that time I never thought you would be the one moving on, leaving me behind. When I was a child I used to think that once Itachi was dead, I could be with someone I love…not chase after anyone anymore. But that's life for you…we both ended up chasing…thing is you stopped and I just had to continue…I couldn't stop so I froze…and now I'm chasing after you again."

Before Naruto could say anything, Sasuke continued…he'd gone back to watching the sky. "I still love you, Naruto…forgive me, but I keep thinking nine years is enough pain to bear….not counting all those years before that with Orochimaru. But you still won't give me a chance will you? I can't even ask it of you now…after what that Gaara asshole did…oh god…I'm drunk."

Naruto watched Sasuke hang his head and lean out some more. He really must have been drunk because he suddenly pitched forward and off the roof, the only thing saving him was Naruto's hand which caught him and pulled him back in. Sasuke lolled back in and fell into a graceless heap onto Naruto lap. Naruto was trying to pull him up when a voice came out of the region of his thigh…where Sasuke's head lay, under his arms.

"You're going to leave now aren't you? I'm sorry….I won't say those things again…please stay…"

Naruto sighed and bent to get his arms around Sasuke's waist and heaved him onto his shoulder. Sasuke's voice floated through again. "Naruto I'm upside down…I can see your ass."

Naruto blushed and set him on his feet deciding to drag him back to the bed room. He managed it up to Sasuke's bed and dropped Sasuke onto it, when a hand grabbed him in a tight hold and yanked him onto the bed. Naruto struggled but an arm snaked around his waist and a dark head snuggled into the juncture of his neck and shoulder. There was a soft kiss placed there and then a sigh. Naruto wondered if Sasuke wanted to have sex, but a very tiny, almost non-existent snore convinced him otherwise.

Naruto sighed too…stupid Sasuke. He's like this trap I can't get away from…he gives me a bit of leeway, but then I keep coming back to him…again and again. Naruto ran a hand through the dark bangs and then moved away enough to lightly kiss those soft lips. Sasuke tasted of alcohol. The older man grunted a bit and waited for Naruto to lift his head before snuggling back into his neck. Naruto let himself fall asleep; cuddling into the warm body…maybe everything would turn out all right?

"So baa-chan…why have you called me all the way out here?" Naruto asked as he watched Tsunade down her drink. "Don't you think it would have been nicer to meet in your office?"

"Naa…gaki, I'm growing old. I need o exercise my muscles…that's the reason I decided to take a walk all the way to this far away pub and drink myself to death." Tsunade drawled, signalling for another bottle of sake.

Naruto whined and hit the table with his palm. "Che…I can't believe you'd make me walk too! What happened to consideration of others?"

"Oi shut up gaki. Naruto do you still want to be Hokage?" Tsunade asked her face perfectly serious.

Naruto looked at her eyes narrowed for a bit and then sighed. "Yes I do."

"Even if it means you'll be dealing with that bastard of a Kazekage?"

Naruto looked away. "I wasn't completely blameless…baa-chan. But then yeah, I guess I'll be able to bear it. Why are you asking me these questions?"

Tsunade looked at him and then smiled. "How would you like to take over the post tomorrow? I'm your teacher I say that the training is complete."

Naruto stared at her in shock. "T…tomorrow?"

"I've been preparing for it for a long time gaki. I spoke to the council and preparations for the ceremony are all ready underway." Tsunade stood up. "Come on let's walk back to the Hokage tower. I need to finish off the last minute things before I retire…"

Naruto didn't know whether to scream or cry, so he decided on neither and just revelled in the feeling of happiness flooding through him. He and the Hokage walked back to the tower leisurely, discussing life and other things of the sort. He couldn't wait to tell Sasuke; soon the raven would be working under him. He couldn't help suddenly think of what Sasuke had said the night before. The dark haired man had still been asleep when Naruto left in the morning…so had Kizuna.

The blond stretched out. "It feels weird…to suddenly have one of my most treasured dreams come true…it's within my grasp and I can't help but feel weirdly at peace…"

"That happens gaki. So what are the other treasured dreams? Does it have something to do with the Uchiha?"

Naruto looked away blushing. "I don't even know if I'm ready for that yet…"

Tsunade shook her head in defeat. "gods you guys should just get back together, like the old times. Too much of sorrow has come in between and you must get over it."

"Aa."

"Naruto….have you told Kizuna who his father is yet?"

"No."

"You should tell him. Sasuke shouldn't be made to wait any longer…he needs to get as much time as possible with his son. He's paid enough for his mistakes…ten times over." Tsunade pointed out.

Neither of them saw the person behind them, by the time they did, the presence was gone. Naruto shrugged and continued to walk home. "I'll tell him today I promise."

Way behind him, Kizuna was running as fast as his legs could carry him. He just wanted to get away from them all. So Sasuke-san is my father…I'm one of his mistakes? Then didn't he and chichi-ue want me? He shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts. Oh god… was he just a mistake?

A/N: ok I'm stopping here. I'll try to update sooner in the next chapter ok? See ya guys! But I loved writing the scene with the drunk Sasuke and the lovely moonlight. Ja ne!

Taka