Chapter 21 - Cut It Out, Cut It Off

'Thoughts' "Memories"

"Speech"

"Konohamaru." Naruto whispered, bending a bit to be eye level with the boy who was still shorter than him. "Please...Go home."

Konohamaru had held onto Naruto's arm most of the way home, letting go only to yell at someone who glared at Naruto and Sasuke. Sasuke noted that the teen was much like a lost puppy and was in need of comfort, but it was a bit much to make it hard for Naruto to walk. Right now, the puppy looked like he'd just been told he was being sent to the pound or was getting fixed.

"Your parents will probably worry if you don't get home soon." Sasuke said, so that Naruto didn't have to deal with that face. He knew that somehow...Naruto wouldn't be able to say no to that face.

Konohamaru glared at Sasuke but it melted when Naruto sent the dark boy a thankful look. He looked helplessly at Naruto for a moment before hugging him one more time.

"I'll be keeping my eye on you yet Uchiha. Make Naruto-nii sad and you'll be sorry!" he warned before running off down the road.

"Thank you." Naruto gave his whispery thanks and hurried into his apartment.

-

"My dream is to become Hokage!"

Sasuke stared at the ceiling of his room and sighed. All the memories he had of Naruto...

"Sasuke!" "Sasuke!" "Sasuke!" "You did it!"

His black eyes shut tight as his chest hurt. It felt tight, painfully so. But why?

"How was that!?" Naruto cheered.

"Don't touch me." Sasuke grumbled.

"The Sasuke I know wouldn't give up so easily!" "You're not Sasuke!"

Sasuke sat up and walked to Naruto's room. He paused in front of the door.

"I survived!"

He gripped the door handle tightly before relaxing and gently opening the door. It was late, so he didn't expect Naruto to be awake. But somehow, just entering this room...He felt better already.

Naruto was laying down on his bed facing Sasuke, blue eyes were closed softly in sleep and Sasuke knelt down by the head of the bed.

He stared at Naruto's face before cautiously reaching out and laying his hand on Naruto's upturned left cheek. He found the tan skin to be extremely soft and he caressed the blonde's chin slowly with his thumb. His stomach was doing flips.

Sasuke remembered a sweet taste and an accidental kiss. He'd been so upset then, that his first kiss had been taken by a boy. By Naruto. Looking back on it, that may have been what started it. This feeling deep within him, the one connected to his memories.

Sasuke pressed his lips to Naruto's gently and held it for a few moments, savoring the feel, before he pulled away. His face was red as a tomato and his heart wouldn't calm down, but it was a wonderful feeling. He had kissed Naruto, and this time...He hadn't run away in embarrassment. Then again, Naruto was asleep this time too...

Sasuke nodded to himself and closed his eyes.

-

Naruto opened his eyes and groaned the sleep away. He rolled over the minutest of bits before he was stopped by the realization that he was being held tightly around the waist by Uchiha Sasuke.

"S-sasuke?" he asked, a blush overtaking his face. "When did...?"

The dark haired youth didn't move, didn't react. His eyes were closed tightly, like he was holding onto a grand dream that he never wanted to leave or forget. With his tight eyes came a tight grip, but not so tight as to be uncomfortable.

Naruto noticed that Sasuke's skin was a tad darker than it had been before, and he credited it to the farm the older boy had been on for the past 2 years. He was still unnaturally pale, but not as much as before. Their skin tones were even closer together because Naruto had grown a tad lighter due to his self proclaimed exclusion from the world.

"It's hard...to forget something...like this..." he whispered, running a hang through rough black hair before shaking Sasuke awake. "Sasuke. Sasuke."

"No." Sasuke murmured, holding tighter.

"Sasuke. You need...a bath." he smirked when Sasuke wrinkled his nose as if smelling something terrible before opening his eyes and blearily taking in his surroundings.

"Naruto?" he asked with a yawn. Sasuke almost squeaked and pulled away. "I...I felt uncomfortable by myself last night, so I...came in here." he explained, as if not explaining would reveal what he'd done during his search for comfort.

Naruto placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder and got up.

"Just shower." the blonde ordered calmly.

Sasuke nodded and got out of bed.

-

The warm water had felt so good. Sasuke hadn't known how dirty he'd been, but apparently something he did got him covered in dirt. That...or it was just a feeling. Either way, he felt refreshed after the shower and now he was drying himself.

Almost done, he just had to put his shirt on and he was ready to leave the bathroom. Hair fell into his face and he glared at it, remembering only now that it was longer than he liked it to be. Sasuke dropped his shirt to the floor and walked to the mirror, using his hand to wipe the steam out of his way.

He scoffed. Yea, he looked a lot like Itachi. He opened the cabinets and found a pair of scissors in the first aid kit. Not his first choice of scissors, but they would work. He set to work, pulling out his right bang and snipping it to a better length.

He flinched as he watched it fall to the ground. Memories.

"Memories of Tucker and Marry are stored in the length of my hair...Memories of younger, better days are held in the shorter length though...So this is worth it, right?" he convinced himself with a nod, staring at the hair in the sink he stood in front of.

-

Naruto finished making eggs, one of the things he could make extremely well, and looked up after setting the plates at the table to greet Sasuke. He blinked, let out a yelp, and fell down.

"What?" Sasuke asked, pulling his hand down. He'd been running it through his hair. "Oh...This?" he tugged at his now shorter bangs.

Naruto nodded.

"It was too long. Reminded me of...him." he finished and looked away. "Oh yea, why didn't anyone think I was him?"

Naruto stood up with help from the kitchen table and walked over to Sasuke. He ran his hands through Sasuke's hair and Sasuke closed his eyes for a reason neither knew. Well, Sasuke had an idea, but he wasn't about to admit that he wanted to...to...What was it? This felt really good.

"Sasuke...has a kinder...face." Naruto explained softly.

Sasuke opened his eyes, Naruto's hands still in his hair but not moving, and stared at Naruto. Naruto's voice had gotten stronger lately, and Sasuke smiled.

"Really? I'm not too sure." You could hear the smile sneaking into his voice as he hugged Naruto to him. "But you're doing fine."

Naruto grinned a feral grin and pulled away. He motioned to the eggs and Sasuke nodded.

"Right." Even that feral grin made him happy!

Introductions Next Chapter - Neji and Hinata Hyuuga

Chapter 22 - Two Gems

"Hyuuga." he bowed his head part way and then stood straight.

"Uchiha." the man nodded.

-

It was a beautiful blue stone inside of the Fire Nation's symbol. The rest of the necklace was silver and Naruto, even though he was a guy, knew that it was a work of art. It was beautiful and Sasuke must've paid a lot for it.

-

"Now open this demon's contraption from hell." the dark boy ordered coldly with a slight glare.

-

"This...is the clue...to the secrets...of my heart." Naruto whispered. "The pages...are torn...but it's your...favorite color."