Naruto rustled in bed, cracking his eyes open just a bit. Sasuke had turned on a small light by the bedside. The clock read 4:53 am, and the room was just faintly illuminated by the foreshadowing of twilight.

Sasuke was sitting with his back propped against the headboard behind them, a book in his hands.

"Mn, Sasu…" Naruto groused. "How long've you been up?"

"A couple hours."

Naruto frowned. Sasuke couldn't have gotten more than three hours of sleep. He knew that Sasuke was an insomniac, but the extent of his insomnia was now hitting home.

He curiously looked up to glance at the mint green hard cover book Sasuke was reading.

"Die Verwandlung," the font read in embossed golden text.

"Is that in German?" Naruto asked. He climbed up on the comforter, looking over Sasuke's shoulder to view the text.

"Why bother asking if you're just going to find out yourself?" Sasuke asked.

"That's impressive," Naruto mused.

"Just trying to keep it fresh," Sasuke shrugged. "It's Kafka's Metamorphosis."

Naruto nodded.

"Oh. I read that for school," Naruto answered. "In English, of course."

Sasuke's eyes left the page.

"It loses something in translation," he murmured.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, tilting his head and genuinely curious. "How so?"

"In the English translations, translators refer to Gregor as an insect. But in Middle High German, ungeziefer means 'unclean animal not suitable for sacrifice.' Kafka put the focus on conveying the disgust others felt toward Gregor rather than the details of his form, so he kept it vague."

Naruto listened to Sasuke intently. He remembered the basics of the book: a traveling salesperson being miraculously transformed into an insect. Or would "vermin" be a more fitting term?

"I'd imagine a lot of stuff is lost in translation, huh?"

"Yes. Another thing missed is the strategic ways he uses sentence structure. It's unique to German."

Naruto tried not to look as impressed as he was but failed.

"I read far better than I speak or write," Sasuke added, reading Naruto's thoughts.

Naruto craned his head around Sasuke's shoulder, looking at the text.

The words were long, with multiple consonants meshed together and characters that Naruto recognized but couldn't pronounce.

"These words look really difficult to pronounce."

"They tend to be."

Naruto was still tired. He leaned against Sasuke's bicep, doing his best to cling to consciousness as he watched Sasuke peacefully read his book in the faint glow of the bedstand lamp. The normally subtle blue tones of his hair illuminated vibrantly at the light's angle.

With a steady exhale, Sasuke turned the page. His dark eyes moved back and forth as he scanned the page. Naruto was torn between the urge to speak to him and the urge to silently watch him, elegant and halcyon.

He knew that after hardly a week, he wouldn't be seeing Sasuke again in a long time. He wanted to accumulate as many memories of Sasuke as he could, to last him during his time away. He focused on the sight of Sasuke, the way his jawbone twitched, the deep irises of his eyes and the softness of his hair.

"Damn…" Naruto murmured.

"Mn?" Sasuke asked softly, not taking his eyes from his book.

Sasuke's voice rustled him from his trance.

"Ah…" Naruto scrambled, quickly rerouting his thoughts, "I'm almost half German, and I can't speak German. It's kind of sad you're better than me at it."

Had that been convincing enough? Sasuke shrugged.

"My grandpa was German. He died when I was a toddler, but I remember that he'd talk to my father sometimes, and he understood him. But after he died, my father forgot most of the language."

He noticed, looking closely at Sasuke, that his eyes had stopped moving.

"Why are you learning German?" Naruto asked.

"I have my reasons," Sasuke answered insouciantly.

Naruto frowned. Was he hitting a wall with Sasuke again? Or was Sasuke toying with him? Naruto looked at Sasuke skeptically, not quite sure how to read him. Their stares caught each other, and Sasuke smirked at the fitful expression on Naruto's face.

"There's a convention out in Berlin every year. The people there are some of the best tattooists in the world, and many of them speak German. Some have been in the industry for longer than I've been alive."

What an asshole Sasuke was, messing with him like that... Naruto patiently waited for Sasuke to continue.

"I went the last three years, so my German's helped me out."

"So you'd be the rookie there?" Naruto asked.

With Sasuke's skill level, thinking of him as a "rookie" felt unfamiliar. Even aside from his obvious expertise with ink, something about Sasuke radiated competence, confidence, and prowess. Naruto couldn't pin down why, exactly; the man's aura was just drenched with it.

"You could say that," Sasuke sighed. "But I'm quickly making a name for myself."

Naruto gave a sleepy smile, resting his head on Sasuke's shoulder and resting his arm on his bare stomach. Sasuke didn't move.

"You'll be famous one day," Naruto yawned. "You have the passion and the talent."

Naruto let his eyes close, breathing in and out deeply.

"Hm," Sasuke answered, wrapping his arm around Naruto's back. "Fame is overrated."

Naruto felt so comfortable, so warm and safe, that he couldn't help but drift off once more.

The next thing Naruto knew, he had awoken once more. He saw red as the the sunlight hit his closed eyelids. With a yawn, he groggily opened his eyes.

He was alone in the bed now, and the other half of the bed was cold. Naruto lethargically looked over to the clock on the beside table: 9:32.

Why had Sasuke let him sleep so late? He should've set an alarm. He valued every single minute he spent with Sasuke, knowing they were limited. Dammit, he'd have to leave in just a couple hours!

Naruto forced himself out of bed with an urgency he didn't know he possessed. He put his pants on but didn't bother with the shirt. He thought he looked better that way, and he wouldn't pass up a chance to show the work on his back.

The first thing he noticed upon opening the door was the scent of eggs and sausage. Only now realizing how hungry he was, it guided him to the scent like a leash and collar leads a dog. And Sasuke was at the stove, dressed in a short, plush robe. His hair, somehow, was perfect.

"Mmm. God, that smells delicious," Naruto groused.

Sasuke faced the skillet, a mug of coffee next to him as he worked.

"Do you always sleep this late?" Sasuke asked, flipping over a sausage. "Hope you like sunny side up."

"My favorite!" Naruto grinned. "And screw you. Why didn't you wake me up?! It looks like you've been up for a long time.

Sasuke shrugged.

"So lazy. I've been up since 5:30. I'm surprised my sprints didn't wake you up."

Naruto tried not to look discouraged that he'd missed an entire four hours at Sasuke's house just sleeping. Sasuke was worth losing sleep over, especially given the circumstances.

"Ah, yeah. I'm a heavy sleeper," Naruto said sheepishly. "Wait, sprints?"

"Mhm," Sasuke said. "My morning routine. A pot of coffee, then sprints, then shower, then food."

That'd explain why Sasuke was wearing a robe, after all. Naruto loved it on him, the rich maroon color complementing Sasuke's creamy complexion. Sasuke scooped out the eggs and placed them on the white dish near him. Some fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, and basil leaves were sitting on the table.

"You got shit for sleep again then?"

Naruto felt foolish for hoping that his presence would have made any difference. Sasuke shrugged.

"Nothing new. Take your plate," Sasuke said, gesturing to the plate he'd just filled.

"That'll catch up to you some day," Naruto mumbled sleepily, taking his meal and placing it on the table.

"Right, I'll remember that next time I want to toss and turn for four hours instead of sleep at two AM."

"Have you ever seen anyone about it?"

"Talked to my doctor about it once," Sasuke shrugged. "It didn't go anywhere."

Naruto fought the urge to nag Sasuke about this. He'd tuck the knowledge away for later.

"Want anything to drink?" Naruto said, just as he was about to sit.

"I'm just having coffee. The cups are on the fourth cupboard over. Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge."

Finally, Sasuke served himself, taking his coffee mug with him. Naruto's food remained untouched, and Naruto's eagerness couldn't be hidden.

"You didn't have to wait for me."

"But I wanted to! It'd be rude to start eating before you, especially since you made this for us."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Proof that you do have table manners somewhere down there."

Naruto made a show out of sticking his tongue out at Sasuke, only for Sasuke to scoff at him. Naruto silently waited as Sasuke finished up cooking, finding silence a difficult state to sustain.

"Your robe looks fluffy," said Naruto, feeling a little silly afterward.

"That's because it is."

The only sound in Sasuke's apartment was that of their sizzling eggs. In just a couple minutes, Sasuke sat down at his table across from Naruto.

Naruto took a hearty spoonful of sausage and eggs. The eggs were fluffy with the slightest hint of black pepper, the sausage lean but flavorful.

"Damn good!" Naruto complimented, only now realizing how hungry he was.

"Eggs are easy," Sasuke shrugged, going through his plate at a considerably slower pace.

It just now occurred to Naruto that this was Sasuke's first time cooking for them. Despite the nature of their relationship, the moment felt oddly domestic. Well, a man can dream.

The next fifteen minutes were spent in silence as Naruto inhaled his plate, then helped himself to seconds.

"I'm surprised you haven't exploded."

"What did I tell you?" Naruto said, pointing at Sasuke with an egg-filled fork. "This is a Marine's diet. I'm not leavin' skinny."

Sasuke shook his head with a look that was a hair's breadth from a smirk. He wished that he could have many more cozy, soft moments with Sasuke like he was this Saturday morning. He tried not to think about the fact that this would be his last Saturday with Sasuke in months, maybe even years. He'd be leaving first thing Friday. His last Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were yet to come. It was a depressing notion, so he rerouted his thought process before it was evidenced on his face.

No, this wasn't their last Saturday together. It was only their last until he left and came back home.

"So uh…" Naruto started. "Tomorrow, I'm gonna go out to the range for some practice."

"I see."

"Wanna come?" Naruto asked. "I can teach you a thing or two about self-defense."

Naruto grinned at Sasuke, cherishing the times he was in the teacher role, with Sasuke being the student. So often it seemed to be the reverse, with the exception of the guitar. He thanked his stars for that.

Sasuke sat in silence for a moment, his brows knit.

"What time?"

"When's good for you?"

"We'd have to wrap up around noon. I have to be at the parlor by one, and afterward I'm sure all the ranges will be closed."

It wasn't much time, and it was during Naruto's Sunday shift. But Naruto would never expect Sasuke to put his life on hold just because he was leaving. He wanted to see Sasuke as frequently as possible, even if these visits weren't as long.

"How about eleven?" Naruto asked. He'd switch with Kiba and beg his forgiveness later.

"Will that give you enough time?"

It wouldn't. He'd bring his own gun, but he still had to buy the bullets and get settled in his lane with his equipment. He's have to bring Sasuke up to speed too. He was looking forward to that.

"Ah… It'd be tight," Naruto remarked. "Ten?"

"Ten works fine for me."

Naruto smiled. He couldn't have helped that if he'd tried.

Naruto arrived at the range ten minutes early to set up. He'd instructed Sasuke to call him when he'd arrived. He'd made it soon after, wearing a simple black tank top and some skinny jeans.

At this time of day, the range was nearly empty. Naruto was thankful for this.

"I'm just finishing up these rounds," Naruto said.

For the first time in ages, he felt nervous with his finger on the trigger. How could this layer of sweat, as faint as it might be, have accumulated within the last minute?

But he'd have to keep his cool under far more dire situations, Naruto knew. It felt strange to enter into his soldier's mindset with Sasuke, who was at the heart of his civilian life, standing beside him. He inhaled, saw only the target in front of them, and exhaled as he pulled the trigger.

Bang!

His follow through adeptly absorbed the kickback.

Dead center. Not that he was surprised.

Now, Sasuke had disappeared. He remembered being out in a field, his drill sergeant watching him closely. Keeping his laser sharp focus, he fired twice, then flipped the switch to have the paper returned to them. Three of the four clustered within the innermost circle, with only one straying outward into the neighboring band.

"There we go," Naruto said, nodding as he looked at his sheet. Only now would he allow himself to look over to Sasuke. Sasuke raised his brows for just a moment. He didn't seem particularly shocked or impressed - more just observant.

"Now I can teach you a thing or two!" Naruto said, beaming at Sasuke.

"The first thing is to understand how to assemble your gun. This right here is a Glock 37, .45 caliber."

Naruto first released the magazine and freed up a few of the bullets. He opened up the slide at the gun's top.

"You have to look to make sure there's no ammo left in the gun," Naruto told Sasuke, using his pinky to sweep for ammunition in the chamber.

"Good. Now removing the slide… Ya gotta be careful, because these parts are spring-operated."

Naruto closed the slide yet again, pulling it back and releasing the stop lever. Gingerly, he held the gun, nozzle pointing downwards with a modest slope. He pulled down the slide lock, now separating the slide completely from the gun.

He'd be thorough here. He took out the spring as well, along with the barrel.

"I use WD-40 to clean it. It works fine for me. There are fancier things out there, but this does the job. I already cleaned my gun this morning though."

Sasuke nodded. Yet again, Sasuke was a silent pupil.

"Now, to put it together."

"Stop," Sasuke ordered flatly. "Let me."

"Uhh…"

Naruto had no idea what Sasuke was talking about, but he stepped aside. He repeated every move Naruto had made in reverse action, first loading the spring, then the barrel. He closed the slide smoothly, though admittedly it was easier to put the gun back together again than it was to take it apart. Sasuke returned the bullets to the magazine, and there was a resolute click when Sasuke put the magazine back in the gun and flattened it with his palm. Sasuke didn't hesitate for a second throughout the whole process.

Naruto stared at Sasuke with his mouth ajar, unable to hide the shock on his face.

"Don't tell me…"

Oh god, was this yet another one of those things that Sasuke was secretly good at? Piano, German, math… The list kept growing.

"No," Sasuke answered, reading his mind. "I'm an average shot. I just wanted to see the look on your face."

"You asshole!" Naruto chided, bumping Sasuke's arm with his fist.

Yet the fact that Sasuke had any familiarity at all with guns surprised him. He'd been raised in Manhattan. Where would he even find the space?

"Where'd you learn how to do that?"

Sasuke pursed his lips, as if he had an acrid taste in his mouth.

"My father was paranoid. He kept a bunch of guns and insisted that my brother and I know how to use them."

"Ah…" Naruto answered. "How much did he teach you?"

"The basics. How to assemble the gun, disassemble it, clean it, and of course, how to shoot."

Naruto still couldn't hide his surprise.

"If he could've, he would've kept teaching us until we were damn near perfect. But it came down to bullets or food and rent. Thankfully, he wasn't that stupid."

Naruto always thought he felt his wallet give the slightest frightened shiver when Naruto restocked his shells. They were an oft overlooked expense. Of course, there was no limit to the time Sasuke's father could have spent teaching him about the pieces of a gun and how to take it apart.

"Did you live in a dangerous area?" Naruto asked.

"Depends what you consider dangerous," Sasuke shrugged. "It was rough, but there are rougher areas in the city."

Sasuke sighed.

"Whatever the case, it was overkill. Too many guns and not enough food."

"Ah… Do you not like shooting?" Naruto asked, feeling a bit guilty.

Sasuke shook his head.

"I like shooting alright. The knowledge is there. I might as well keep it fresh."

Relieved, Naruto nodded, getting a new piece of paper, clipping it in place, and sending it halfway back.

"Here. Is this a good distance?"

"Yeah, good enough for warm-up," Sasuke replied.

Sasuke put on his glasses before taking the gun into his right hand, his left hand cupping around his right to support the weight of the gun. He put his feet shoulder's width apart and bent his knees just slightly. His right arm, almost completely straight, was gearing toward the target.

Naruto watched Sasuke as he settled into position, his sharp eyes peering down the barrel. Naruto couldn't count how many times he'd seen his peers enter into this position, but with Sasuke…

He looked strong, precise, and lethally alluring, his posture perfect and powerful. Sasuke's biceps twitched just slightly as he steadied the gun, breathing in slowly and holding his breath. His eyes narrowed, and Sasuke pulled the trigger.

Bang.

Sasuke absorbed the shock with his arms, his bicep muscles flexing minutely but his posture becoming somewhat stiff. He was too tense. Naruto could see from where he stood that Sasuke's shot had hit the first concentric circle around the target. Not bad, Naruto thought. He was a better shot than some of the people in his battalion.

Sasuke had three more shots left; they hadn't loaded the gun to capacity. He continued, not bothering to look over at Naruto. His next bullet neatly pierced the innermost target, followed by another that entered at nearly the same place. His last bullet, however, fell three circles outward.

"Shit…" Naruto saw Sasuke mouth.

Sasuke pressed the safety and released the magazine then pulled the slide back as he tilted the gun to the side. Naruto took his muffs off as he handed Sasuke the shells, with him completely filling the magazine with ten bullets. He pushed the slide catch, placing the gun down.

"Damn, that was great!" Naruto said.

Sasuke's second and third shots were even better than his first. He'd needed some time to warm up; Naruto wondered just how quickly Sasuke would pick this up if he were to consistently practice. Naruto had contemplated bringing his Beretta for Sasuke, but Sasuke was handling the .45 caliber's extra power just fine.

"Don't patronize me," Sasuke murmured. "I know I'm rusty."

"Sasuke, such a perfectionist…" Naruto said in a sing-song tone of voice, wrapping his strong arms around Sasuke's waist and swinging him from left to right.

Sasuke merely growled; perhaps Naruto's cue to let him go.

"Relax your shoulders. You're fighting the kickback too much. Move with it a little on the follow through."

Naruto put his glasses back on, but didn't bother to return his ear muffs. He carefully took the gun into his hands and turned off the safety.

"Like this, see?" Naruto said, firing yet another bullet straight into its target. At this distance, it wasn't much of a challenge for him. "Watch where the gun goes, and look at my shoulders."

Sasuke nodded.

"Try again."

Sasuke fired two shots, his form on the follow through now almost perfectly fluid. Both shots hit their target. Sasuke pressed the lever by the side of them down, sending the sheet about three quarters of the way back to the end of the range. He sent off three rounds: one hitting the target, and two hitting the adjacent circle.

"Sasuke, that actually is pretty good. You're a better shot than most of the people in my battalion."

And Naruto meant it. Sasuke just shrugged.

"Perhaps being taught at a young age is an advantage."

"Maybe," Naruto said. "How old were you when you learned?"

Naruto had been tempted to phrase it as "when he taught you," but he'd quickly readjusted.

"I learned how to clean a gun and assemble and disassemble it when I was maybe...six? I didn't shoot my first time until I was eight."

"Damn!" Naruto said, interested. "You started off so early!"

"Yeah… My mom hated the idea, but my father was stubborn."

Naruto wouldn't push this, as much as his curiosity ate away at him.

"She seems like a sweet mom, if not kind of protective."

"Yeah…" Sasuke said, looking off at the target as if suddenly finding it worth analysis. "She was."

Naruto's breath went still, and he couldn't help but glance at Sasuke. It felt as though a cold hand had entered through his ribcage and clutched his chest. Sasuke's eyes resisted his own.

The tattoo on Sasuke's hand, the fan hanging next to his bedside… It made sense now. Sasuke's mother had died.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, resting his hand on Sasuke's.

Sasuke's hand flinched away.

"That's life. You know that as well as I do."

Naruto wasn't sure whether Sasuke was pulling away from him or only from sympathy.

"If you don't mind me asking… When?"

"Forever ago. I was twelve at the time. Old news."

Naruto nodded. He remembered when he had lost his parents, fifteen years ago. Old news? Bullshit.

His dreams of his parents grew rarer, but they never left him and probably never would. In some dreams, he smelled the aroma of their old garden's wildflowers in his mother's fiery red hair, and his dad would wrap his arms around her. Other dreams would wake him up in a cold sweat. It was a healing wound, even after all this time, and as any wound must, it pained him.

He remembered them with fondness, but always there was a bitter longing. Naruto would never forget, and clearly, neither would Sasuke.

"It's never old news," Naruto said, with Sasuke still peering outward. "Not to you. I know that way too well."

Naruto's last words caused Sasuke to look back towards him, his gaze uncertain.

"There's nothing that can be done now," Sasuke said. "I'll keep the memories, but there's no point in brooding. I'm stronger than that."

Naruto flustered a moment, trying not to take that statement personally.

"I try not to brood," Naruto said, adding a sad chuckle at the end. "Sometimes I can't help myself."

The look of regret on Sasuke's face couldn't have been missed. He lost a moment to speechlessness.

"You're different."

Naruto tilted his head.

"Why is it okay for me to get sad over it, but not for you?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"There's no point. There's no resurrecting them."

"How do you know there's no point?" Naruto asked, monitoring the tone of his voice so that this didn't sound like an attack.

"I just explained that."

"Sometimes it can help people deal with it," Naruto replied.

"I get that. But I dealt with it years ago."

And perhaps he had. Sasuke always seemed to have this otherworldly sense of strength and resilience about him. Maybe at Sasuke's core, he was stronger than Naruto ever could be. It had clearly been a dire blow to Sasuke, given that he'd etched her family crest onto his hand at such an early age.

Nemini Cedimus, huh? "Yield to none." No one and nothing, not even pain. Was this how Sasuke lived?

Yet the tone of his voice felt hollow. If each step toward Naruto on this bridge felt as dangerous as the shooting of a gun to Sasuke, would this be the recoil?

"Hey Sasuke…"

"Hm?" Sasuke inquired, tilting his head.

"Thanks for telling me that just now," Naruto said with a soft smile.

"I should've told you when you told me about your folks," Sasuke replied simply. "Quid pro quo."

Sasuke broke eye contact with Naruto.

"Anyhow…"

Sasuke reached for the gun yet again, taking a few extra seconds to focus. He stared down the trace of the sights, his finger squeezing the trigger. Seconds passed as he stared toward the target. Naruto was surprised when instead of firing the gun, Sasuke put it down.

"We don't have much time left. You should be the one practicing."

Naruto nodded, receiving the gun as Sasuke carefully and gracefully handed it to him. It was clear that Sasuke respected the power of the weapon in his hands.

He grinned at Sasuke, packing his full power into the expression.

"If you insist on me showing you up again, I won't pass down the opportunity."

He swung the paper back to the back of the range, shooting once, twice, thrice… As always, everything in his periphery faded into the background. He hit the target each time. Finished, he glanced over at Sasuke, only to find that he was looking at Naruto rather than at the target.

"Ya know, the impressive part is me hitting the target, not me sittin' here aiming."

"I have to use the restroom," Sasuke curtly replied. "I'll be back in a few."

Without waiting for Naruto's response, Sasuke pivoted and walked away, leaving Naruto to stare toward Sasuke in confusion.

What would he do now? Would he continue shooting? Sasuke was an abrupt person by nature. Yet even if something was bothering Sasuke, he might want his privacy.

Naruto shot two more rounds, one of which was his worst shot since he'd entered the range this morning. With a sigh, he placed his gun down and left for the restroom. When he opened the door to find it empty, his gut wrenched.

He glanced at his watch, which read a mere ten minutes until noon. Sasuke would have to leave soon...and Naruto didn't want his departure to be on these terms.

As quickly as Naruto could, he put his remaining bullets together and unloaded his gun, tucking it away discreetly. He said a quick goodbye to the gentleman at the counter and exited the building. Sasuke was casually leaning against the wall, a cigarette between his fingers.

Naruto was torn between chiding him for smoking and comforting him. Yet all that came out of his mouth was an awkward, "Hey…"

"Hey," Sasuke answered, sounding a bit listless. Had Naruto known Sasuke any less, it wouldn't have sounded strange.

"Hey, um… I'm sorry if I…"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Don't be. I just needed some fresh air."

Said Sasuke as he inhaled nicotine into his lungs. Ironic. Naruto paused as he looked at Sasuke, knowing damned well that he was leaving Naruto in the dark.

He tried to hide the frustration on his face but failed. He wanted to help Sasuke, to reassure him, but how could he do that when Sasuke wouldn't confide in him?

"None of your business," Sasuke said blankly upon noting Naruto's expression.

Naruto felt a chill in his chest, a feeling of loneliness. It took only a few seconds for that hurt to translate into a clenched jaw and a raised voice.

"How am I supposed to understand you if you won't tell me what's wrong?" Naruto asked. "I'm your…"

He was Sasuke's lover, wasn't he? Or was this just a word that Sasuke had let Naruto call him? He bit his tongue.

"I'm not expecting you to tell me what you're thinking, but what's with that attitude? Don't act like it's none of my concern."

"Funny…" Sasuke said, tilting his head. "I could've sworn I told you to expect this."

And he had. Time and time again. Naruto had sworn he'd be patient. But his mouth moved without his permission.

"Fine, toss me aside then. See if I care."

Of course, Naruto's words held no weight. He should know how Sasuke felt; Sasuke had told him, in no uncertain terms. But he was angry, and the words bubbled to the surface regardless.

"If you're too sensitive to handle something as basic as this, then you don't stand a chance in hell."

Sasuke's tone pissed him off. It was so level, so unfeeling, as if Sasuke didn't even care. It was as though Sasuke always had one foot out of the door.

Stop talking.

Naruto heard his mind's more rational advice almost as if someone had spoken it to him.

"You're always so pessimistic. I know you're not as into this as I am, but do you have to make it so fucking obvious?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"I don't know what to tell you, Naruto."

It wasn't about Sasuke's earlier remarks now. It was his disregard for whatever they had, his willingness to just set it aside should the smallest sign of friction surface. How could his bones feel so hollow?

He knew he should stop, that he was only proving Sasuke's point that he would soon lose patience with the distance Sasuke placed between them. But he continued.

"Jesus… You know I'm leaving in less than six days, right? You might never see me again. Do you even care?"

Sasuke's arm slumped by his side, a look of shock on his face.

"Of course I know that," Sasuke answered, and only now did Naruto hear an undercurrent of anger in Sasuke's tone. "None of this should be a surprise to you. Now that you're seeing reality, that idealistic resolve you had will crumble."

Naruto grit his teeth, anger and pain swirling in his gut so intensely that he was rendered speechless.

"I won't hold any grudges," Sasuke added. "I expected this all along."

He couldn't hide the look of rage on his face.

"Bullshit! You're a coward!" Naruto yelled back at him. "Just too afraid to get hurt."

Sasuke glanced down at his watch, appearing perfectly unaffected, as if Naruto's words were only a nuisance. As if Naruto were the person behind him in line who spoke just a bit too loudly, and nothing more.

"Well, it's noon," Sasuke said. "See ya."

And with that, Sasuke was gone.

Naruto spent his shift in chaos. The more he thought back, the more he realized one unfortunate truth: he had really fucked up.

He did want to be patient, but his limited time was dwindling so fast. Naruto didn't know how many more days would be wasted as he tried to make up with Sasuke. The fight hadn't been drastic, but what if they couldn't make up by the time he left? He didn't even have a full six days.

Yet another angry customer yelled at him. He'd been getting orders wrong left and right, going through the motions as he mind wandered elsewhere. It was an apt background to his thoughts. He hated himself for what he'd said, hated himself for feeding into Sasuke's pessimistic views.

What of the patience he'd promised Sasuke? What of the resolve?

And more practically, he found himself wondering what had upset Sasuke so much to begin with. Why had he left so suddenly?

Unable to wait until the end of his shift, he went for the phone and texted Sasuke a simple, "I'm sorry."

Naruto kept his phone in his front pocket, painfully eager for its next vibration. He felt bitter disappointment at finding messages from only his friends. As the hours passed, his spirits drooped with the realization that Sasuke might not respond at all.

He waited until Sasuke's shift was over. If he was going to right this, he'd do it immediately. Hopefully Sasuke had had enough time to cool off. Or was he perfectly logical, even at that time? No… Naruto had heard the anger in his voice.

Sasuke was closing up the shop when he arrived. It seemed as if the others had already left. Naruto ran up to him.

"Sasuke…" Naruto panted, leaning against the closed door and looking at Sasuke.

"What?" Sasuke answered simply.

He wished there had been anger in his tone, or at least some breed of emotion. His voice was cold and blank, as if they hardly knew each other.

"Did you see my text?" Naruto asked.

"Yes."

More silence passed.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Sasuke said. "You tried your best."

You tried your best.

As if it were over and done with.

"Listen to me, Sasuke…" Naruto said, grabbing Sasuke's shirt to pull him close.

"Don't touch me!" Sasuke snapped, striking Naruto's hands away.

So, Sasuke was angry.

"Dammit, I'm not falling for this act!" Naruto said. He felt tears form behind his eyes, and his eyes misted before he could stop them.

"Jesus Christ. Don't tell me you're going to cry," Sasuke said as if he'd just found mold in his refrigerator, a sight entirely repugnant.

Sasuke had been right. He could be damned mean.

It felt like a knife twisting inside of his gut, sharp and unrelenting.

"Sasuke, no matter how hard you try to push me away…" Naruto said. "Like hell am I ever giving up on you. I will always be here, waiting, until I stop breathing."

Tears streamed down Naruto's cheeks. He didn't give a shit. He didn't want to face the regret of holding back, of any words left unsaid.

"I fucked up today," Naruto said. "I did just what you said I would. I got impatient. I said shit I never should have, because I was angry. Because I know how little time we had together, and it felt like…"

Naruto swallowed.

"It felt like you didn't even care, and that's ripping me apart!"

Sasuke's eyes focused on Naruto's face as he watched silently, his mouth slightly ajar.

"Would you give a damn if I never came back, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, his voice quaking. "Can you seriously say that you don't care if I die, with a straight face?"

And Naruto was crying, but Sasuke continued to watch him with that same expression of shock.

"Please, just say something," Naruto begged.

"Naruto…" Sasuke said, his brows knitting. "Fuck…"

"I brought this on myself. I fucked up," Naruto sniffed. "I'm so-"

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke took the words from Naruto before he could speak them. Naruto looked up at Sasuke, his eyes filled with both surprise and tears.

"For Christ's sake, you're getting sent off to fight in a week. Of course you'd be more emotional than usual," Sasuke sighed.

And he was. He was emotional, and as loathe has he was to admit it, he was sensitive and needy of reassurance. He'd tried to hide these parts of himself from Sasuke. He had clearly failed.

"I was… I have issues with guns, okay?" Sasuke continued. "I didn't mention it because I thought I was over it."

Naruto wiped the tears from his eyes, trying to silence himself.

"And seeing you shoot, just… It doesn't feel like it when we hang out, but you're a soldier, and you're leaving," Sasuke said while shaking his head, his tone sad but composed. "You're really leaving."

As much as he felt Sasuke's pain, it soothed him to know his thoughts. He knew all along that Sasuke was putting up a front with his distant demeanor, but his act had been brutally convincing. The fact that this hurt Sasuke so badly meant that he cared.

"Yeah, I'm a soldier, and I'm really leaving," Naruto said, but there was a smile on his face now. "So let's enjoy the time that's left."

Sasuke nodded, regarding Naruto with respect.

"What the hell did I do to deserve you, anyway?"

"Give yourself a little more credit, snookums," Naruto answered.

Sasuke clucked his tongue at Naruto, waiting a moment before continuing.

"I know I went too far. I felt cornered, the shooting put me on edge, and a part of me wanted to test you. That part of me was so confident that you'd fail, just like the rest. I'm the one who failed you, at the worst time."

Did Sasuke's psyche counter him with every step? Before Sasuke walked out of the range, they'd been talking about such personal matters. Sasuke was trying. They both were.

"Can I?" Naruto asked, holding his hand out to touch Sasuke's shoulder.

Sasuke moved forward, wrapping both of his arms around Naruto and holding him tightly into his smaller frame.

"Of course you can."

And everything came to the surface, all of the hurt, all of the fear, everything that had been plaguing him leading up until his final day on American soil. He cried into Sasuke, feeling Sasuke's large hands gently rake through his hair. Neither of them cared who happened to oversee. Sasuke held Naruto until every last one of his tears dried.

A/N: I'd updated this on AO3 but had totally forgotten to post on ! Very sorry, guys!

A bit of good news: Chapter 15 is close behind.